The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-09-16

something. I don't think very serl.
ously about Il until that dreadful
time a fortnight ago when in the mid
die OF the night We were all awak
ened by a loud knocking on the front
door and finally Carter. tho butler
went down and opened u.
II was leaning over the halustradc.
and what do you think saw Our
local policeman. Sam Clark. was
bringing in a stout figure. dressed all
In flowing white like n ghost. that
reeled as Il walked. I've brought Mr..
Hobart home, Carter sam said. I'D
get him TO bed real quiet, but in the
morning you tell him II Il happens
again well have 10 eonfiscate what
he's got left in his cellar
He was down in front Of the sol.
diers' monument. sam explained.
rugged out In these here bcd.shects.
and spouting like a Fourth OF July
orator that he was Julius Caesar.
Lucky Il was so late or he'd have
had the whole town round him.
Soon's / touched him he Fecmed to
sort Of collapse and he come along
homo without any trouble Hen
likely be all right In the morning"
Patricia had given an unconscious.
~ graphic imitation OF the country
constable. but as she paused and
covered her face with her hands
there was nothing OF amusement In
the expressions Of either Of her hear.
ers.
Did you get closer view Of your
fathsr. Miss Drake2" the latter asked
after a moment.
yes. heard sort OF gasp be.
hind me and turned to find Uncle
Roger there. staring down at father
with such shocked. Mortified sx.
preston that thought he was going
TO have stroke or something. We
stood watching them bring father
upstairs.T
And where was your other uncle.
Mr.. Andrew Drake. during this
timer"
''Uucle Andrew slept thru II all.
Patricia paused. He is awfully Jolly
and the next morning he tried to
make light Of II, but when he learned
how really M father was. he was ter.
ribIy worried.
Your father was seriously III,
then7"
Yes. Il was week before he
went TO his office In Wall street and
he hasn't gone 10 the village once
1 don't blame himr' Her small gloved
hands clenched on the arms OF her
chair THE things that were said and
the horrid jokes that have been
madel was ashamed before-but II
Is even worse nowt
You mean that your uncles have
exhibited similar signs of-er-accen.
tricity?" the detective asked.
Patricia nodded
Not exactly similar, but they
have done things that II seems TO me
only people whose minds were de.
ranged would dol--And Aunt Jeru.
sha's attitude is the most incxplic.
able Of air.
MY dear Patg' John Wells ex.
claimed. You cannot mean that che
also-g'
oh. no, Aunt Jerusha hasn't gone
crazy. too. but abe insists that there
Is nothing wrong. When I suggested
an alienlst this morning she was
angrier than / have ever seen her.
Nothing more happened for the
first week after fathers strange at.
tack. except that Uncle Roger seemed
to grow more deeply troubled. He
had promised TO give lecture on
archaeology at the high school last
Wednesday II l had only known
Was the lecture not glyen7"
ut vas Bitterness sharpened her
soft, girlish tones. And the next dny
the village was talking worse than
II had over fathers behaviorl Ser.
geant Miles, that lecture was the
most hideous travesty Imaginable
Had II been sheer driyel II wouldn't
have been so bad. but it was n clever
satire. ridiculng the archaeological
discoveries OF recent years. THE
laudience didn't know whether 10