Evening Star Newspaper, July 15, 1930, Page 36

Ask No Questions By Belden Dl Copyright, 1930, by North American Newspaper Aliance, Ine. o (Continued From Yesterday's Star.) NINETEENTH INSTALLMENT. HEN Abigail Barth urged her young mistress to accept the invitation to dine at Berk- shire Towers she did so in deflance of the fact that if were taken she herself must spend the hours of dusk and early evening in Bride’s House alone—or worse than alone, with no one but the glant, David, for company. After the limousine had rolled away up the road she stood for some time with her hands on the gate, looking into the stretch of woods opposite. It was not a cheerful prospsct for a per- son who, for over 40 years, had trod nothing more disquleting than the pave- ments of a large city. Fortunately Miss Barth was not highly endowed with imagination. The flat-heeled shoes which presently stalked back to the house never faltered. In the living room she found the new stable boy. He was stretched out before the open fire in Miss West's favorite easy chair, his long legs on the fender in the attitude of one who feels at home and master of the situation. He did not rise when she entered, acknow edging her presence by a languid wave ©f the hand. “Has she gone?” he asked, still with- out looking up. “If you'Tre referrin’ to Miss Wi said the Scotchwoman seve ely, “ther: 10 doot but the limousine is halfway to Berkshire Too'er by noo.” ‘The giant smiled lazily into the fire “Pretty snappy, that blue-and-gold outfit. The kid looked like a million dollars in it.” Impertinent as she thought him, Miss Barth could not very well take excep- tion to his appraisal of her young mistress. She even unbent so far as to supplement it by saying, “You should the advice se> Miss Ann when she's really going | somewhere.” “Oh, she wasn't dressed up tonight?” ‘With another one of those slow, irri- wxpe ling.” He was smoking a pipe, and he stooped now to knock the ashes out against the stones of the fireplace. As he did so his eyes were inevitably drawn to the forbidding message scrawled across its face. In- stantly the smile faded. His manner changed. “What does it mean?” he muttered, following the letters to the last one in every stroke and curve. *‘Ask No Question’! I'm thinkin’ it's like Belshazzar's writing on the wall— a warning from God to the people of this community. Mr. Toby tells me that tongues in the Crossing have al- ways wagged about the Runnels family. ‘The good man doesn't favor gossip. The giant sank back in the wing chair, scowling at the blackened lettering through half-closed eyes. Ignoring the loquacious Scotchwoman, he continued to commune with 1f. “And why on the fireplace?” “Because it's the first thing you see when you enter the room,” was Miss Barth's guess. David rose and tapped the masonry with one of the fire frons. *“Solid enough,” he said, still to himself.| Dropping the iron back into place, “Wonder when it was built.” “The house is 150 years old,” volun- teered Abby. “I heard & man who was Rere this morning tell Miss Ann so.” “But not the fireplace,” came the quick retort. “There's nothing Colonial about oak slabs and tinted mortar. No,” in a puzzled voice, “I can't recon- cile myself to believing that any of the Pllgrim fathers built this wood waster. It Jooks more like the sort of thing one finds in the South.” “You're from the South then?" asked | Abby, noting the gradual softening in the deep voice. “Maryland,” he admitted. “The Eastern Coast of the Chesapeake.” “Let's have a bite to eat,” suggested Abby. “There'’s half a cold chicken and a chocolate layer cake from last night. Cooking for Miss Ann is a waste of time these days. She's scarcely eaten & mouthful since Otto was killed.” With a bountifully laden table be- tween them, Miss Barth found oppor- tunity to study her companion; and though she hated to acknowledge it, she the meal was over that the big stranger had qftite a way with him. As for David, hunger dominated him. True, the Scotchwoman's stories about her young mistress brought an occa- | slonal comment to his lips, but for the most part, after the one outburst, he remained silent, an attentive enough audience except for his eyes, which con- ‘,nnzully strayed to the clock over the sink. “I wonder why those men of Seth Toby's don't come,” he sald at last. “They were to be here at 8 o'clock. It's | 20 minutes after 9 now.” Abby remembered that there were to have been two men on duty for the night. She saw that her companion was growing restless, consumed by an | urge to get away, and her distrust of | him returned. “You don't have to stay with me"—ruffling like an indignant |hen. “I'm not afraid.” “Miss West made me promise not to |leave till they came, and I'm not going to.” | The giant's determination to keep his |word to her young mistress was even more disturbing than his restlessness had been. He tipped the chair back until it groaned under his weight, folded | his hands behind his head, and stared | doggedly at the ceiling. Under the pit | of his left arm Miss Barth saw the hol- | ster of a revolver. | “What business have you with a gun?” she started to say, but changed it to, “You're armed, I see. Expectin’ trouble?” With an embarrassed laugh, he took out the gun, a Colt .45, and fondled it for a moment batween his palms. “No, but it’s just as well to bo prepared.” The doughty Scotchwoman was not | unfamiliar with firearms. Her nurs- ling's tastes had been more of a lad's han a lassie’s: riding to hounds—cl Modern Method Lift Them Out CORNS Calluses Go Too | The safest and real modern way| | to remove corns, root and all—out to stay is soak them every night for | |3 or 4 nights in an invigorating, | stimulating Radox Footbath. ‘Then put on modish shoes again, | walk and dance with greatest com- | fort because there's nothing left to ;nche. No pain, no trouble. {* Radox liberates oxygen which softens | hardouter laver of corn. each night | penetrating further and further thru | the ‘pores. carrying the salts to actual | root “of ¢orn, so loosening it that it | comes right out. Nothing like healthy, free 1 to assure happy days! ~ Get & packa ge of Radox at| | Peoples Drug Stores or any drug store.— | Advertisement. RHEUMATIC Turn To Nature Know the soothing, deep-reaching effect of this famous natural aid— s0 delicious, so surprising. MOUNTAIN VALLEY MINERAL WATER Prescribed at Hot Springs, Ark. Mme. lgubgemofl' oted health an 8, N eoubtuin Valley Minorat Wacee is not only a delicious table water, but the minerals which it contains it « wonderful health builder.” SEND FOR BOOKLETS Namq Address 0 “Arthridis, Rheumatism™ [ “Your Body™ Mall to 215 District National Bank Bldg., 1406 G N.W,, Wash,, D. C. Ph. 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TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1930. pigeon shooting—an occasional trek after big game. “Been in the army, haven't you?” David did something with his head '11.\.1’41:}'1l mlgh;"hlve passed for a nod. “I'm only 29 now. “Lots of boys in their teens went.” ‘The big fellow hesitated. ~Got over for the last six months. At 17 I was as husky as I am now.” “What branch of the service were you in? “Aviation, of course. I wasn't going to let them coop me up for weeks in a stinking dugout. Not with the risk of beln% buried under a ton of debris if anything hit us. Flying, you've all God's air and sunshine around you. And if you fall i¥'s a man’s death.” Abby said, “You'd better go out and tend to the horses. I can manage better alone.” He saw she was afraid of him and decided to disregard Miss West's order. “Just as you say.” From the peg where it was always kept, he took the lantern. “If anything bothers you, just holler. T'll leave the back door open. The Scotchwoman heard him go stamnping down the path. “A wild man, that one,” she muttered to hersclf as she set to work scraping the supper dishes. “It'll only be by the grace of Providence if I get my bairn back to civilization unharmed, after all this.” On the floor above, Abby prepared her young mistress’s room for the night. She turned down the sheets and drew the chintz curtains about the four- poster bed. On a chest of drawers beside the bed Your Throat Protection—against irritation— TUNE IN The Lucky Strike Dance Orchestra, every Saturday and Thursday evening, over N. B. C. networks. stood three heavy brass candlesticks, their candles spluttering sharply in the draft from the open window. In front of them lay the metal jewel box, its cover thrown back. The sapphires that had belonged to Rebecca West hung half in, half out, their golden fires burning dully against the white velvet lining and the bronze side of the box. Abby saw them and knew she had been careless. The Scotchwoman sidled into the deep, narrow closet to hang up a sweater. She had completed her task and was about to sidle out again when a sound, faint enough to be almost in- audible, caught her ear. For a tingling moment the sound de- fled classification. But suddenly she knew it to be a woman’s—the deep- drawn, ecstatic breath which is taken when a woman'’s eyes light upon some- thing which her heart desires. To Abby, in the closet, that sigh was more appailing than the “hands up” of & burglar would have been. It spelled the | beginning of a disintegration that was physical and mental, as well as moral. It had been amusing to work on the| fears of the tradespeople, even poor | Otto's. And now, she herself, was afrald. Afraid! The sound came again, accompanied by the soft pad pad of feet. Those feet trod as a cat treads, slowly, crouchingly, with a predatory urge that was blood- chilling. Abby's Scotch Presbyterian courage had by this time commenced to revive a little. Her heart beat thickly against | her ribs; but she managed to turn and | cast a pallid glance over one shoulder. | Scotchwoman added that final cry of From inside the closet there was nothing to see! She brought herself to leave the closet. The room was empty! On the chest of drawers three candles flickered, making hobgoblin shadows dance on the walls and low celling. Were those shadows all that moved? No. Inch by inch, the curtains around the four-poster parted. A hand stole out toward the necklace. To do Abby justice, her first thought was to save the sapphires; but that bodyless hand had paralyzed her pow- ers of locomotion. She could only stand and gibber and gape. ‘The fingers of the hand were long. ‘The flesh that covered them, brown and withered. ‘There was nothing human about it. It was a dead hand! “Help! Murder!” With every ounce of strength that was left in her, the | horror. “The ghost! The ghost!” Vengefully, the hand shot to the near- | est candle. Thumb and forefinger caught the wick and snuffed the life flame from it. The second flame ex- the first had done. The| third. Out of the blackness into which the room had been plunged came the scuffling of footsteps, undirected, stum- | bling. There was the sound of & heavy | body slumping to the floor. | A moment later, something lighter | than air rushed through the door and | down the hall. (To be continued.) Gold Star Mothers Return. NEW YORK, July 15 (#).—A group of 231 Gold Star Mothers, who salled a month ago for France to visit the graves of their sons, returned home Sunday on the liner President Roosevelt. Instant Relief from SMARTING Eyes YES that smait and are in- flamed need attention. See your oculist or optometrist at once—they are too important for u to neglect. pecialists everywhere recommend Iris to relieve congestion and in- flammation. Keep it in the medi- cine closet for instant relief after smoking, motoring and eye-strain. Whether adult or child, no one can afford to neglect their eyes. In sterile flasks with eye-cup, 50¢ and $1.00. At all Peoples Drug Stores and at Drug and Tollet Counters Everywhere. | RIS When tempted to over-indulge “Reach for a Lucky instead” THE Mrs. Delia Kildow of Oakland, Md., ‘was carried from the ship on a stretcher and taken to a hospital, suffering from a broken left leg. She was injured when she fell in her state room during the voyage. INSIST ON THE ORIGINAL - 2 o Night’s job Sleep is the business of the deep night. For sound and peaceful slumber try a hot Hor- lick’s malted milk before retiring. It's a pleas- ant way. Old people particularly find it effective. A rest for ragged nerves. Send us ten cents today for a sample and mixer. HORLICK?’S RACINE, WISCONSIN BATTLE CRY OF MODERATION! Be moderate—be moderate in all things, even in smoking. Avoid that future shad- ow* by avoiding over-indulgence, if you would maintain that modern, ever-youth- ful figure. “Reach for a Lucky instead.” Lucky Strike, the finest Cigarette you ever smoked,madeofthe finest tobacco—-The Creamofthe Crop—"IT'S TOASTED.” Lucky Strike has an extra, secret heating process. Everyone knowsthat heat purifies and so 20,679 physicians say thatLuckies are less irritating to your throat. “Coming events cast their shadows before” “It’s toasted” S against cough. *“There is only one remedy for fat, and that is eat the right food . . . There are at least one hundred so-called obesity cures. None of these is permanent. All of these are injurious,” says Vance Thompson, Ph.D., in his famous little book, “Eat and Grow Thin,” published by E. P. Dutton & Company. We do not represent that smoking Lucky Strike Cigarettes will bring modern figures or cause the reduction of flesh. We do declare that when tcmpt.ed to do yourself too well, if you will “Reach for a Lucky instead,” you will thus avoid over-indulgence in things that cause excess weight, and by avoiding overindulgence, maintain a modern, graceful form. ® 1930, The American Tobaceo Co., Mirs.