Evening star., 1936-05-03
Secret of the Summer House

~ afternoon Bill Saunders didn't
~ have a care in the world. He
4 n had just watched the Hines
Academy base ball team smash out q
victory over Kemp School with
breath-taking eighth-inning rally, in
which Tuck" Tucker, his roommate,
had played a prominent part. In his
pocket was letter from his mother,
just received that morning. which said
that she was recovering her health
rapidly, and would probably be able to
leave the sanitarium in a few months
more. 1t was a beautiful May day,
and the whole world seemed a wonder
full place to Bill.
That was at S o'clock. At $50
everything was changed. Bills care
free face had taken on sharp lines of
worry, and he was preparing to rush
into the greatest danger he had ever
faced-a danger which, unbelievably,
had stretched its weird and sinister
arms all the way from the darkest
jungleS of Africa to clutch at him and
his sister
After the game Bill had gone to
the locker room to wait for Tuck to
dress, and together they returned to
East Hall, the academy dormitory in
which they lived. They clattered up
the stairs to the second floor, happily
discussing various high points Of the
ball game. In the hall at the top Of
the stairs stood a big mail box, with
a cubbyhole for each room, and Tuck
uttered a cry when he saw it.
MALL" he said gleefully. I'VE have
MALL"
LIE HURRIED to the box and pulled
forth the letter that rested dag
onally in their compartment. He
glanced at it. then said, Heck. it's
for youi" in disgusted tone.
Grinning, Bill took the letter from
him, glanced at the writing. and
ripped it open. ITS from Betty" he
announced About time I was hear
ing from her"
HUH" shifted Tuck. "She writes
to you oftener than you deserve. I
don't see why girls waste time writing
to their brothers, anyway"
In their room Bill Topped into a
dilapidated easy chair and proceeded
to read his letter Betty was almost
2 years younger than he was, and un-
til a year ago they had felt no closer
to each other than any other brother
and sister. But when their mother
- 30 txa taly tn
cause of a lung ailment, and their
home was suddenly broken up, Bill
and Betty discovered that they missed
each other great deal.
The problem presented by Mrs.
Saunders illness had been solved by
Bills coming to preparatory school,
while Betty went to live with her
Uncle Joel. Uncle Joel was a semi
invalid, and great student. He lived
in an isolated and rather depressing
old house. and because no high school
was close, Betty had continued her
studies under his supervision. The
fact that Betty had brilliant mind.
and that she was fond of study, made
this plan work with complete success.
DILL had no reason for thinking,
when he started reading Betty's
latest letter, that it would be any diff
ferent from the others she wrote.
But Tuck, in the opposite corner of
the room, heard him suddenly utter
a puzzled exclamation as he turned
to the final page.
well, I'll be doggoned!" he mar
veled. Then he looked up at Tuck.
frowned, and tossed the letter toward
him. Read that last paragraph, will
you, Tuck?" See If you can make any
sense out of it. I certainly can't!"
Tuck picked up the letter, scanned
it, looked at bill in amazement, then
reread the paragraph, this time aloud.
"'How's Esther Layton progress
ing?'" he quoted. I'm not doing
anything novel. Guess everything
really carries out my expectations
He looked at Bill again. We'll, Ill
bite. What's it all about? And who's
Esther Layton?"
Never heard of her in my life"
retorted Bill. DO you suppose Betty
has suddenly gone bit soft in the
old think-tank?"
Tuck grinned. You mean like her
brother?" he bantered. Maybe"
DILL uncoiled himself from the
chair, retrieved the letter, and
stared at it again. Then suddenly