The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-10-07
Q SERIAL STORY
MURDER TO MUSIC 81 sS's 'ss"ss' "s
BY NARD JONES

. sure" o..
/ Positive. Wen probably see 1t
again at the next curve IN the
, road"
II wonder if we ought to go the
rest of the way on foot?" TAFT
mused. I'VE might brighten her
out of the cottage. After all, she
doesn't kno wyou and | are out
here after her."
Anne nodded. "Enu won't be
! able to drive much further, any
how, Wen come to a fence-line'
and the rest of the way Is along
4 foOtpath."
Even as she spoke, the fence
! doomed ahead, and the road end,
ed without ceremony. TAFT turned
the ignition switch and the lights;
Can you find the path" ne SAID
in low voice.
Anne was quietly opening the
door of the car. "Yes. But we
should be able TO see the hight
from here. She must have turned
it out. | couldn't have been see
ing things back there on the
road"
TAFT nodded grimly, and slid out
of the car behind Anne. They
started through the blackness.
TAFT held firmly to Anne'S arm to
keep her from stumbling, but ne
had to let himself be guided.
Somehow Anne managed to fol-
low the path.
A host of worried thoughts
fretted through Bob Tait's head.
Nothing but the sheerest sort OF
desperation, or mind tempo
rarity unhinged, could have made
4 girl like Myrna seek this place.
And if she were desperate, and
that desperation was caused by
guilt, then what would keep her
from shooting them down as they
stole along the path in the dark
ness? II she had been burning
q light, as Anne insisted, and had
extinguished it, then she must
have seen or heard the car. She
must know that the cottage was
being sought.
Suddenly TAFT held Anne from
further forward step. This is
foolish" he whispered. There's
no telling what that girl may do
next. You'd better let her know
who you are"
Anne nodded. There in the
darkness she called Myrna's name
clearly. It echoed and re-echOed.
But there was no answer from
the cottage shrouded in biackness.
That's okay," TAFT said. eat least
she knows you're here. She's
probably being cautious, but she
won't be trying any fireworks.
Let's get going. My hunch is, that
we've been talking to thin air,
and that the light you saw was
a FREELY. Anyhow, We"
TAFT stopped, clutched Anne's
arm. Enthusiastically, there was a
threshing in the brush near the
shack. Yet TAFT was positive that
the door had not opened since the
dwelling had come into their
view. Anne heard it, too, and
stood back fearfully against him.
TAFT reached into his pocket.
clutched the revolver he had
found in Myrna's bag. "Myrna
Dombey-" he called the words
suddenly and clearly. "If that's
Myrna Dombey We want to help
you. If it isn't. then come on
down the path-with- your hands
in the air." 49,. -.
For a breathless !. second there
was only silence. Then the
threshingi started again, wildly
this time, and they saw. a figure
run down the hillside. away from
the path. 1t d. was a. figure in
trousers, Enthusiastically, and yet
TAFT dared not shoot for fear 1t
might be Myrna. -, -.
"Pm-Pm afraid,"' whispered
Anne with a queer catch in her
voice. Lets hurry ~.
,, She began running headlong
toward the cottage, needless OF
unseen danger. The next thing
TAFT knew she had thrown open
the door, stood staring into an
even deeper blackness. -.
"Myrna? Myrna, please. It's
! Anne" ~..
TAFT flashed a light and held
it aloft. There in. d corner of the
room. the Pickering light was re-
Elected in two fear-widened eyes.
ITO be continued)