The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-09-11
ny NARD JONES
r.sr &c cuAPACTERS

KAY DEARBORN -- heroine
Mo inheyit. . yseh, for vacation
nEITrA HOWARD -- Kay
roommate and eo--sdven,urer; =,
PRISCILLA DUNN-the tn'rd
FORREST BROTHERS md
GRANT HARPER-yop"R 'e~".
6.,. whose expedition turned out
TO be 8 rare experience
Y..,.rd.y. Showing unusual
hospitality. the msdms" invites
x.y .rd Gr.n, To ca, and drink
vine. When he returns soaking
vet. after an hours absence he
v,Iyp,,sr. 10 tell them the
strange story az this underground
home.
"The story Of these rooms
Hsrpsr exclaimed. we certain
" would ike 10 hear u. wouldn't
We. Kay" FL
She nodded, trying hard 10 ia1l
into fIarper's game Of playing Tor
time. And despite her fears, sne
found herself curious about TINS
strange place beneath the wood
nm dts stranger occupant.
"1t is quite story the man
said 81 do not believe ] have
ever told II before. But no"
now there is no real reason why !
should not toll IL. Furth"rrnorr
!" The smiled again N that
peculiar way which frozc NAYS
hparD cit will do no harm 70 tell
II 10 you two.
"You see" hc vent on, many
years sgp there was q man named
Dewitt Montgomery who came
here from England. That was be
fore tho DAYS Of swift transporia-
ton - and before pcopl" in pri'
Vate cruisers were likely 70 invade
ones privacy. IIc saw the island
during n hunting and fishing trip
and he liked u very much. TIC
brought group 81 workmcn n
build him this underground apart
mcnt
ellis theory was that during the
daytime he would enjoy the nat
ural beauties of nature above
ground. A. night. he reasoned. "
would make no difference whcth.
or he slept above or below
ground. Nod this had another
advantage IN important ono a-.
strangers happened 10 land here,
they were likely 10 find no cYi.
dcncc Of occupation.
1.-THE workmen. Of course, de
cided that Dewitt Montgomery
was insane. All Of them left
quickly. as soon rs they were fin
lshed and paid. One story has u
that none ever left st all
The narrator chuckled, left IN"
fire 10 settle into one Of the big
chairs from which no stared ut
Kay and Harper. "In any event.
Montgomery's cccntricitics were
quickly forgotten. The island was
forgotten. too. for II was off the
passenger boat lane. and only a
few hunters and fishermen saw IT.
$50 Dewitt Montgomery lived
here. For food he planted n gar
den. made traps. and did some
fishing and hunting. Whenever he
needed anything from outside M
ordered il by mail. going in
canoe 10 the nearest settlement
eight miles south. Sometimes ar
order would take months TO react
him--but he didn't mind. Grad
nally the place was just about n
he wanted u. Not. OF course. ~
comfortable as now because tha
was n great MANY years ago. III
had no electric lights. no air con
ditioning."
The man was silent moment
staring ut the two Young people
before him. Kay stirred uncom
fortably. vlnncing toward Grant
Harper. Ilc was sitting easily IL
the big leather chair his ewes
fixed pleasantly on their "ho-t
"plcRsc 90 on" Harper invited
SLOWLY the man passed hand
over his face. srrT"d - r"e"~rc
with an effort. "DcWi't Won't
gomcry was studious man, h
went on. waving IN a"m tow"rf
one Of tho doirs 81 still have his
library Npturallv. in nlacc IKE
this. living by himself. he had 8