The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-27
CHAPTER TWENTY

ulOlIltLL u my W oGl0l iiAAAAS 49,
now much of the noise I heard was
The last fragment Of my dream,
now much was reality. I could
near footsteps. Stealthy, furtlve'
Up and down the stairs, along the
nall they raced. Voices which gave
an impression of excitement spoke
in sibilant whispers. had walked
before during night to hushed'
silent house. Footsteps and whls-
oering voices excited my curiosity.
Just how long it required for me
TO realize that there was some
thing radically wrong at Purple
Beeches, have no idea. But when
that dawned upon me, I sprang
out of bed and hurried into Slip
pers and a corduroy house coat.
It couldn't possibly be fire, some
one would have called me in that
case. But it might be-the old
captain. He had steadily improved
during the last week, but at his
age one must be prepared for any
thing.
That was one time I was CRATE
full for the permanent which God
and not a hairdresser had given
me. AS I started for my door.
ran my fingers through my hair,
knowing it would fall into its ac-
customed curls.
In the hall I saw Janet just dis
appearing around the corner which
led to the stairs. Picking up the
long skirt of my coat, I fled noise
lessly after her down the hall.
Janet" I called softly when I
reached the head of the stairs.
"Janet, wait for me-" She was on
the last step, but stopped when
she heard my voice. and I flew
down the stairs. My heart almost
stopped beating when I came to
her side. Her face was white and
drawn; her forehead was furrowed
in worried frown.
''Is something the matter, ia
net? Can I help"
perhaps, come on She ran
lightly down the hall to the library,
and I followed as closely as I
could.
Someone tried to get into the
safe,'' she tossed at me as we
raced on. "Jabez must have tried
to stop them, for he's hurt-un-
conscious-he may-die.'' Her
voice shook and there were tears
in her eyes.
knew that JabeZ was very dear
to the members of the Essex fam
lily. He had come to work for them
when Captain Cary Essex I was
still alive, and to each one of the
four cousins he was part of
home. He never overstepped the
line between respect and familiari-
ty, yet he had never hesitated to
speak a firm reprimand in their
younger days.
In the short time I had been at
Purple Beeches I, too, had grown
to like him. He seemed always to
be at hand when needed-I was
sure he had been lowering near
during my interview with Irene
Rand. And Janet had once told
me that his pride in the old ira
ditions of the family was even
greater than that of its members.
In the library I found a scene
which told its own story. BY the
fireplace lay the poker and part
of the elaborately carved mantel
casing had been broken away and
lay in splinters on the floor. But,
however hard the intruder had
worked to open the secret safe,
its hidden mechanism had kept
the secret. Though battered and
broken, the rnantel rested securely
against the wall.
Jabez lay on the big couch,
Around him were grouped Mrs.
Gould, Cary and Kaye. With anx-
ious face and shaking hands, Mrs.
Gould supported the head of the
unconscious man, Cary was gently
sponging the blood away, while
Kaye stood close by holding a
basin of red-stained water.
Janet hastened forward and,
drawing up chair, opened and
spread out for Cary's use a first
aid kit.
"Grandfather's still sleeping"
she said, ''but Nancy is up, SO I
brought her down with me-"
Mrs. Gould gave me wan
smile, Kaye was too intent upon
Jabez to even notice me, but
saw the red blood surge in O
Carey's pale cheeks, though he
kept his eyes upon his work.
''Can I help?" I asked.
=. "Yes." Cary's voice was well
coming. "Get the servants up. Cau-
ton them to make no noise COM
ing down the stairs. We didn't ring
for them for fear of waking grand
dad"
I knew where the cooks, first
and second girls rooms were. Up
to the third floor I hurried. A
few low words reused each one,
and I sped back to the library.
On the way wild thought popped
into my mind. Mark wasn't in
the library! Could he have been
the intruder?
That thought brought the time
to my mind. I glanced at the mas
sive grandfather clock in the lower
hall. Ten minutes past two! 1 didn't
know at what time Jabez had been
found nor who had found him.
There were many things I didn't
know: for instance, why didn't they
telephone for doctor? Why
should Cary and the others, pre-