Evening Star Newspaper, September 19, 1936, Page 34

INSTALLMENT IX. HERE was a fortune teller in Huron street, it appeared, around the corner. He often came into the store for cig- grettes. The druggist didn't know of any other. Times were still hard, it seemed, for fortune tellers. ‘This one had often said so. Tt was almost too easy. It was quite impossible that this could be the mah. Things didn’t happen that way, reflected Blackwood morosely. However, somewhere one had to make & start. “Hara Singh,” read the glass plate in the window—no more, no less. Blackwood paused upon the pavement and considered the shabby premises. The doorknob was certainly not porce- lain. The aspect of the place was gloomy and depressing. A lovely spot for murder. The building was two stories in height, and apparently the Indian had the first flat above a sunken basement. As he gazed, the curtain stirred and a woman looked out, then vanished as if she had been snatched away. “What!” said Riley Blackwood to himself. Then, “No, I'm seeing things.” His glimpse of her had been so brief that for an instant he wondered if | she had been a trick of fancy. Then he set his jaw and mounted the steps. His thumb pressed angrily against the doorbell. The door swung open and a Hindu in flowing robes was bowing in the aperture. “Come in, please,” said Hara Singh, #and tell me what I can do for you, my dear sir.” The hallway was darkly dismal, but the room beyond, though shabby, was | filled with color. There were rugs upon the wall as well as on the floor, and at the far end, between hangings of red velvet, & crystal ball reposed on a pillar of what looked like marble. The room was empty. Blackwood turned swiftly to the waiting Hindu. “I should like to see the young woman who was in this room & moment ago,” he said. The eyes of Hara Singh pushed open in surprise. “Young woman?” he echoed. “But, my dear sir, there is no young woman here. As you see, we are quite alone.” “A moment ago,” said Blackwood, #she looked out of your front window.” The Hindu shrugged. “I am sorty, but I am afraid you are in error. There has been no young woman here this afternoon. Was that all you came to ask me?” It was Blackwood's turn to shrug. “O'Hara Singh,” he smiled, “you look like an Irishman to me. But it isn’t important—and neither is the young woman. Good afternooa!” He strode away in the Sabbath sun- light. and once again Mr. Blackwood was fairly pleased with himself. The young woman Was no mirage. She was a creature of flesh and blood and appetite. And considerable thirst. She was, in point of fact, a certain Zelda Lansing, who had only denied all knowledge of this affair, less than 12 hours before. “Cheers!” said Riley Blackwood. “Now we're getting along.” It was odd, he reflected, that Zelda also was a redhead. called, had rather chaffed her about it. But if the circumstance were significant, the significance of it es- caped him. Probably it was just coincidence. Miss Julie Blackwood was surprised | and pleased by her nephew’s prompt | appearance at the tea table—even a | little touched. She had not really | expected him, in spite of his parting | message. “Johnny,” she opened ecrisply, “I don't know what ridiculous notions | you may be harboring about this Wingfield murder, but there is no | doubt whatever that there's a hussy | at the bottom of it. Give me your | cup!” | The drama critic of the Morning Chronicle passed up his cup. “For the first time in several weeks, Aunt Julie,” he answered, “we are i accord.” * X % x Seated loosly on his shoulderblades, | as twilight deepened into dusk, Black- wood thought the problem over in its wild entirety. It was fairly muddled. His_several attempts to reach Zelda Lansing on the telephone had been notably unsuccessful. Either she was still out or she was not lifting her re- ceiver. But he was not particularly ‘worried about Zelda. Unless she too became a fugitive, he felt that she could be found without great difficulty. It was the new possibilities of the situation that perplexed him. Zelda was now a figure in the tale—but Where exactly did she fit? Suspicion flooded him like a dark wave. But suspicion of whom? It seemed obvious that Zelda and this lying Hindu were leagued in some Are You Giving Environment the Consideration It Deserves? 1334 Taylor St. - Northeast $9,150 " ment and the lasting qualities sho 1010 Vermont Ave. N.W. /),&, VINCENT STARRETT Percy, he re- | REAL ESTATE. deviltry or other. Wes Percy, t00, & part of the conspiracy? And what was the conspiracy? There was & victim, clearly enough, but no clamorous motive. “It cant be!” said Blackwood ir- ritably. “Dallas simply can’t be right. “It was an intolerable supposition. He reviewed the episodes of Janice's abortive party endlessly. When Percy Jones had entered, Zelda Lansing had seemed annoyed with him. She had pouted and seemed to scold. But it might have been a clever piece of acting. If Percy had just come with smoking hands from a scene of murder— However, he didn't like it. More attractive was the alternative: Zelda herself had arranged the fantastic alibi by which an erstwhile lover was to be entrapped. And if Percy had been playing fast and loose with Rita Wingfield—and Zelda knew about it— ‘Well, well,” said Blackwood im- patiently. “Where's Percy?” The answer to that question, if it could be found, would be the solution to the mystery. Certainly Zelda Lan- sing was not the redhead who had | driven Percy to her aunt’s after a | blue Persian kitten—who had dallied | with him in his rooms long enough, at least, for the kitten to drink a saucer of milk. It appeared that there were a number of redheads involved in the affair. And a number of cats. He stood up. “Kitty, kitty!” sald Mr. Blackwood humorously. “Here, kitty!” The wire-haired terrier, which had been slumbering on the window seat, leaped a foot into the air, “False alarm, old fellow, sorry!” He strode into the corridor for his ! hat and stick, then paused and listened | while the doorbell rang twice. There | was an urgent note in the metallic | outcry. Through the ground-glass | pane he could see the shadow of a | woman on the doorstep. “T'll answer it, Jim,” he called, and | did so. The woman on the doorstep was | & stranger, apparently s young and | | attractive one. He peered at her in | the half darkness. Wrong number, he supposed. “Mr. Blackwood?” questioned an ap- pealing voice. “I am Anne Gray—Mr. Jones' fiancee. May I come in, please?” “A delightful surprise!” said Mr. | | Blackwood, he jerked the door open in | | extravagant welcome. “Please do | come in! You haven't Percy with you, | | I suppose?” He snapped the lights on | | in the darkened living room, and | laughed. “This is confusing.” She was even more attractive than | | he had at first imagined. | “I'm sorry,” said Riley Blackwood, | “but I'm afraild I have never heard of you.” Her smile was uncertain—a trifle | insecure. “You are the only person | who knows. We thought—Percy thought——"She stopped and began | | again. “You see, a radio announcer | s something like an actor. There's | his public, of course; and- * | | The Finest New Homes You Have Ever Seen—and Real Values, Too | COMPARE WITH ANYTHING WITHI MODEL Toom. bed: DRIVE OUT TODAY _ < of the Price Only 15 minutes’ ride to the heart of the business and shopping centers, and yet IDEALLY SUBURBAN, 80 far as freedom from congestion, rest and quiet are concerned, and, again—equally free of the inaccessi- bility of so many outlying sections when the snows of Winter block the highways. REAL ECONOMY lies in the wise expenditure of money. Few can afford to pay for trifies. A home is & permanent invest- uld be your first consideration. This home—just completed of solid brick construction—assures the least expenditure for upkeep; along Colonial lines—a type of architecture that has enhanced with the livable rooms and all worthwhile conveniences, years—not just s fad of today—with Three Double Bed Rooms—Two Full Baths Tollet on first floor, Two-car garage. Recreation room. Screened. Insulated and ventilated. Oil burner and electric refrigeration, it desired. Y Other Homes Under Comstruction CHARLES M. WALLINGSFORD Builder and Owner 5127 New Hampshire Ave. N.W. HOME Beautifully ERE" - H l.l: o to SAVE MONE: lern in every way. lot. N A THOUAND This new home of Norman sold to Lieut. and Mrs. H. E. Sears by Waverly Taylor, eight rooms and three baths in SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1936. REPAIRS ADVISED REAL ESTATE spent many leisure hours in them. | things that should be attended to be- w the -nmuonh ‘:l m ':thu. fore Winter comes. ve: n the | Make a list of the irs. inside of the house. Complete redec- | Then consult the mm?m oration of the living room or the en- | Federal Housing Administration or tire-house might make a long Winter | your own bank and ask what sim- evening seem less dreary. With sons | ple steps must be taken to obtain an and daughters away at school, their | insured modernization loan. rooms may be repainted or repapered without disturbing the occupants. An inventory of the home, inside AS WINTER NEARS ‘The Mexican Army has established an air patrol at Piedras Negras, op- + die design, located at 7002 Rolling road, Rollingwood, was recently Inc, builders and developers. There are —Star Staff Photo. the dwelling. Her voice was hurried and shaken. Her words were obviously some one | else’s. “And all the women who adore him | without ever having seen him” | finished Riley Blackwood, a little grimly, “I'm familiar with the argu- ment. It sounds remarkably like | Percy.” he grinned. “Naturally, it| would be & shock to many to learn that | he was contemplating marriage.” By Jove, she was & raving beauty! And streamlined like a falling rain- | drop. What a pup this animal of & Percy was! It occured to Blackwood that here was a girl that he could like. What was the matter, anyhow? | Hadn't Percy played fair with her? “Won't you sit down?” Invited Blackwood. He looked at her with| sudden consternation. You're fright- | ened, Miss Gray. You're crying! Let | me help you.” She caught at his sleeve. *“Mr. Blackwood,” she cried, “something | has happened to Percy! Where is he? I thought maybe you could— tell me.” Mr. Blackwood was uncomfortable. He shook his head. “I'm sorry. What do you think has happened to him?” “I don't know. He didn't call me this morning. He said he would. I've | been waiting for him to call—all day. And after seeing the papers—" He nodded. “Never mind the | papers; they don't know everything. | When did you see him? When did | he tell you that?” “Yesterday—at dinner—about 7 Furnished o'clock. He was going to the studio right after.” She sank into a chair, and he re- luctantly removed the arm that had assisted her. “I see. You had dinner together and he was ,to call this morning. Naturally you are worrjed.” He stood back and looked at her. “What do you think has happened to him?” field, Mass. PROMINENT REALTORS TO ADDRESS SESSION |New England Regional Conven- | tion Will Be Held at Spring- Every Effort Made to Im- press Owners of Opportu- , hities for Modernization. Bullding contractors, plumbers, painters and other members of the home-building and allied industries, together with banks and newspapers, are making every effort to present to the public opportunities available for home modernization before Winter sets in. Under the modernization credit plan, funds may be obtained from a bank, building and loan association or other private financial {institution which holds a contract of insurance with the Federal Housing Adminis- tration. This money may be used for the purpose of modernizing, al- tering, repairing or making additions | to the home. Such a loan is repaid in equal monthly installments and may cover a period up to five years, if necessary. New coal, gas or oil heating sys- tems may be installed or old ones re paired and cleaned. Fireplaces may be built. Houses can be repainted or reroofed and otherwise prepared to withstand the elements of weather. 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