Evening star., 1930-06-28
Ask No Questions
By Beldon Duff
ccpytsht }, Newspaper Alliance. me
cCDyrisht $780, North Alliance me

ent 1t had been war of temperament.
between the two: Annassa, inpetuous
thoroughly spoiled. but always &
straight shooter; Abby, thin-lipped
starchy as to mental processes, never
swerving in her devotion Each had &
way of speaking her mind on all occa.
sionS with disconcerting honesty. Each
was self-centered. Each absolutely
alone in the world. Like all worthy
foemen, they grew in time to love eacf
other, but nothing short of death itself
could have made either one admit that
that love was more than a passing in
tereSt.
At the moment there was a percepti-
bic GOODNESS in the atmosphere, the
renting Of Brides House having pre-
| cipitated one of those domestic tor
nadoeS for which the menage was Justly
| famous. A mad enterprise, Miss Bartll
/ had characterized the undertaking
| Outrageous! What good could come OF
afflliattng oneself with the unshriven
! dead? Not that the good lady had any
| particular fear of the unShriven dead
] Her stout Scotch heart was proof
! against all the assaults of man or devil
| But there was something irregular
| about this not being able to ask Ques-
lions, something underhand and, there
/ lore. quite unworthy of a West Hav-
ing tailed to make any impression on
her young mistress with her prophecies
/ OF death and disaster, ii was character
istie that she should refuse either to
maui down the flag or remain at home.
But she came. be 1t understood, as a
martyr to duty and wearing the air of
one who says clear enough for all the
world to hear. If it's going to hanpen
IL can't happen any too soon to suit
me-" SA-'
Appealed to now on the question of
temperament, her nose rose an inch or
Two higher, but she remained silent,
An, come, Abby!" The red-haired
one had had her own way and was dis
of it," p' snap ou'
Miss West" Abby always said Miss
west when she was in one of her dis
| approving moods, 1--WE unpacked the
trunks. Do you want should put them
In the attic?"
Her, young mistress smiled, one of
liloSe inverted. speculative smiles which
hao so disturbed Alva Cropsey, editor
OF the Free Press. Put the trunks anv-
where you like, old darling. Only let's
nave luncheon early I'm starved "
Hum!" shifted the self-appointed
beside horses"
Miss West took hold of the plImn
shoulders and gave them gentle shake
90 you nave noticed how busy I've been,
come, thatS better. Now saw voI,,re
co. DeAoAe you
But Miss Abigail Barth could not he
caJoleo INTO any such admission. In
stead, she inquired in a voice as crisn
as her apron If that one-meanine
Otto-could be spared long enough to
chop some kindling.
Miss West said, Yes" rather fndip-
nantly, ana waited until Abby's high
pltcneo Scotch burr and the stable
ooy'S plattdeutsch gutterals had blend
| eo themselves into the harmony of
distance. Then she closed the door of
the Darn behind her and strolIed of
10 make a somewhat delayed inspection
OF the outlying portions of her rented
oemesne. With an eye to the possi
ellity OF breaking Dracula, she headed
. .IlsC !or tne south pasture, a little
more tnan half an acre of red clover
fenced off from the vegetable garden
py an old and, in many places, crum-
ping stone wall. Between It and the
req barn was the rock-bolInd moi
where one of the tragedies of Brides
place. '"Neii
At the edge of this pool Miss West
paused, and with her riding crop tapped
the great boulder which perched on its
rim. Perched, because its point of con-
TACT looked as precariously small as
that OF juggler's ball balanced on the
lip OF cup. Appearances to the con-
trary, however, the boulder was i'm
movable-more solid than the ground
beneath her feet
Whistling a snatch of "The Elking."
sne let down a bar of the pasture gate
ano stepped into the field. Ever since
her arrival at Brides House a eroup
OF willows at the farthermost end had
exclted her curiosity. They were weep
ing willows, dropping over the old stone
wall In picturesque attitudes of woe.
Closer, she saw the reason for this.
Like the Pines of Rome, the willows
were sentinels of death. They had
been planted by a careful and discrim-
mating hand to screen from the casual
eye family burying ground.
Twelve mounds in a disorderly grass
grown row met her eye: IL crumbling
headstones, on each of which the name
OF some Runnels made its link in the
history of this morbidly clannish
family.
Joshua! Ezra! Saul! Two more
Joshuas. Where did they bury their
Womentolk? All. yes, around on the
other. side-back of the monument.
Elspeth! Elizal Prudence! Jane!
With the consciousness that every
nerve in her body had started to tingle,
the new mistress of Brides House
leaned over the low stone wall
The grave that had held Jane Run
nels was open. 1t yawned up at her,
loose -mouthed, leering. A grave desc
| Grated, and recently. AS proof that the
ghoul had done his work but a few
hours before, the pile of earth was still
black and moist, with here and there
the silver glimmer of writhing worm.
With rather more curiosity than fear
Annassa West took up the strip of board
laid so purpoSefully across the hole. On
its smooth white surface, smeared large
| in red ink, was a grim reminder of
the forbidden clause in the lease:
Ask no questionsi
CTo be conLnued.)