Evening star., 1932-06-25
INSTALLMENT XII.

lously clean, looking out and up to the
/ slope of Sittaford% Beacon. Charles
room was a small slit facing the front
of the house and the lane. containing
bed and microscopic chest Of drawers
and washStand.
"The great thing is" he observed
after the driver of the car had been
duly paid and thanked, that we are
here. If we don't know all there Is TO
TO be known about every one living IN
Sittaford within the next quarter OF an
hour, I'll eat my hat" 49,
Ten minutes later, they were sitting
downstairs in the comfortable kitchen
being introduced to Curtis, a rather
qruf looking gray haired old man, and
regaled with strong tea, bread and
butter. Deyonshire cream and hard
boiled eggs. While they ate and drank
they listened. Within an hour they
knew everything there was to be known
about the inhabitants OF the smaL
community.
First there was Miss Percehouse, who
lived in No. 4 the Cottages, a spinster
of uncertain years and temper who had
come down here to die, according 10
Mrs Curtis, six years ago.
But believe it or not, miss, the air
of Sittaford is that healthy that she
picked up from the day she came
Miss Percehouse has nephew VINO
occasionally comes down to see her,
she went on, land. indeed. he's staying
with her at the present time. Seeing
to 1t that the money doesn't go out OF
the family, that's what he's doing. Very
duh for a young gentleman at this time
| of year. But there, there's more ways
than one of amusing yourself, and his
/ coming has been providnce Tor the
Young lady at Sittaford House. Poor
| Young thing, the idea of bringing her
to that great barrack of house In the
Wintertime. Selfish Is what some
mothers are. A very pretty young lady,
too. Mr.. Ronald Garfield is up there
as often as he can be without neglect
ing Miss Percehouse."
Charles Enderby and Emily exchanged
planees. Charles remembered that
Ronald Garfield had been mentioned as
one of the party present at the table
turning.
"The cottage this side of mine, No: 8"
continued Mrs. Curtis, has only just
been took. Gentleman of the name OF
Duke. That is If you would call him
! a gentleman. OF course, he may be
and he may not. There's no saying,
! folks aren't so particular nowadays. A
basl1ful sort of gentleman he is-might
be military gentleman from the look
of him, but somehow he hasn't got
| the manner. Not like Maj. Burnaby,
| that you would know as military
gentleman the first time you clapped
eyes on him. ,
"No. 8. that's Mr.. Rycroft's, little
elderly gentleman. They do say that
! he used to go after birds to outlandiSh
parts for the British Museum. What
| they call a naturalist he is. Always
out and roaming over the moor. And
he has a very fine library of books.
His cottage Is nearly all bookcases.
NO 2, is an invalid gentleman's, a
| Capt. Wyatt with an Indian servant.
And, poor fellow, he does feel the cold.
he does. The servant mean, not the
captain. Coming from warm outland-
! ish parts, it's no wonder. The heat
they keep up inside the house would
| frighten you. It's like walking into an
| oven.
mo. ! is Maj Burnaby's cottage.
| Lives by himself he does, and go in
to do for him early. mornings. He Is a
very neat gentleman, he is, and very
particular. He and Capt. Trevelyan
were as thick as thieves. Friends OF
lifetime they were And they both have
the same kind of outlandish heads stuck
uo on the walls.
"As for Mrs. Willett and Miss Willett,
that's what no one can make out.
Plenty of money there. Amos Parker
at Exhampton they. deal with, ana ne
tells me their weekly book comes to
well over pounds or pounds.
You wouldn't believe the eggs that goes
| into that house! Brought their maid
servants from Exeter with them, they
did, but they don't like it and want
| to leave, and I'm s1re don't blame
| them. If you ask me it's queer 0usi-
ness, burying yourself in the country
like this. smart lady like that. Well,
well, I suppose had better be clearing
away these tea things"
She drew deep breath and, so did
Charles and Emily The flow of infor-
nation loosened with so little dtfhcuity
| had almost overwhelmed them.
Charles ventured to put question.
Has Maj. Burnaby got back yet?"
he asked.
Mrs. Curtis paused at once, tray In
hand. Yes, indeed, sir, came tramping
in just the same as ever about half an
/ hour before you arrived. Why, sir, !!
cried to him. You've never walked all
the way from Exhampton?' And he
says in his stern way, Why not? II .
man has got two legs he doesn't need
four wheels I do it once week any
way, as you know. Mrs. Curtis He looks
Dd0 LllOuEll. IL q ILL dSAC Az 49,
through on Friday night. Brave call
it at his age. You may say what you
like, but nowadays the young gentlemen
aren't a patch on the old ones. Tnat
Mr.. Ronald Garfield, he would never
have done it. and it's my opinion, ana
it's the opinion of Mrs. HILBERT at the
post office, and it's the opinion OF Mr
Pound, the blacksmith, that Mr.. Gar
field ought never to have let him go
off alone the way he did. He should
have gone with him. If Maj. Burnaby
had been lost in a snowdrift every
body would have blamed Mr.. Garfeld.
And that's a fact"
She disappeared triumphantly into
the scullery amid a clatter OF tea things.
Mr.. Curtis thoughtfully removed an
aged pipe from the right side OF his
mouth to the left side.
Women" he said, talk a lot" He
paused and then muTmured. And half
the time they don't know the truth Of
what they are talking about"
Charles rose. II think I'll go around
and see old Burnaby," he said. Tell
him the camera parade will be tomor-
row morning"
"I1l 60 with YOU" said Emily. II
want to know what he really thinks
about Jim and what ideas he has about
the crime in general
They went out together. Mrs. Curtis
Immediately returned.
They be gone round to the Majors"
said Mr.. Curtis
"Ahl" said Mrs. Curtis. Nov do you
think2 Are they sweethearting or are
they not? A lot Of harm comes Of
cousins marrying, so they say. Deaf
and dumbs and half-witS and lot Of
other evils He's sweet on her, that
| 60 Ixar
she's a deep one like my Great Aunt
Sarah's Belinda, she is Got a way
with her and with men. 1 wonder
what she's after now? Do YOU know