Evening star., 1924-09-14

DOWN SCnOCI StTeel he we'll,
Mill; over the Hats" until he left the
town behind him. There were no
street lights out along the North
Foxboro road. The going was fright
full. The wind and the rain tossed
his osd umbrella. He stepped in freez-
ing puddles. But his pipe burned
cheerily and he relieved his spirits
with good four syllable cuss words
when he fioundered in a hole.
TT was an eerie .place-that old
Stevens House-a.s the printer
drew near in the dark ness. To come
upon it in a rainy night in search Of
a Young thief was a job for man
with strong nerves. Pottphar Thought
only of what he had read in those
grubby letters
He entered the yard He went up
on the creaking veranda. He fumbied
In his vest, found a match. struck 1t.
BY it's light he saw only the naked
flooring, the closed storm doors, the
drawn aud fastened blinds barnacled
with cobwebs.
Potiphar tried the door. 1t was
locked He went to the front win
dows and tried them vainly also.
He was about to go of the piazza
to try the back door when lull came
in the wind moaning through the
naked naples along the road In
that silence the blood of Potiphar
Buss ran cold. For he had heard a
sound-a weird wild cry that came
from inside that tenantless pile above
him.
1t was a human voice 1t came
again. 1t was crying names
The wind started up. Unearthly
sounds seemed groaning along the
gate.
Then came another IulI- and the
cry. clear agonizing. hysterical,
terrible.
Mary"
Potiphar picked up his fat old UNI
brella went down the steps and be-
gan feeling his way around to the
rear of the house.
At length he found a kitchen win
dow that responded to an upward
push. And fat little Potiphar Buss
crawled up somehow and spilled over
the sill inside. He lowered the win
dow behind him and listened. He
liste.., a long time, fearing to strike
a match.
Mary" came a moan again-a cry
of anguish. the whole trailing of into
senseless babble.
Tn right" exclaimed the printer.
THE boys in this house and either
gone daft or powerful sick"
Mr. Buss struck his match. The
kitchen in which he stood was fur
nished for summer occupancy. On
the shelf over the dry and rusted
sink. he saw small brass lamp. He
crossed and shook it. The base held
oil He dabbed the wick and replaced
the chimney.
Then through the strange house
Potiphar started on tiptoe.
Outside one door he finally listene ed
to senseless raving going on within.
"Georgie." he cried. Its only me
Potiphar Buss from the
printing office, Don't be scared
Georgie-its only Potiphar Buss.'
Pushing open the door into a small
bedroom the printer peered within.
The boy tossed on a sheetlesS bed
with couple of old blankets for COW
ering. He rolled over when Potiphar
Ientered and his eyes were CLASSY hard
Its only Mr.. Potinhar Buss." COM
mented the boy az if there was moth
ing unusual about his being there
good old Potiphar Buss
Oh, I know you, Potiphar Buss. You
gave me two dollars to get some food
last week. Mary this IL
Potiphar Buss from the
printing offce-he's a good old scout
Potiphar Buss--
The printer was startled. For a
moment he believed a third person tc
be in the room. Then he realized ii
was only delirium. Potiphar came ir
and closed the door. Curtain ant
blinds were drawn. No one coulc
see the light from the road. So ht
set down the lamp.
Il see you found Fred Osgood'.
keys" he remarked sociably.
mo, ! didn't find 'em. Some one
h4 oA ~
in that next noontime wher
was in the office, alone. They 1ef,
| 'em with me for the bookkeepcr. Bu'
I had an idea / could save none,
and Mary, this is
Mr.. Potiphar Buss of the printing Of
! fice-Potiphar Buss I wrote yol
about. He's a good old man. Mr.
| Potiphar Bussv
Yes, yes:' cried the printer, striv,
| ing to sooth the boy by his tone.
| DOTIPHAR sat down by the sicl
boys bed. For a long time h,
sat there, only the smoky old laml
lighting the scene. BY piecing to
gether parts of the tale which cam,
| out during the interludes of sanity
the old printer finally got the story
WAS you ever in love, Mr.. Buss
| was sweet and pretty ant
| loved you in return?"
| Potiphar was silent. But his wither
ed lips closed hard. And the patho!
of the boys past came up before him
I'VE was all alone in the world. Mr.
Buss she and I! 1 was onl,
seventeen. She was twenty
going on twentyone-"
| And probably twice as old and wis