The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-05-17
The Mystery Of a
Haunted Mansion
By
WYndbd,va Martyr
y w. N. U. Service
Copyright by Wyndham Martyr


were dead, so that he could marry
the younger woman he runs around
with"
Handy put his hands to his head.
"This Is too muchi" he nurmured.
Remember. had him in my house
for MONTH"
II had him for more than thirty
years. Up TO the time he met this
musical comedy person-she must he
, forty now-he was good husband.
Now he takes the woman out TO
dance halls. He has money saved.
bur he's spending t. have never
been so utterly deceived In any one
His wife. who Is religious. thinks he's
possessed of, a devil, and maybe she's
right She says he has any amount
of money. had his books exam.
ined, and he hasn't embezzled one
cent. All he has done Is to divert
money from other houses to the up.
keep and repair of the one you're In.
You've no kick coming. He saved
you money. What was he doing for
yOu?"
Handy explained. He told Douglas
what. his improvements had been.
their cost and the time In which they
were executed. The real-estate man
made calculations on the back OF
menu card Fortunately Hanby had
exact particulars as to dimensions
Here's another puzzle!" said
Douglas. ITO complete the work in.
that time he must have worked many
more men than you paid for. ! know
prices and labor scales in New York
state. 1t amounts to this-he went
up to sou to get the very job you
pressed on him. Why? Search me-
Hanby-search mel Another thing
he must have paid for extra work.
men out of his own pocket, so TINT
he conld get the work done by cer-i
tain time. 3 Again you may search
mew , a.eT -sr Is.
Handy frowned.
''-"He may have wanted the workmen
of the premises for some purpose of
his own"
"What purpOse?" Douglas asked.
SLOW SHOULD know? BY the way.
did you ever deny permission to a
former tenant. a Miss Seienos. to go
back and dig something up from the
garden?"
Il denied her right to do some ex-
cavation. Appleton told me she was
a mapiac who, wanted to bomb the
place. turned 1t over to him. Any.
thing IN whaf no snid?''
Y Hanhu told him or the affair Of
Miss l&RlennB and rcrspefa.
II don't mind adIniftIng that Apple
ton has destroyed q lot OF my faith
in mankfnd." Douglas said presently.
He was the one man | would have
wagered my soul on as being square
and white" M
Ever see the woman?"
'~rhat was how 1t all came out.
ran out Of gas near Mineola, and had
to go to very thlrd.rate roadhOuse.
There was Appleton. In neat tux.
edo. doing fancy steps with good
looking ex-actress. looked at him
very hard.s couldn't believe 1t vas
he" Douglas laughed a little. "He
had the id insOlence to say that If
[ annoyed his lady friend by making
baby eyes at her. he'd knock my
block off. Next morning he didn't
try to make excuses. He had hang
over. and he told me much of what
he had concealed since 1890 or there.
nbouts. 1t appeared that he had al.
ways hated me and envied me my
good luck" Douglas grew almost ir-
ritable. "No more about Appleton, or
RI change my table"
- . 80
Handy did not get back to the Gray
house until slate. He said few
words to the younger people and then
asked Dina and Bill to come to the
library.
I've had great day." he an.
nounced. incidentally have dis.
covered that my judgment of charac.
ter Is no better. let's say. than Bills"
''And me house detectivew Bill
cried. "Your reason tottersw
"Weve all been deceived hut Les"
'Les?" cried Dina. "Oh, lii, you're
Joking! That hoy?"
Dina. light of my life" said Han
by, "if there is more thoroughg0ing
old hellion than Mr.. Frederick Darby
Pickwick Appleton, let me learn his
.dishonored name. I've seen his Joan
this afternoon. and know what I'm
talking about. Listen! I'll begin
with what Douglas told me and then
come to my interview with that poor
crippled old woman"