The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-08-11
CHAPTER Nv

CHAFVEN Nv
a
Inspector Tope and Miss Moss had
found in marriage the calm happi-
ness of middle age. The Inspector
had looked all his life on violence,
yet with gentle, comprehending
eyes. For a score of years or more
he was at the head of the Homicide
Bureau at Police Headquarters, and
won for himself there a reputation
not soon to be forgotten. Miss Moss
was in different fashion as shrewd
as he.
While they were away on their
leisurely honeymoon, Clint had
planned surprise for them: There
was among the properties of the
Jervies Trust a one-story, six-room
house sandwiched on a narrow lot
in Longwood, hidden in backwater
away from the traffic arteries, with
four trees on this lot, and room for
a flower-garden. Dana Jervies,
Clint's father, had taken his bride
there thirty years ago; and he had
kept it afterward for the sake of
sentiment. Clara and Mat lodged
in this house for while after their
marriage; and when Inspector Tope
and Miss Moss came home from
their honeymoon, Clint met them at
the station and drove them to this
familiar door.
Miss Moss, with tears of pleasure
in her eyes, protested; but Clint said
strongly:
"Why, of course you'll come here.
This is where all the Jervies family
starts housekeeping, you know.
Can't go against tradition" And
when she argued she was not of the
Jervies family, he insisted gently:
s'You're the only mother / can
remember, you know"
She yielded at last, said they
would stay a little while; but Clint
said they should lodge here till he
wanted the house for his own bride.
'sAnd that will be a long time, by
all the signs" he promised.
On the morning after Clint's ride
over Kenesaw Hill, he rang the bell
as they were about to sit down to
the breakfast Miss Moss had pre-
pared: and Tope, in an old blue
dressing gown and slippers, the
morning paper crurnpled in his
hand, opened the door for him.
He greeted Clint; and he called
over his shoulder:
s.Mrs. Tope, here's Clint for
breakfast"
She appeared for a moment in
the dining-room door to smile a
welcome, and babe them both sit
down at the table.
almost ready" she promised.
She watched these two for second,
a deep fondness in her eyes, before
she disappeared into the kitchen
again. When she presently returned,
with the coffee in one hand and a
platter of eggs and bacon in the
other, Tope said:
''Wait, Clint. Start over now"
And he said to Miss Moss: ''Mrs.
Tope, Clint's had a curious adven-
ture. See how it sounds to YOU"
And Clint told them how, driving
back to town, he had overtaken a
girl in her nightgown, running
through the rain upon that lonely
road. ''Now what do you make of
that?" he asked, challenging them,
Miss Moss reflected. II know q
little about that placed" she told
them. II know there are three
houses, side by side. Matthew Bow
don lives in one. He's a lawyer,
trust law mostly. The firm is Bow
don and Tame. Mr.. Bowdon must
be an old man now. Two of his
grandsons are in the firm with him,
and Justus Taine, his son-in-law."
Clint exclaimed: well, what I
want to know is, who was this girl?
What had frightened herr"
The Inspector got up and crossed
to the telephone. 81 wonder if Char
ley Harquail is downtown" he said.
HE might know if anything has
happened out there. - Charley was a
reporter, and he and the Inspector
were old friends. Tope called the
newspaper Office, and Miss Moss
and Clint listened to the one-sided
conversation. vi AZ
When The Old man turned back to
them again, there was a quickening