Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-03
FIRST INSTALENsENT.

-, that even my nrSt arrival AZ
Greyhouse was Swallowed by
IL subterfuge, secrecy and double
/. = dealing, as II, at its threshold,
I had been forced to assume new
and equivocal attitude. recall the
lnisgiving, or rather tinnidity. I felt
on that Autumn night, as dress
ed for dinner in the stately
guest room assigned me- Numerous
Scruples and questions presented them
selves. and. the more considered the
nature of my position the Jess liked
1t. Had 1t not beer for my friend.
ship with Eleanor Graham would
have escaped even then-indeed. ex-
ceptr for her and Carl Balloon, should
not have been there at all.
Night time, together with silence and
uncertainty, formed cherries pre-
Jude to the errand on which I had been
summoned. asked myself of what
Kind was the mental disorder of Celia
Balloon. about which her sister wanted
my opinion. To what obSession had
Eleanor's letter REFEREED The vast
ness and country SecluSion of the house,
its l1uShed and shadowy spaces, seemed
to render the presence OF insanity mere
more ill-omened and sinister than in
usual surroundings, as II its chill were
spread along stairway and corridor.
But, used as was by profession to
various forms of psychopathy. 1t was
not SO much this that disturbed me.
a. the consciousness of being at Grey
house under false pretenseS.
Though obtensibly Eleanor's guest,
I was actually an intruder. 1t did not
set me sat ease to reflect that had
been invited here IN the absence OF
Celia's husband, Francis Ball1on; and
precisely because he was absent nor
to remember that, considering his wifes
vagaries OF no moment he had refused
bluntly to call in medical advice. 1t
seemed to me that some reflection OF
him appeared In this house OF his,
in It's remoteness and somber elegance,
which implied character alooi'
seif-complete, and intolerant OF In
reference. On the other hand. his
wife, of course. believed in the reality
Of her decisions, and would resent the
scrutiny. of a stranger. But finally, II
there existed, as I had been led to
believe, an arrangement between hus-
band and wife, to which her condition
might possibly be asertbed; here was
dabbling unbidden in family matters,
q course that might easily lead to
deserved unpleaSantness.
On dissicus authority, then-nanely
that of Mrs. Balloons sister and her
brother=in-law, CarlHBallion--I formed
part Of an innocent conspiracy. But,
however spraiseworthy -the'' motives I
could have wished for a less ambiguous
introduction to q strange household,
and looked forward to the evening
with considerable uneasiness.
To this, no doubt, my surroundings IN
part contributed Although not as a
rule impfesSionable, felt, and be-
lieve no one could have helped feeling,
the individuality OF Greyhouse, as dis
tinguished from other places OF tne
kind. It produced an almost haunting
sense Of the unusual. but for what
reason was at first difIicult to deter
mine The house was o modern Ameri-
can building, and I had seen other
interiors arranged with like regard
for space and solidity of furnishing, in
deed decorated In the same fashion Of
the cold and splendid renaissance. The
difference here was in what might be
termed q diScordance between the house
and myself. Elsewhere. however slavishly
a given period had been copied, felt
no actual illusion of the past. But
here I stood, clearly alien and In
congruous. 1t was In the complete
ness Of this impression. free from any
sense Of the artificial, that found the
distinction Of Greyhouse to consist
and, because 1t was so complete, felt
lost, oppressed, overawed. The glded
pillars Of the. bed with its valance, the
comfortable, but solitary chairs, seemed
scornfuily impassive, as II they admitted
no conceivable reason for intrusion.
Eleanor Graham met me at the foot
Of the great stairs as came down,
and could not help noting that what
was true of me in my relation to the
house did not seem to apply to her. l
remained out of place In the brilliant
apaciousneSs of the hall, while she
Aeemed one with 1t.
Perhaps a sense of this difference,
perhaps that I had forgotten how
striking she was. both In beauty and
charm Of presence, rendered oilr meet
ing little more formal than in the
past.
I'm glad you are here" she said,
"you can hardly realize how glad"
But at the same time her manner
showed plainly that 1t was the
physician rather than the friend she
welcomed. and there remained for me
nothing but to express the desire Of
being of service.
She drew me q little breathlessIy to-
ward the tall fireplace Of carved gray
marble. ~.
I'VE have. q few moments before
Celia comes down. I should like to
tell you what know; then you can
Judge for yourself, but something must
be done quickly. The last six months
have made o marked difference"
Have you any idea." asked. about
the cause OF your sisters illneSs"
But she countered with another
question: did you see. Carl Ballion,
as / suggested in my setter? What did
he say?" e.
gathered that his brother and sister,
in-law have been on strained terms OF
late. He told me that Mr.. Ballion Is
highly temperamental, at times in
ponsiderate, and that he has been in
The habit Of more or less frequent
absences from Greyhouse."
She nodded thoughtfully.
Just as tonight-otherwise I could
hardly have dared invite you. He
ridicules Celia's moods. Was that all
Carl said?"
yes, except that he showed uneasi-
ness about Mrs. Balloons condition.
And so you think" went on, that
these relations with her husband are
the cause Of what you fear?"
She turned, holding out her hands
toward the flames that curved around
the logs before US.
at believe so; but Celia does not. In
devoted az Francis Balloon. . Look at
that painting there-did you ever see
q more gallant MANI" Hl>
The usual portrait leaves merely q
blur on the mind; but even now. after
long years, I can still recall wildly the
one that Eleanor indicated at this
moment-the bold. imperiouS face of
Francis Balloon, the compelling eyes.
the leonine. head lifted in a sort of
inalienable l1aughtiness. the dark, wav-
ing hair. His lips however, were parted
In smile so gracious as to be lovable.
looked and the figure seemed TO
dilate, I'LL and give character to the
hall, rendering its massiveness signif-
icart Hes at least. was at home and
native here; In some mysterious sense,