Evening star., 1924-09-13
THE OWLS HOUSE
A Thrilling Adventure Story
By Crosbie Garstin
By CrOsbie Garstin
Copyright. 1924. BY Frederick A. Stokes Co.

| ders from his brain-a muscular
| twitch. However 1t happened, the
results were fruitful. Rufus cut
himself along the inside of his right
leg with all his might. He dropped
the stick, bounded out of his chair
and hoped about the class, cursing
horribly, yelping with pain. Ortho
stood transfixed, Mortified at what he
| had done. A small boy. his eyes
round with admiration, hissed at him
from behind his hand:
| Run, you fool-hell kill you!"
! Ortho came to his senses and bolt
| ed for the door.
But Rufus was too quick for him.
He bounded across the room, choking,
spluttering, apoplectic, dirty fat hands
| clawing the air. He clawed Ortho by
| the hair and collar and dragged him
| to him. Ortho hit out blindly, pan
licked. He was too frightened to
think; he thought Rufus was going
| to kill him. and fought for his life
with the desperation of a cornered
| rat. He shut his eyes and teeth,
| rammed Rufus in the only part of
| him he could reach, namely, the
stomach. One, two, three, four, five,
| six, seven--it was like hitting a jelly.
At the fourth blow ne felt the usher's
grip on him loosen. At the fifth he
was free, the sixth sent the man to
the floor, the seventh was wasted.
Rufus lay on the boards, clutching
his stomach, making the most dread
| full retching noises. The small boys
| leapt up to their desks cheering and
exhorting Ortho to run. He ran. Out
| of the door, across the court, out of
| the gates, up the street and out into
the country. Ran on and on without
looking where he was going, on
and on.
1t was fully on hour later before it
occurred to him that he was running
north, but he did not change direction.
Teresa was informed of Ortho's
sensational departure two days later.
The school authorities sent to Bosula,
| expecting to find the boy had re-
turned home and were surprised that
he had not Where had he got to?
Teresa had idea that he was hid
ing somewhere in the district. and
combed it thoroughly, but Ortho was
not forthcoming. The gypsy camp
was long deserted, and Jacky's George
had gone to visit his Scillonian sister
by the somewhat circuitous route of
Guernsey.
1t occurred to her that he might be
lying up in the valley, surreptitiously
fed by Eli, and put Bohemia on to
beat it out, but the old hind drew
blank. She then determined that he
was with the timers around ST. Just
"a sanctuary for many a wanted
Cornishman), and since there was no
hope of eXtricating him from their
underground labyrinths the only
thing to do was to wait He'd come
home in time, she said, and promised
the boy a warm reception when he
did.
Then came letter from Pyramus
Herne-dictated to a public letter
writer. Pyramus was at Ashburton
buying Dartmoor ponies and OrthO
was with him. Pyramus was profuse
with regrets and disclaimed all re-
sponSibility. Ortho had caught up
with him at LaunceSton, foot sore,
ragged, starving, terrified-but ada
mant. He, URANUS had chided him,
begged him to return, even offered to
lend him a horse to carry him back
to Helston or Bosula, but Ortho alb
solutely refused to do either-declar-
ing that rather than return he would
kill himself. What was to be done?
He could not turn a friendleSs and
innocent boy adrift to starve or be
maltreated by the beggars, snatch
purses and loose women who swarmed
into the road at that season of the
year. What was he to do? He re-
spectfully awaited Teresa's instruc-
tions assuring her that in the mean
while Ortho should have the best his
poor establishment afforded and re-
mained her ladyship's obedient and
worshipful servant, etc.
Teresa took the letter to the st.
Gwithian parish
CONTINUED in Tomorrow's Star)