Evening star., 1931-12-13
Il Mystery Story

Canada the other day and they are having
swell time up there skiing and coasting and
all"
Well" said trying to be cheerful, Christ
mas is only about q week away. That's one
good thing"
"Oh, yeah?" Iejoined Chuck sarcastical1y
Say at this rete. Santa Claus won't find any
thing but bunch Of corpses when he comes
to this town"
[ JUNK pulled his collar up around his neck.
l "Ive had enough of this he said. IT
guess those workmen can get those windows
in without our help. What say we go over to
my shop and see what we can find to do over
there?"
Hunk, who was handy with tools, had
dandy shop fixed up in his basement but at
the moment the prospect of going there ap-
pealed to nobody. There was nothing else
to do, SO we started for Hunks house slouch-
ing along disconsolately under the dripping
skies.
AS we passed my house, my conscience sud-
denly began to prick. Dad had told me to take
out the ashes that morning and I hadn't done
1t yet. I hadn't had thing to do all day,
but it seems the less you have to do the less
you want to do and had kept my nose buried
in q book until lunch time. Now, however,
decided I'd better get working on those ashes,
or I'd hear about 1t when Dad got home.
Sorry, fellows" said. "But guess I'll
have to leave you. have a heavy date with
the ash pile"
With suitable retorts they said goodby and
moved on down the street while I turned into
the house, changed my clothes, and was soon
digging into the ash pit of the furnace.
Ordinarily I would have spent the time just
after supper in studying, but since there was no
studying to do, helped my sister Lorna with
the dishes-a job hate worse than anything
fIaa %tznx~r 49, a.
Ii couldn't find some of the fellows.
A S have said, Bairdsyille is small place
and you are almost sure to find anybody
you looking for either in his home, or some
where along the main street. But tonight
failed to see Hunk or Chuck Paul although
was sure they wouldn't be staying home If they
could help it, and they were too broke TO be
going to the movies.
Finally I stopped to see Bill Donaldson.
whose father runs the big service station on
the corner Bill wasn't very busy just then,
SO we sat in the station and talked about autos
and motors and so forth.
1t must have been o'clock when car pulled
up beside the pumps, and went out with Bill
while he served his customers. One of the men
In the car was Mr.. Frazier lawyer, while the
other was somebody I didn't know.
Say, Bill" said Mr.. Frazier, as Bill examined
the radiator to see II 1t needed water, "I
didn't know anybody had moved into the old
Blodgett place, did you?"
why no." said Bill, "Im sure it's still
empty Nobody would move In there. It's
wreck"
II know it's a wreck" said Mr. Frazier
Nevertheless. somebody is living there. We
Just drove past on the old road, and I saw q
light In the place and heard a radio going"
"A radio? In the Blodgett place?" Bill was
frankly skeptical.
wen, 1t was a radio or somebody playing
VIOLIN" said Mr.. Frazier. Thanks, Bill" he
nnlshed, and pocketing his change, he started
the motor and drove away.
RlLL turned to me with grin. eff MIR.
- Frazier weren't teetotaler and pillar of
the church, I'd think he'd had a drop too