Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1938-12-15

the four other old la
dies in Mrs. Berry's
boarding home.
81 should think" criticized Mrs.
Slawson, that such a smart person
as Mrs. Berry would hear that ha'nt
and put an end to it."
MRS. Berry's a good woman,
Grandma Clark interposed charita-
bly, from her wheeled chair.
"Good!" interjected Kate STAN
nard. "She's too good. She'd rather
do her duty than eat. She thinks
no one knows anything but herself.
If we told her about hearing all
those queer noises she'd say our
minds weren't right"
"She treats us like children!"
Priscilla Dill said scornfully. ''Noth-
ing short of such big meeting for
the Cause would have made her go
off and leave us all day like this.
She never dreamed, though, that the
children would be up to such
FRANKS"
A series of chuckles went around
the group at the recollection, and
the five aged faces wore express
sions of guilty satisfaction.
The day had started with break
fast of griddle cakes and maple
syrup-no cereal and toast for them
that morningl
The baby from the new family
down the street had been borrowed
for the forenoon, much to the de-
light of all except Mrs. Duncan,
busy in the kitchen roasting the
turkey the ladies' had Clipped in
together TO buy And, though each
and every one paid good board, nc
turkey had graced Mrs. Berry's
table since their arrival.
The dinner was decided success.
There were two guests, Grandma
Clark's grandson, Sob Whitfield, and
Kate Stannsrd's niece, Alethea Bur-
CESS. There had been method in
inviting the two. And their evident
pleasure in each others company
filed the schemIng match-makers
with mischievous delight.
Now, left alone as the afternoon
waned, they were ready for rest
and quiet chat. ALI but Kate STAN
nard and Priscilla Dill. Being the
only unmarried ones in the group
and but a bit over 70, they were
known as 'the girls" and dressed
rather more gaily than the others.
Now their minds were working bus
lily to concoct some further wild
scheme to round out the day, be-
fore Mrs. Berry's return on the six
o'clock train.
Again came the mysterious sounds
that for several days had filed the
old ladies with weird wonder. 1t
was hard to locate them, so family
did they come. Sometimes it seemed
like SOFT murmuring voices. Again
there was low, clicking, ringing
sound, indescribable yet full of pos
sibilities.
None of the older ones heard it
this time. Grandma Clark was
sleeping soundly in her chair and
Mrs. Slayton nodded over her knit
ting.
Mrs. Duncan was murmuring soft
ly as she rocked: Something must
be done about those turkey bones
before she gets here"
Kate and Priscilla looked at each
other with sudden determination.
"We'n dispose of EN-" Priscilla
announced mysteriously.
"What'n you do with them?" Mrs.
Duncan asked with interest.
Bury 'em in the garden" Pris-
ella told her promptly. "Then, just
to put satisfactory kibosh on this
eventful day, Kate and I are going
to find that ghost and put an end to
it, whatever it is"
The two did not wait to hear the
awed EXPLANATIONS that followed
but, after bundling up their heads,
for the wind was cold, took the pan
of teu-tale bones and the fire-shovel
from the kitchen and tiptoed out as
guilty as though Mrs. Berry might
be watching.
''The noise comes from under our
sitting-room, somewhere, and that's
in the west wing" Priscilla an
nounced, after the burial was labo-
riously accomplished.
Lets have a look around the
outside" Kate suggested.
Basement windows, as shining as
the larger ones above, were all
about until they reached the ex-
IRENE end of the west wing. There
the contrast was very decided. Dust
and dirt covered them so thickly
their transparency was lost. Not
quite, though. The two, peering
closely, could discern a ghostly light
inside. A light that was moving.
"The what-you-call-it!" Kate
gasped, clutching Priscilla's arm.
Priscilla. considered, her daunt-
less spirit squelched for an instant.
Then her face set in determined
lines and she studied the surround
ings with her keen, bird-like eyes
"This hatch-way goes down
there" she whispered. Come on"
The slanting door was fastened in
side. however. Hates SIGH at tbie