Evening star., 1933-06-04
N|'ss1Rase|ey

you won't 60 along picking up strangers this
evening"
Just then SECOND car drove up behind them
and the trooper waved them on and turned
to it.
AS if to make amends for her former lack
Of cordiality, Miss Peaseley turned around in
her seat and smiled at Phoebe, a mincing,
apologetic little smile. Releasing one hand
from duty on the handle of her basket, she
patted the plump of Buster, who stood
just behind her, clinging to the robe rail- his
tousled curls a bright halo under the ceiling
light, and chirped to him with pursed lips.
Buster frightened This, now. was more
like the friendly spirit that should prevail
among fellow travellers on a long tedious ride.
Inspired by the promise of an appreciative audi
ence. he broke into an impassioned flight of
oratory, in the course. of which he became
alarmingly rigid and red of face.
Hes telling you how much he admires you,
Miss Peaseley," Phoebe leaned forward to say
to the old woman, and thought, How absurd!
She can't possibly hear me-"
And, indeed, Miss Peaseley had already turned
away, and was again scrutinizng the road with
nervous attention. Buster was piqued by that
tantalizingly turned back. nice old lady who
turned her back upon him a startling phe-
nomenon in Busters cosmos
He addressed her in louder firmer tones, his
head blandishingly on one side. Still she
seemed not to hear. He considered-then-
mo, Buster" cried Phoebe quickly. mo,
no!' and pulled down the little hands that
were tugging provocativey at the scraggly fur
of Miss Peaseley's collar.
At the touch the old lady started, turned;
then, releasing one cotton gloved hand, she
shook her finger smiling ever SO coquettishly
over her shoulder at the little boy.
Buster cackled with delight He waited until
Mss Pease.ey again turned her back; then he
reached up and tugged again. vigorously, with
both hands.
"Buster-you bad boy!" cried Phoebe He
seems to have taken great fancy to you Miss
Peaseley,' she apologized in shout to the old
lady who with her free hand was pulling the
collar up about her neck. Miss Peaseley made
no reply.
every atom of her attention on Miss Peaseleys
movements.
Miss Peaseley was adjusting the white hair
that struggled in untidy wisps over the back of
her neck. In that first instant Phoebe knew
only that there was about the gesture some
thing at once vaguely familiar and vaguely in
congruous.
4 Ass PEASELEY was not coaxing the stray
lVt hairs upward to tuck them into place
with deft fngertips; she was brushing them
downward over her neck with the flat palm of
her hand. Hke-why. that was the way Hugh
stroked the back of his neck!
1t was then that under the hard glare Of
the overhead light. Phoebe saw the thing that
held her rigid, chilled with fright. Between the
edge of Miss Peaseleys hair and the top of
her coat collar she had caught sight of Miss
PeaSeley's neck
1t a singulary thick, robust neck for an
old lady, and down the nape marched pha-
lanx of short, coarse bristles.
In that instant Phoebe knew stark hideous
fear Above it rose sane impulse-the i'm
pulse TO hide from Miss Peaseley the fact that
she had seen She hardly knew how she man.
aged to lift her hands to bundle the collar about
that neck, and say with deep concern There,
I won't let him touch it again. I do hope you
haven't caught cold, Miss Peaseley"
miss PeaSley" made no renIy other than n