The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-07-02
Beginning Q Ne1C Mystery Serial About
 A BeautitWI Girls AdUentnreS in Q Creepy OId Mountain Mansion

T do like you . lot, Nick" Her voice was sincere. T like you but --oh, don't ask mo now. I don't know--I'm-I'm 50 uncertain about everything. I'm going up to the mountain houge for A few days. Maybe when I come back--maybe later, Nick, dear-piease"
 With Q chOked sob she turned and ran out into the hall and upstairs to her own room. CrumplIng in heap before her dressing table, she pressed small, clenched fists to her cheeks. T can't--I just can'tl I must find some other way out" The words ended in tears.
 "Claire, honey" An elderly maids startled face appeared around an open closet door She hurried to the girl and put her arms about hei1 every inch of her rugged gauntness bristling with maternal protective ness.
 "Tell Hannah all about 1t now, child" She smoothed Clairos rum pied curlS as she had done years before when sine was nurBo to the motherless little girl. Anyone been pesterin' you?" She p0ked her cap to q beliggerent angle, her scanned, weather-beaten face glaring deh- ance.
 Claire laughed shaklly. Drawing Hannah'g head down, she kissed her. Don't frown 50 fiercely, old dear. Anyone would think you were still fighting ApAches out on your ranch in the early days. Some scrapper yet, aren't you2" Claire got up and dabbcd at her eyes.
 HANNAH nodded You said it, AI honey. l nm when anyone goes tryin' to drop loop over you f you ain't willin'. Go on now, tell me. Is 1t that Baum fellah again?"
 "Yes." Claire answered slowly. He's awfully nice and he loves mo, but"
 But you don't want M marry him." Hannah finished the Bcntencc for her. "Wcll then, you don't have to-"
 But know Daddy hoped l would, Hannah. Nick was very close to him, had even loaned him lot of money, and we can't pay iC back"
 Listen, child" Hannah broke in Your father was the best man in the world, bar none, but just be- cause he was so darn good himself hc was a mere babe in arms when it came to some other things. Now you've got your own life to live. and he's gone. It's all bosh beIn' tied up by dead folks wishes. Nobody oughter try to run the affairs O the living from the grave. How about tryin' to unearth that blasted jewel your Uncle Lyman said he hid in the house in the mountains? Wouldn't that help, Claire?"
 "I was just thinking of that, Han nah" Claire looked up eagerly. "Oh, if could only find itl But we've gone over every inch of the place hundreds Of times. Daddy had about decided 1t was just Uncle Lyman's delirium when he was dying. You know he spoke of 1t again. but couldn't tell us where 1t was. But if there really was Q jewel, and l could find 1t everything would be all right. I could pay Nick and"
 "Then your father didnts know whether he got all your uncle's jew els or not?"
 "We'vc never been sure. Hannah. You know Uncle had some wonder ful stones. He was an authority on such things and bought them all over the world on his various tray" els. But he was always bOasting about his Jewel of the Rockies. as he called 1t. He spoke of it again as he lay dying. Said 1t was hidden in the house, and that we must never let the place go out of our possession. But after we looked and looked without finding anything. we weren't sure whether 1t was just a fancy or not. You know Uncle was dreadfully eccentric"