The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-07-14

| InaC SOMEONE ndu OSSH ShiPPih6
at the stone foundation of the
house-you know you found II
when your clothes blew off the
Iline-he got the law to step in.
Figured things had got out of his
control. Now you'd better come
across with what you know, Or"
A binding flash of lightning
cracked through the room, fol
lowed almost simultaneously by a
deafening crash of thunder. For
a moment the old house seemed to
rock on its foundations. Then,
from outside, came another ter
rifle, tearing noise. Everyone
rushed to the window, just as the
great twin-topped pine tree sway
ed violently once or twice, then
toppled to the ground with a roar
like a titanic shrek of despair.
For a stunned second no one
moved or spoke. Only the pound
ing of the rain against the win
dow and the echo of the crash
rumbled away into the distance.
Then Susie laughed Historically
and the tension was broken:
"Why, l thought | was struck
/"
Another voice broke in from the
doorway. There! | saw him
coming in the library window"
Rob Steele swayed weakly and
clutched the door for support, his
face still pale, but the vacant look
gone from his eyes.
Bob Pat ran to his side and
eased him into a chair. Bob, are
YOU all right, old fellow?
Eyes" answered Steele, "but
he's in there, l tell you"
Dan Dallas did not wait, but
snatched his gun from his pocket
and ran along the hall and threw
ope nthe library door. The rest
followed. The room was empty,
but the window was wide open,
letting in a blast of wind-drlven
rain which had created havoc IN
the usually immaculate room.
=
On the polished mahogany sur
face of Lyman Fosdick's desk
was a litter. of twigs and pine
needles as though the old tree IN
leaving the house it had guarded
so long was determined to be-
uueath reminders of itself. The
heavy velvet draperies at the VIM
Jo,y 1rora Sodden rllin
Susie gave one look at the place,
then collapsed into the nearest
chair. "Oh, what would Lyman
say if he could see it now" she
sobbed. Ellis own room that he
loved. And l promised always TO
keep it as it was" -.
Dan had succeeded in getting
the window closed. Now ne and
Pat rushed into the hall to search
for the intruder. Claire walked
over to Susie and laid firm hand
on her shoulder.
"Susie. tell me, why did Uncle
LYMAN want this room kept so!
He must have known that some
time it would be changed"
"He said if it was and l dis
obeyed him, he'd find a way to
punish me. Lyman could do all
sorts O. queer, outlandish things
things he'd learned from the
heather he visited when he went
travelling. That's why he always
left me home"
"But why shouldn't he leave
YOU home, Susie?" Claire's grip
on the woman's shoulder tighten
ed.
For a minute Susie did not an
swer. Then she suddenly broke
down. 81 was his wife-his COM
mon law wife, | guess you'd call
it. We've weren't never mar
ried." She wiped her tears and
looked up defiantly at Claire.
"But he recognized me all right.
That's why he left me the money
and said Eb and me was to stay
here in the house"
Claire had sat down suddenly,
as though her knees had given
out from under her, while Han
nah glared at the moon-faced
housekeeper.
Bob Steele's voice broke the
tension. eff l were to tell you,
Miss Spratt, that think / know
who tried to bump me off and
who came in that window just
now, what would you say"
For an instant Susie tried to
defy him, then her eyes dropped
and she whimpered. "No, it amt
so! He never tried to kill no one.
He"