Evening star., 1933-01-15

Listen? I've listened for the
NJ last time to you!" seethed Mrs.
Twiss. For 20 years I've been
listening. And to what? To
what?"
Mr.: rwiss cast his mild blue eyes from his
wife to charming tangled brook, not 100
feet away. He seemed strangely at peace, in
spite of the family row which was going all
about him. To say fire was coming out of
Mrs. Twiss eyes would be a faint figure of
speech Those eyes needed fire department!
And her tonguel
"Well, now, Clara" answered MIR. Twiss de-
liberately. Il don't know all you've been
listening to for 20 years. But hope my say
ings have made you happy"
Mrs. Twiss choked With difficulty she
got her tongue goings probably the first time
In her life that 1t had ever experienced any
such dificulty
I'm through, understand? Through. Mr
RleI Bang Twiss. I'm sorry ever laid eyes
on you. And this''-she waved an encom-
passing arms the last straw. Left the city
and friends and came way up here in the
woods wouldn't live here day A haunted
house you've bought. And with your last $500"
tive got q hundred and fifty left"
Shut upI know what I'm going to do
I'm going to my sister Lueila's home. She'll
take me in.
"And you can stay here in Vermont with
your old haunted house Or get rid of 1t to
sonic OSueE Oto IOol ana tpeQ-tnen maybe III
let you come back to me- Maybe. After what
you've done, guess I'd be the most generous
woman In the world to take you back"
you liked the house" mildly protested Mr..
Twiss- "You said it was real pretty, reminded
you Of"
you who was reminded. You said it reminded
you Of house you once saw and fell in love
with In Bilge Water Greek out in Wyoming
You'd always remembered It,"
well, 1t did" replied Mr.. Twiss. "I went
out there for my health. 1t was two years
before met you-"
"I wish you'd stayed therel" shrieked his
wife. Then wouldn't be in the mess I'm
in now. Bfge Water Creekl"
"It vas beautiful just like this" murmured
Mr.. Twiss. "Old, quaint and sylvan. run
ming brook behind it. real lovely spot Oh
hum"
A ARS. TWISS glared at him. This seemed
odd-for you couldn't imagine q man VINO
inspired less cause for giaxes than Mr.. Twiss
Even now, in the awful hole he seemed to be
in, his brow was unruf1ed. serene. His face
was as placid rs the old abandoned farm and
yard In front Of him.
"wellr' finally snapped Ars4rwiss. Have
you got anything to say? Have you?
slow to answer; wouldn't even fight back Was
there ever . man like him? Look at him,
moaning about that defelict house. not even
listening to her, probably.
I'm talking to your" she shrieked now.
"Why don't you answer me?'
There doesn't seem much can say" said
Mr.. Twins, after pulling up long piece OF
grass and starting to chew 1t.
Not much to say. I've bought this place. It
has al ais al oveH
but $50. The papers are passed. What can
do?"
He raised his hands In . helpless gesture.
Mrs. Twiss felt her gorge rising. She wanted
to do something desperate. The recent de-
nouement, the sudden knowledge that the house
was said TO be haunted, hadn't done her nerves
any good.
thing fairly hopeful Mr.. Twiss wasn't going
to set the world afre after an these years and
she had resigned herself 10 the fact anyway.
Up to last night things really hadn't been so
bad
But then that neighbor had come along ana
upset the whole thing His casual remark that
he was glad they were folks who didn't care
about "haunts" had tipped over the existing
amount Of Mrs. Twiss' serenity.
She was frankly, afraid of the occult, any
thing strange. Haunted houses were something
she wanted nothing of whatever! And this
monster, Mr.. TwiSs, had actually bought one
for her to live in! Put it over on her! The fat
headedest thing this fat-head had ever donel
She hadn't slept wink all night. On those
occasions when she had dared to open her eyes
at all, there were such terrifying shadows all
around that she was glad to close them again.
She would have died, without the sleeping pres
ence of the odious Mr. Twiss beside her
! think you're silly to believe in haunts,"
said Mr.. Twiss, idly
Silly! Silly! Well, maybe I'm silly but
I'm not going to stay another minute in a
haunted house, I'll tell you that, RueI Twissl"