The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-03-08
CHAPTER II-continued

"WlO are you. 90 butt In like thatf"
she demanded finally.
Handy came into the room, and
she backed out.
Forgot all about you. Smucker,"
Handy admitted. ut was a birthday
party. What Is lt7"
Il wish to see Mrs. Handy, too"
Smucker returned. "It's matter Of
life and DEATH"
Banby. saw that the fellow had
been drinking, and that the unac-
cust0med stImulant had LEI down
some OF Smuckers barriers of re
straint he had always known that
his employee disapproyed of him
but he was unprepared Tor the hate
that giared from the red-rimmed eyes,
II came as something OF shock.
Mrs. Handy Is busy" he said
-AIso ] don't propose TO lnnict any
business troubles on her. may say
that you behaved 10 very question.
ahie taste In shouting what you did
just now. It's none of your id
business whether have a few PEG.
pie 10 TO dinner. Is lf?"
"a matter Of life and DEATH"
Smucker went on. II am wasting my
time. alarming my own wife, and
spending car fire. all for your bene-
fit. and yon insult me. might have
expected I'll"
tits nothing to do with Office bust
ness. then2"
"A matter OF life ana death.
Mrs. Handy must hear Il, too
nanny paUseu momehL
can right fIl send for her."
Dina iianby had long ago known
that In Smucker her husband emf
piOyed dlsaifected and unpleasant
sort OF man. She bowed coldly to
ahe intruder. who found In her fresh
fuel FOR his wrath. lie saw o lovely
woman OF forty. who looked no more
than thirty. He hated her for that
Mrs. Smucker was not lowered with
beauty. lie saw spiendldIy dressed
woman who held herself regally. He
considered that at forty woman
should be plump. and not concerned
about dress or complexion. First of
all she should be a good cook.
Mrs. Handy outraged his sense OF
feminlnes proportion. She was slen.
der and graceful. Cnce. In the Of
fee. when the light had been poor.
he had mistaken her for Celia.
u am the deaths head at the
FEAST" he said pompously. 'You have
been Imagining yourself the mistress
Of a great mansion. Il Is q house OF
death and dIsasferi"
"Oh. Hill" she cried. "what does
he mean?"
What the red-faced man had told
him an hour or so earlier, Smucker
now wOve into an intensely dramatic
narrative. Mrs. Handy. listening
eagerly. learned that the house In
which she and her children were 60
live had. since ITS erection more than
a hundred years before. been the
tomb OF all young people who lnhab.
tied Il. There was superstltious
strain In her. and Smoker could see
that she grew uneasy. Il irritated
him to see Handy immune from fear.
as this true?" she asked her hus-
band.
II relieved her to see him wholly
unaffected by the dread that gripped
her. She did not understand why he
was concerned mainly with getting
an accurate description of Mr.. Sey.
m0ur's chauffeur.
"Smucker. It's kind OF you to take
the trouble 10 come here" said Han.
by. at last; 'but you've been the Vic
tim Of practical Joker. I've lad
one already. and this is the second >"
"you think I'm lying?" Smoker
cried angrily.
"No-I think you we're used merely
as tool"
'And this. is your gratitudep Bit
terness was In Smokers voice. "It
is only what might have expectedr
Smucker would have been wise to
note the unusual look of sternness
which passed across his employers
face
Il will have a taxi called to take
you to the subway. II is raining
Am obliged to you for coming Smuck-
er. You didn't know you were the
victim Of man trying to play a Joke
on me-"
While Hanby went to the telephone
in a booth outside. Smucker turned
on Mrs. Handy. He reveled In ner
uneasIness. 1t gave him. the bringer
of Il. gratifying sense Of superior
lity.
| Dance. drink. revel. and Cypress
while you mayI" De said 1.-THE time