Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-02
Ask No Questions
By B eldon Duff
c7pyrisht 1880 North Newspaper Aniants

mean. See. it's gripped him now. Oh
lookl look!"
The big stallion had raised his head
and was staring toward the trapooor In
the harness room, a curiously expectant
expression on his half-white, half-blacK
face. Even his ears were cooked, listen
ing.
Il believe" whispered the girl, that
he knows who killed Otto and is trying
to tell me. Perhaps the murderer's
somewhere around" In her excitement
she caught the veterinary bv the sleeve.
Perhaps he's ERE now-right this very
minute!" Receiving no reply, she turnec
imperatively, and saw that the horse
doctor was cycling her stallion with
look OF strange malevolence.
AS you say, marin, the murderer IL
indeed here" An accusing finger point
ed to the box stall. There he stands.
Your pet. It was him who killed the
lad". Slyly, Didn't you say the head OF
the corpse was battered almost beyond
recognition?"
Miss West could not repress a shud-
der at thought of the scene which the
veterinary's words called to mind. She
did not believe that Dracula had killed
the stableboy. Nevertheless, she heard
the cellar. He couldn't have got there
afterward, even-even by crawling on
hands and knees. Anyway" with sud-
den relief, "the stall would have shown
signs of-of what had happened-the
stall and Dracula's hoofs"
Unless" DR.. Cranson insinuated
softly, the blood was cleaned away by
some one"
"oh, why do you say that?" cried
the girl. What reason could anybody
nave for doing so Senseless q thing?"
But all the same, she went and peered
through the bars.
Like a cat with its eye on mouse,
Cranson watched every move. He even
stepped up behind his newly found EN-
pfoyer as though he meant to look over
her shoulder to see whether the clue to
Otto's fate might actually be found in
the hay under the stallion's feet. But
when Miss West turned suddenly with
a shake of the head to say she had seen
nothing, he skipped nimbiy back, look
OF mingled surprise and disappointment
on his wizened face.
I'll do all CANAL can"--lle kept
reiterating on their way back to the
house. II don't live so far off Just on
the other side of the woods there!" A
nod OF the tall silk hat indicated the
trees beyond the south pasture.
Miss Vests reply TO this was an abb
Sent-minded expression of relief II
ponies she could run over and get him.
NO. you mustn't do that" he
fastened to tell her. "You must never
go any further than the fence of the
south pasture. A Swamp'S in them
woods, and quicksands. Two Of Mr..
Runnel's pillow horses was lost there
once. Mired before you could say Jack
Robinson They died q slow death
sufiocated-right before our eyes"
hA -
the picture Of those n1ired horses as
vivid in her mind as If she had been
present when they were sucked to their
doom, Tell mel Is there any truth in
the rumor that curse Of some sort
rests on this house?"
The veterinary gave her a peculiar
sidelong glance. 81 dunno as I ought
to answer that" he mumbled. Folks
hereeboutS don't ask questions concern
ing Brides House. But seeing as how
you're a stranger and a gal at that, I
think I ought to warn you. Git out
git out now while you've got the chance.
Women go mad on this farm-they 20
mad and kill themselves" His voice
dropped to whisper. "I've heard say
there's a room in the house with q
locked door, and that when the door
opens. something comes out--something
that was buried long ago. A"
Twilight was gliding out from under
all the trees to lay stealthy fingers on
the house and gardens From some.
where, not far OF, a whippoorwill had
begun its melancholy plant.
Miss West faced the prospect Of an.
other night on the hAutned farm.
Don't tell mel" she cried In sudden
panic. wait until some other time l'
The veterinary took her at her word
and they walked the rest Of the wAy in
silence. At the door, after their good
bys had been said, he held her for q
moment longer while he made pretense
OF studying the sky. Rains over" was
his pronouncement. Wen have moon
tonight"
Miss West said she sincerely hopAd
so, and since this unquestionably terrai-
mated the interview as far as she was
| concerned, DR.. Cranson had no choice
but to bow himself and his tall silk hal
| down the brick walk and out the gate
The last glimpse the new mistress Of
Brides House caught of her extrAordi.
nary visitor was hop, skip and Jump
lar down the road, as though the vet.
Urinary, thinking himself well out OF
sight, must needs give colorful expires.
sion to some idea which the situation
he was putting behind him had sug-
| gested.
CTo Be Continued)