The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-05-17
CHAPTER VII-Continued

3D.
He turned away and made for the
bird sanctuary. The wire netting
about II lie climbed ni,nbly. and then.
uniieeding fhorns and brambles, he
crept like the hunted thing he was
to its biack center. Suddenly he
stepped into nothingness. lie felt
himself falling. Then came n blow.
and he was no more aware Of time
and space.
When Tim Handy. intent on add
ing white owl to his collection. had
carefully aimed his twenty-five at the
creature ms it sat oman elm, branch.
he had not been prepared for the ex.
traordinary Intervention that saved
it's life. AS his finger caressed the
trigger. there came blOadcurdline
scream. and some large animal had
sprung from the base of the tree. Tim
fei! that 1t was no disgrace. to Gee I'M
mediateIy.
Hanby had not been near his office.
far two months. An hours dictatiOn
cleared up his correspondence. and
he went TO the Hardware club for
luncheon. ,. e
Hello. Douglnsl' he said. stopping
At the table where al elderly. gray
haired man was sitting, n called
Noa dp l0tning. but ron wsfs
busy"
~i:tad TO see yon." Douglas replied
heartily |: live missed yom What's
II like TO ne a landed proprietor?"
1.-The hest life in the world" tianby
declared! "but a darned sight more
to do than thought. Why did you
recommend me TO buy those farms?"
"a sound Investment. They'll be
wanted for country club some day.
How are your improvements coming
aiOnG?" I..a.t
'"rhey are finished. thanks TO your
admirable Appleton. Douglas. how
could you let jewel of a man like
that go?"
There was curious smile on the
heavily lined face of the real estate
man.
$50 Appleton has been up there
again. has he?" inquired Douglas. z
again? What do you meanY'
"The Gray house holds some singu-
lar fascination for him-that,s what
| mean. You ask why lei him go.
You call him jewel. did. that for
more than thirty years"
"And, yet you refused to raise his
pay. and stuck some Jackanapes over
him. II Thought you we're a, better
business man than that"
Tell me just what he snid," Doug.
las returned.
He listened to Handy IN silence
"Now hear me-" he resumed. 81
fired Appleton didn't refuse to
raise his pay. and put nobody over
him."
"You fired Appleton? Douglas. you
must have been crazyi What for?"
''Ostensibly because he was drunk
. and impairment"
"Appleton? why. ne never drinks!"
"Another reason was because he
ttstu uCiihS'AUiF uiS'Su H'S as W MS
family life. YET third was because
he had. manipulated accounts. don't
mean that he took money from me.
mean that he had robbed Peter to
pay Paul. l mean specifically that
for years he had been charging other
clients for the money he used to eff
feet repairs on the Gray house."
ION my house?"
Douglas nodded.
''For years he has been interested
In your house-for the last ten years,
anyway. Another thing-SOuthard
called ME up a month or so ago, to
ask why allowed a man like you.
with a lovely family. to buy house
where people died from had drains.
Far the last few years Appleton has
kept clients from buying that house.
You ask why. can't explain. Ask
Appleton. did. and was told to go
to h--l."
1.-The Appleton mean Is a man of
sixty. plump. smiling, and married to
an invalid to whom he is devoted.
He calls himself Darby and his wife
JOAN"
'9hat's my Appleton. too. took
II upon myself to see her. There
was another. ilIusion gone. She is
an invalid, but, as TO heing devoted,
ne tells her openly he wishes she