Evening star., 1932-03-27


ton 1t was his way of crying out in sympathy.
Voiceless comradeshp like that of a fine dog.
Judd had never presumed to approach the
private rooms. Urged by his almost over.
Whelming devotion to Missy, who had been so
good to him, he tiptoed to the door and timidly
raped
Who's there?" Very evidently from the
tone Lefty was really alarmed. She had for
gotten about Judd and thought it was Brun
Graeber come to force her from home
"Jes' Judd-Jucd Hoon-the chore boy
somethin' bad Missy"
Mrs. Kerrs opened the door and the evi-.
dences of her grief were plain. to the
prosaic boy. His body began to weave again.
kin Judd help?"
She had never thought of him. The boy
might be defense If she could keep him
around, perhaps Graeber would be afraid to
do anything A
Judd, you must never tell any one you saw
me crying"
t nobuddy-in Hoon Hollow-secrets is secrets.
Judd, this Is a Hoon Hollow secret"
Lefty, in her room, heard Judd 60 downstairs
and move about the kitchen. She heard him
60 outside and walk away. He went round
the house and she could not follow him in
the dusk from her window. 1t made her feel
afraid again. Perhaps he had not understood
what she had asked him to do. She waited
to hear him return. But the minutes piled
one on another and he did not come. She
nerSeu
lest Graeber come and Judd be away. Her
self-control was giving way again. Graeber
would force her to 60 with him and nothing
would explain the situation to Rainey, even
if she managed to elude Graeber later.
Time heightened and there was no sound
around the house. Her imagination ran riot
Country bred as she was, her fears now DOM
mated her so that she afraid to venture
into the dark She could neither away nor
find out what had happened to Judd. She
sensed clutching hands on every side.
The telephone tinkled downstairs.
To her 1t sounded like fire alarm.
1t rang again. She thought it was some
ruse Graeber using to get her to come
down to meet him. 1t continued to ring II
demanding her presence. She unlocked her
door and listened. holding her breath it
sounded so loud. There was no sound but the
insistent ringing Of that bell She would have
to 60 downstairs.
This is Mrs Kerrs talking" What 8
trembling faint awed voice she heard as her
own.
Hello, honey. This is Rainey at Gary Cross
roads and I'll be home in an hour" She was
SO astonished and relieved she nearly collapsed
Hurry Rainey, hurry, I'm so scared here
alone"
Amt Judd there?"
"He-he-he Went-he went out somewhere
and hasn't come back"
"Ha, ha huntin' chipmunks III bet COMM
right home, honey"
When Judd left Lefty he went down to the
kitchen and prowled around muttering:
Its yit-yit time-yit time, now-for t'yink."
! ! find There was weapon big enough
for him. His hands were clutching. Softly
he opened the door and went to the woodpile.
No club seemed heavy enough and the wood
pile suggested the AK. He was proud Of that
AK which Rainey had given him 1t was at
the edge Of the woods Looping strides took
him swiftly to where the dying Goals Of his
fire glowed. Deity he put small pieces of bark
against the embers and soon there was q blaze
beginning. He took the ak from under its
bark hangar and tossed it up and down In his
hand.
He heard steps on the bride path, and slid
behind the bole of tree The bulk Of man
appeared, dimly, at the edge of the trees The
prowler hesitate6 he the fire glow.
There sound. The figure came for
ward. It was the chipmunk man.
The hair on Judds neck bristled. He ground
his teeth. The man came closer. Judds eyes
were blazing. His neck craned from his
crouch behind the tree The doctor paused as
he came to the blaze.
With that same swiftness he had shown when
taking the riding crop from Graeber, Judd
was In front Of him, keeping the fire behind
the doctor
Like a snake-suckin' eggs-you yink-rve
crossed ye now" It was q below and the doc
tor stepped backward from the infuriated
giant. He went against the pile of earth Judd
had taken from the great pit that was meant
for larder. As he stumbled Judd was -
him.
There was q scream from the doctor as the
AK lifted and then silence except for the pant.
ing of the giant. Judd amazed at the
inertness Of the thing that lay before him.
He bundled earth, flesh and AK into the hole.
He did q labor Of Hercules, in case some one
might come along. He raked the fire over
the spot where he had his larder and built .
bonfire in its place.
Rainey reached home just as Judd came
into the yard, laughing to himself and covered
with mud.