The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-09-19
nrGTN uInr TODAY

what horrible Pow Cf was FORCING
The tarce Drake brothers
HOBART tho Wall street broker,
ROGER, Jhc scientist and
ANnREM. recently returned from
Australia. 20 place themselves iu
ridfcnlaua situations Srdatrs
middir-agcd and wealthy thc
three were now terror stricken.
Somo power forced Hobart % De-
liver 4 mock speech In a public
enuuc paper. aud Andrew 20 rlt
on abe paflor floor and play with
toys They were sanr and uh-
Known 60 them
PATRICIA DRAKE, daughter of ho-
OWN si!S NILS NILES. detective sergeant.
sco SS rs McRaApY. 70 investi-
safe Miles is employed as a
houSeman and Scottle Is 20 report
there Miles discovers andrew
preventlng Roscr from commit
unE suicide The following morn
ms a letter throws Hobart into a
passion. Miles finds that tho let-
Ter did not SO thru the mall Scot-
lie investigates thc family az thc
country club and reports 20 Miles.
60 on WITH STORY
General history u the family and
the way the neighbors regard them. %
Scottlo grunted, "Iye come especially
10 warn you Of a rumor % som0
strange actions Of Hobart BRAKES
ia wan street today. He's home. tho
nighif"
Eyes. and calm and more seh'eon'
tainedg' Miles exclaimed In surprise.
That's because his mind Is made
up.s returned scottic. "Unlcs's the
rumor Is unfounded-our friend Ho.
hart Is planning to retire OF make
his getaway. lie has started 20 wind
up his business affairs. Overheard
unythlngF"
Netting"
Briefly Miles told his colleague Of
the event which had occurred since
his Installation as tho pseudo house
servant.
Andrew Is the only ono who
seems TO be unaffected. but there Is
a forced and unnatural note In his
boisterous eheerfulnosa. don't
know whether we'rc dealing with a
bunch OF lunatics OF but that they
are the victims OF some obscure form
Of villainy that Is unprecedented in
the annals OF the department. and
am on the point OF developing nerves
over the problem myself IN be
glad when you tackle your Job here. Z"
Miles watched until tho bulky form
had vanished. Then no entered the
kitchen door and fastened Il behind
him.
He had started for the servants
staircase when Pickering glow
from the front OF the house made
him pause with every sense alert.
Nolselessly no crept toward u and
Saw that h emanated from the draw
ing room. As he advanced the sput.
Ter OF flames and Kissing thud OF a
falling log came to his ears and then
the duh ciank OF metal.
Carefully ne drew aside n fold Of
the heavy curtains which draped this
doorway and peered In. There wa'
nc light save that from tho city
blaze burning itself out in the fire
place but against its glow he saw
outlined a huddlcd. shapeless flgur'
in a loose robe kneeling before IN,
hearth and while he gazed narrow
tongue OF flame ieaped up. glisteninE
on a heavy coil OF silyery hair which
hung to the floor. It was Miss
Jcrusha Drakel
Holding his breath and moving
silently inch by inch Niles slipped
thu the curtains and into tho sha
dew behind a tall cabinet. from
around the farther sido Of which
he could gain more direct view
Of the crouchfng form. II was sway
ing back and forth and now = low
indistinguishablc mutter not unlik'
sorne weird incarnation Issued from
her lips.
The flame died and Miss Jerush1
drew n deep breath.
Gone The mutter resolved Il
self into dull. monotonously intonct
speech at last Ashes. every one
II only the first had never been con
ceived this horror would not hay'