The evening world. Newspaper, April 10, 1916, Page 13

A Girl’s Weird Adventures In the Realm of Mystery Copyright, 1915, by Mildred Van Inwegen,) CHAPTER I. HE her, naturally, 1 was looking Y Madge invited me to spend the last fortnight in February with forward to @ nice, quiet, peaceful visit, In fact, being on the verge of tango prostration, that's the very reason I went. But never do I expect to walk into a more nerve. Killing, spine-tingling, brain-racking whirl than that into which I innocently walked at the Sdgewood Country Club, ‘The Hdgewood Country Club lies on the outskirts of Forestville, a pretty village about an hour from town, In summer it is the gayest kind of a place, but in winter it is absolutely dead. Which is why Madge hates it #o thor- oughly, and why I have always felt #0 sorry for her for having to live there. Not that she really lives there; she spends most of her time trailing around the country with an opera company, But it’s the only home she knows, and consquently, when she has nowhere else to go, ahe has to go to it A country club may seem Ike @ Madge probably considers herself 1 Her father died years ago, when she affairs in stich a tangled state that aft sou left for Madge and her mother. For people who were accustomed to living as they had lived, it was @ ty hard but they weren't ng. me of Mr, Hamp- ds got together and talked things over, und as a result Mrs. Hampton was appointed house man- ager of the Edgewood Club—a posi- tion which she was fully capable of filling, and one she has enjoyed ever since, There aren't many widows who fail into a blow; impoverished p like that —an assured income, @ house on beautifully cared for grounds, and carriages and servants gaiore, Now that 1 think of it, Madie is to ne vied rather than pitied, and L don’t seo why I should have wasted sym- pathy on her ali these years. It was late on a Friday afternoon when | arrived—an ideal winter twi- light, the sky rosy from the glow of the sinking sun and the moon uppear- ing above the treetops, Madge met me at the staUion with # sieigh, and the ringing of the bells 1, frosty ed the country quiet. sym- there 4 scene more be ace, It made mo feel, as we left the streets of Forestville and en tered on the lone ike, that I had step’ forever the shoes of care, In reality, ie) 1 wit 1 was just have the sense to kr donning storm gal The country club rood mile beyond the village, and tt pike leading to it is lined with handsui residences, the summer homes of wealthy city people, Insreason it is the very einbodiment of bfe—motors swarming up and down, people in profusion, noise and gayety. But to- day it was quite desolate, no one com- houses closed and Spacious Krounds or going, th boarded, and the left to the ravages of sparrows and squirrels. On either side, as far ie eye could see, there was no aye snow and the gray blur of forest, and dint tliread of smoke eree; uy ward from a distant chimne ‘ chimney of the county poor farm t that smoke £ com ided first time Madje's hatred of how forlorn it really w e mates, the © ers one chanced to run ou the but The sile is like ad er. Our place and were ut the en Trane t 1 H ther of And tt Was with a sort of rhiver that 1 said “Is it always like this?” Always, in winter.” Madge r “Every the kame as the one before, and the way to tel morning from afternoon is by hear- fng Henry annou 6 ils. Do you wonder 1 get erate “P should think tle t would hen ari “A week 108 ted “Uve been here only , nd nireacy ny nerves are on ed And why? 1 asked n 1 like quict and peace Sometimes,’ she confe ward can't sland monotony, and t s the most deadly monotonous spot in the whole world, Nothing ever happen here. ne! Nothing! And turn ing 'Y exiure, she pointed t Canny club build Logreat, wh u ture, stood facing the drive Pad you eve anything quite rs saken as t he imauired It was indeed forsaken, even more 80 than the houses we had been pas ing, for the driveway was drifted over with snow, and the surrounding grounds were a Vast expanse of white, unbroken by footprint or wheel-m, But the cottage beyond, ag lights, the moving shadows window-shades telling of life within, was anything but forlorn or forsaken It fairly radiated a welcome, and we sprang from the sleigh and up the steps of the broad veranda, and caught a glimpse of the living-room through the nartow French windows some of its cheer entered my heart and warmed me through and trough I don't know why they call it the Cottage, for it’s quite © house, having two stories and a cellar—not at all ef the inimble. proportions wsumlly at eibuted to cottages, And the room We entered, a huge plic ne twenty by forty fect, bright with chintz and white enamel, and homelike with its lamplight and open fire, suggested people accustomed to higher pursuits than those wit which cottasre dw: 8 are generally eredites erNoL that great minds can't flourish amid simple surroundings. Take Lincoln, for instance, in his eabia of Jogs, or Verdi in a barntike attic, Buty recalling the grand plano with its Utter of ‘music, the ting yeints on the walls, and the reading-table stacked With modern literature, T can't class this cottage With the ordinary run, yelongs, rather, to the ¢ Americ ing | dwellings of twenty and {hifty rooms, with separ ate quarters for the servants and a shower for the pet poodle ' Mrs, Hampton rove from the settle before the fire to weleome me, Ax sh released me fr rty embra and led the way airs, 1 didn't wonder that she had been suecessfu in her position, Hers is the happ faculty of making every one feel that he ix the very person she his heen longing for months ta see, And that's the way [ felt as I followed her up the stairway and entered the room which Was to be mine My bedroom was directly at th head of the stairs, and was joined to sMadgge's, which came next, by 4 sinall ! queer sort of place to call home, but ky to have as much of a home as that. was barely in her teens, and left his r the debts were settled there Wasn't a private bathroc There were a nu ber of other rooms opening onthe hall—single bedrooms, but M Hampton said sie had ‘asmiened the | suite to us that we might have per. | fect privacy for our secrets. Had | there been more publicity and tess! secrecy that awful week, 1 might not i remember walking to the windows which faced the drive and overlooked the snow-buried golf links, and drink. ing in the beauty of the deepening twilight. It was a lovely scone—#0 white and peaceful, with forest, fleld and sky fading jnto gray, the moon custing pale shadows across the snow and the light from the poorhouse tower gleaming dully through the gloom. Gazing at it in placid enjoyment, I thought of the scene from my bed- room window in town—the bum and flash of passing motors, the clang of street cars on the block beyond, the shriek of a distant engine—and re- joiced that I was away from it. “How perfect this quiet seems!” T sed, as I turned back to the vn and began removing my wraps remat “And how heavenly it will be, being | here with you and Madge alon | But we sha'n't be alone all the] time,” Mrs, Hainpton hastened to in- form me from f eat on a corner | ot the b Camdon Carrol's coming out on the & o'clock for the week end.” Nodding in the direetion of Madge's room, from which # bappy | UmMming wae issuing, sle lowered uer Volve to « sigmiticant whisper, and | added: “He's been out the last’ two | Weeks, and calls her up from town | every night during the week. [| Wouldn't be surprised if something | did come of it, after all.” “L hope not!" [ flashed out, speak- ing before L thought. The next in- stunt [ regretted my abruptness, for @ slight flush passed over her fave and [could see by the expression her eves that she was erestfallen, So 1 said, lame 1 don't mean any- hg against Camdon, Aunt Ne It's only 1 don't’ want Madg to marry any bo weer and ail that, you know Which ¥ a downright fib, f nothing would have pleased me. be than to have had Mud ADIL ed with) @ nice husband, her chances for a career being mighty slender, unless she should be visited by a miracle; and miracles, for some revson or other, don't belong to this century of alrships and wireless t rapiy. But T didn't want that has band to be Camdon Carrol 1 bad never liked Camdon Carre thourh why L couldn't for the life of It was a case of personal aver- . springlig from the moment of our meeting. To this day 1 can re- member ty sensation the first. time I touched his fleshy hand and met ulaing stare of his prom. ue eves. T felt a strong and repugnance, and | was a ing girl h. forming opin lly by instinet seemed to stand alone in this n, for to all appearances Cam popular man, He belonged jes clits, and. was) invited everywiere. Te was the last of a i fimily, and had inherited a ivge fortune and several estates, one of whieh w is Rrandfather's place Honing elub © seas eateh, Many an am Ditione mamma thrown out bait dehutinte dawg but it took pene piless Madge to make him nipbie Moige in a simple muslin dress and hor air of languid boredom, It 1s this tv of having tasted and wearled of every Joy in life which howls over all the men she meets, and which from the start “got” Camdon. She never fave him the least encouragement, belng too absorbed In her career idee to look seriously on any man, but he hung on desperately and refused to be squelehed hat he had pald unusually ardent court this particular winter I knew, for his nome was down on the list of hoxholders, and Madge hadn't gone anywhere=-luncheon, dinner or tea-— that he wasn't tagging along. She always had enough roses on hand to open a small sized flori shop had the notion seized her. But not for a moment had Eimagined that anything would come of it, and to hear Mra Hampton's ed speculations Wax a disngroekble shock Vor L could see that she was nined something should cone how she could reconcile ’ in unprepossess us her prospective dime, It was Cam "s money, for money ean cover a ude of sins. T wondered If Camdon's sins were as many as his CHAPTER WU, HEN Mrs. Hampton and Madge and T descended for } dinner we found Camdon Carrol standing before the fireplace, warming his hands, Kyt dently he had just arrived, for he still wore bis fur-lined overcoat with the Persian lamb collar turned up bout the ears, and there was snow clinging to his English walking-boots, Vil say this for Camdon, if T can't say anything else-he was the most perfectly. groomed man ye ever known, dressing with an air of quiet elegance Which sut very nicely on his portly figure; and yet he wasn't @ prig. T remember how well he looked » came forward to et us, Th coll had left & semblance of color in bis otherwise pasty skin, and the Fe on ‘WHY DON'T ) ) You READ ? \. Nea Sf coated) SIT DOWN BY SHE WINDOW C HEAVEN S SAKE | s7oP TAT "ACING BACK AN’ RTH . You, . UP SETTING TH WHOLE MOUSE The Evening World Daily Magazine, I DON'T Ki WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF NOTHING To SEE ¢ QUT OF A WINDOW OPENING ON _AN AIR SHAFT AND BESIDES 1AM TIRED oF SITTING ata a, TO OUT, Monday AND WALK. MAKE NE NERVOUS! —— mellow d his features kindly, " + puffiness be- neath t ; dimming the lines f ugly passion about the mouth, It was this brute element in his face ich L always had detested so heart- and which to-night in the serenity the liv room at the Cottage He shoot il around, and added a With the in remark or two to me on of putting me mor At e4se, His conceit, no doubt, having made him mistake my reticence for embarrassment, Then, ridding him elt of his coat, he handed it to Henry, the house man, saying: “Put this with my bag, will you?” But as Henry started forward, and was about to vanish through the door of the smoking-room—from which I mathered that Camdon was to oceupy the downstairs Kuest-room, connect- Ing with the smoking-rooin by @ short corrider--he called oa “Hold on a minute There's some. thing in my coat | want." Henry returned with the coat and 4 don took from an inner pocket a small package, which he held out to Madge. rhaps your highness vl deign to accept this,” he said, pressing It into her tine On, Like everything else, will you refuse? “That depends,” said Madge, loolt- ing up with a litte smile, then down, as the package fell to her lap. "It depends upon what this What is it?” Camdon did not answer, but the look he gave lier as he bent over the settle on which she Was sitting in ber languid, regal fashion, said more than a thousand words. In the long, in- timate silence that followed, during which Madge fumbled with the cord and wrappin the package, I felt that I was decidedly de trop “I hope you haven't been foolish again,” she murmured, as the wrap pings parted and disclosed a jewel box. "You know what I 1 last time.” But this is only a trifle,” he pro- tested. ‘ou can't possibly object.” ‘Of course you can't,” added Mrs Hampton, whose eves were piittert with feverish desire, “Of course y can't, dew 1 was amazed at his, for it showed how very ar nto 6 family Camdon 1 succeed in himself. 1 foresaw, if things continue at this’ alarming that Madge would be wearing mond tiara and fainous Carrol os in no time at all jaking the rubies, I wondered if this package could contain the ruby hrine tradi: were to rate, chain which had been written up in endless Sunday supplements, with pictures of the grandmas and aunties and nieces and cousins who at various times had worn it, As eagerly as Mrs, Ilampton, | waited for Madge to lift the cover of the box; and it was with an actual sigh of relief that L beheld ts contents--a chain, to be sure, but of amber, not rut Onl” exclaimed Ma taking tt up in her slender fingers and swing ing its length before the gleam of the fire. “How beautifull” Tt was indeed beautiful, and T saw ata glance that {t was by no meana the mere trifle he would have her think if. ‘The beads were flawlessly cut and strung ina fashion—on links of finely wrought gold, a Unie inter. vening between each bead=whteh gave {ta singularly uy effect, and proved it the w master hand Tt brought + those quaint shops in Hurope, poked away on forgotten side streets, out of sightand yet sometimes teeming with . So 1 was not surprised to indon say nged to my grandmother, It ermany long ago, when Was not so easily got as It now ‘a beautifull Madge repeated, sayin ' and fro, so as to catch the ruddy light of the blazing logs. And it will mateh your earrings and) bracelet. to perfection,” her mother added triun agieed Mads of that,” said Camdon, his eyes caressing her face Madge flushed a little—an unusual ing for her—and, lowering tie chain to her lap, murmured: “You have noticed my preference for amber? “Does anything you do escape my attention?” Then, swiftly changing: his tone, he picked up the chain and tempted lip it over a, Try it ont” he ordered, Madge held herself away, protest~ ing “Not with this gown, amber are jmpossibl gether.” Most you always have complete harmony? Camdon queried, letting: the beads drop. slowly from his fingers “Always!” was Madgo's emphatic statement bs would rather neve wear the ohain than wear ft and destroy its intrinsic eb And you must admit its charm Is destroyed by the deep rose of my gown.” “And incidentally the gown des- troyed by the amber, eh?” Camdon smiled, hia upper lip curling back from his large whiie teeth in much the fashion of a hungry hound Madge pacified him by promising. “To-morrow night Wl wear my en- tire amber outfit with a gown to mateh--and all for you! Wow will that please your lordship?” Whatever answer he may have given was lost to me, for at this moment Henry appeared, to announce dinner, and we all started for t dining-room, Madge depositing the chain in its open box on the reading table ax she passed by Tt was at dinner heran—the queer things it was Nora, the mald dining room, who st was removing the the door leading int fret And nt) and that things T mean ving ted them the butlers pi try was just swinging behind her, when with t any warning she ut tered a startled ery, ‘The next In stant there was a terrific « an if platter, roast and the girl heen precipitated to the floor he door, swinging open again, revealed her for a half second lying amid a Mtter of broken china Mrs. Hampton, surpr at atch apparent awlewardnoss on the part of her de! rose to tigate fhe wi » from the room several minutes 1a murmur of volces. In the pantry and a sound of low aob- bing, “Nora vows she sa Hampton ost. Mra, she re- ag on explained turned and was sitting once more at the table “A ghost?" T echoed And Madge exclaimed sceptically: “Oh, these superstitious Crish girls!" “What manner of host?” inquired Camdon, with what he meant for a amile, but what was in reality a leer A lady gho: Mrs. Hampton an- swered in playful derision, "Rut a slovenly lady, I fear, for Nora de seribed as wearing a kimono, with her hair hanging loose about her shoulder “What an uninteresting # i og scoffed, te osts should wear white and wave long, spooky tingers,” Madge suggested, “According to Nora, this was the ghostiiest kind of a creature,” Mra. ampton replied, “She must’ really have seen something startling, for t ever knew her to be more upset 8 positively hyster nd I've her to bed “Where did the ghost appear?" asked Camdon, falling in wie ou mocking mood. "And What message did it convey from the spirit: world? Come, Mrs. Hampton! Give us the de tails. They ought to make a capital story.” Mrs, Hampton pushed plate, and, resting her back her hands on the snowy tabl h, leaned toward us, an amused sintle hovering ebout her lips. “Pho ghost." she began, looking first at one then at the other of us “wus standing in a corner of the but ler's pantry, Nora says she was pale as death, and hed wild, staring eyes and bloodless lips, which moved continually as if she were muttering to herself” “Brer-r!” Leut in, shuddering in an exaggerated fashion. “Kate!” reproved Madge, hushing me. t sight of her.” Mrs, Hampton continued, “Nora was riveted to the spot with fright, But when she could summon her ebbing forces and throw all her strength into the ery we heard, the ghost stopped muttering, gave a frenzied look, backed away, and be fore her very eyes vanished through the door which opens on the stairway landing. Whether she opened the door or simply melted into the wood, Nora couldn't say, She was too frightened.” “Let's way she melted!" 1 begged, t sounds much more ghostly.” “Of course! Of course!" echoed Camdon, tn an attempt at raillery. ‘ 9 n't conceive of a ghost opening @ door,” “Nora doesn't drink, does she, mamma?" Madge asked quite serl- ously; and when the laughter whic arose at this had subsided “Well, that's quite plaustl she added ». We had a cook here once who was always things snakes, sometimes; and und out afterward that she had © the wine closet.’ b hardly guilty of tha weld Mrs mm, “She's a go pious Catholic with no thought in life be yond chureh and confession. [ can't exactly account for her behavior fust \nless Maggie had been regal ier with some of her choice ghost , and she was trying them Knima, the cook, finished serving dinner, and the episode of Nora’s ghost wan forgot.on-that {, for the time being, Jness knows {t camo up often enough later! “Let's have coffee before the fire, Madge suggested, when Emma caine in to remove the dessert plates. "It's & shame to miss those lovely em- hers." “Very well,” agreed her And, turning, she gave orders to. bring the coffee into the Hving room We rove in a desultory fast left the table, Madge and 1 walking ahead with ‘arms linked. As wa rossed the threshold into the living room {noticed Henry bending over the ling table. Ha was apparently nething, and my ay v him eyes uncon }, Suddenly became aware nething was, It nother Emma service on and usly 18 He wea examining it not only with UCAN'T GET IN / FULL OF DRESSMAKING ( FORMS, SEWING MACHINES! ARNING BASKE we EtG. e's achat - New April 10, By Maurice Ketten | DON'T KNow WHERE TOGO —— ITS — 916 | Qtessesecsosooeces by Stuppose you should find th By LOUI novela ever published i Well “THE MESSAC . of the Morning.’ POSS O66646OD OFS OOS4 $4666646406068 burst of song cut off further con. veraation, and we drifted in several directions—Camdon the piano, where he leane . his eyes never ing Madge’s face; L to curl up on the settle before the fire, and Mrs, Hamp- }ton to the long French windows at the end of the room, | Lwatehed — he riously as she pulled aside the curtains and peered nio the night, wondering at the nerv- ous hurry of her fingers, the rigid pose of her body. She had the air of jap searching for something konrehing with fear in her eyes and {dread in her heart- and, though she did her best to give ua the impression [that she was only watehing — the | weather, LE knew mere weather would ne fill her with the concern she was raying. It's anowing!” she observed, drop- ping the curtain and turning away. And as if to view the snow better, | che walked to the Windows at the op- poslte end of thé room, and to those lin the smoking-room and office, and | cred out With @ sort of fierce in- ten | I glanced over at Madge to see if she was observing her n her's odd behavior, but Madge was too busy trying to outdo Geraldine Farrar to give the rest of us even a thought. So Tay atti, watching my hostess be- tween half-closed lds, and pondering upon the happenings of the evening — the amber chain, and Henry, and now Mra, Hampton—and ended by calling myself a suspletous idiot. We retired rather early, though tt seemed late, and by 11 o'clock the Cottage was quiet, Mrs, Hampton © in, just as I was getting into bed, to ask if I needed more covering, for the snow without was inc sing to a bilzzard and it was growing bit- terly cold, As she had done below, she walked to my windows, pulled up the shades and stood staring into the darkness, “What a night it is!” she exclaimed, when she turned at length to leave, “1 pity any one who has to be out in it." “T guess most people will have sense enough to stay home,” 1 answered, burrowing deep in the pillows and pulling my elder-down quilt high about my head, “It's a dreadfal might” she sighed, nd went softly out. ant was indeed a bad night—how bad 1 did not realize until, alone in my room with darkness all about me, 1 had the full benefit of it, A tempest it sea could not have made more noise than that winter bilzzard, and y no hurricane ever blew harder than the blast which was aweeplng his eyes, but with his flagers as Welly vcrogs the open golf links and shriek- poles it over and over oy his hands, ing about the ornera of the house, ULL EL eee ea ghd BAA My bed shook constantly beneath me, most unaccountable expression on his a m than once [ thought the . vy. lasa in the window panes would | was so surprised at this impertt~ jinn. Sleep was impossible, and I had on the part of & sorvant who lay there listening t@ the dismal seater the club ever since Li nging of a loosened storm shutter SOULE ORO OPA no nee ae 1 growing wid nd wider awake, nage nol. een: ABW Ae! DITA 1 Hiow long IT lay thus T have no ide: single indixcretion, that 1 stopped nut 7 know that it seemed hours, an shore In the middle of the fc Wut, ot Twas heartily weary of it, when was under observation, Dropping the Hie Te eee taa tae wound T chain surreptitiously, he picked MP cant imagine, for in all the ahriek the taper torch which he had diss ang soar of the storm the moving Common ¢ made Hen And yet w he have uric ry hat ity, 80 ft would ne ‘ar forget possible intere hat, L asked myself, did 1? mean? ot ha himself, vuld In Madge's amber chain? door-knob should have been quite than of imperceptible, I heard it As I sat up in hed, clutching my covers to my heart, the door moved slowly Inward, and there appeared in felt’ rather the stight opening a face a ghastly CHAPTER HI, thee with wild, staring eves and. tips HPN we had finished coffer (hat iurmured noiselessly before the glowing coals, All this naw ie the tail shovels mre ch atood near the foot o Madge nuggested bridge, Blast wml fore. t could collect So we rang for Henry and i catered and coinpletely frozen had a card ¢ vet up and genses, and turn 2 Inventigate ithe elit fo i yal of what the mirror go faith- See UR ae Poe Puts fected, the face. faded Ioana. closely while Me Winther or not, in my fright, t ut- performed the duties, but he did tered a ery and startled away the not 9 much as giane at the chain intruder, | cannot say; but £ do know that when my gaze shifted to the again, prompted him to examine tt much unwe rrant bit like Bim, We had haif an hi telephone, this one played cards for perhaps without when Mrs, Hampton was called to the Ordinarily a would not be worth the mention, but for from our it da Hampton's strange conduct. phon 4 | decided that it was curt osity, no stronger motive, which had And yet 4 curiosity wasn't @ interruption tat) os shi of @ winning call Mrs. doorway the face was gone, and only the door standing ajar bore witness to the fact that it had been opened 1 thought of Nora and her ghost, and a revulsion of fear swept over me. I could not have dreamed that race, not when {t agreed tn every 4 with Nora Gsecription the straggling hair, the glaring ey: ‘on the im Wn a kimono close to the throat, No, Thad not dreamed it. [ had seen and heard tt, and TU deter- nined then and there to find out what it was. the room in the midst With teeth chattering and fingers hand, sending a laughing challenge joy cold, [slipped from bed and stole over her shoul and returned—it to the door, but only the longth of could not have been three minutes dimly Mghted hall greeted my later—a changed person, Her face quisitive eyes, Though Tf stood there was Clouded and troubled, ler eyes hing the elosed doors of filled with anxiety, her whole air dis her bedrooms and listening, no turbed. ame to my ears--nothing save “What's the matter, mamma?" asked notonous bang of the storm Madge, glucing at her concerned! itter and the shriek and howl of Bad news? wind about the chimney No, no at all," was th returned to bed finally, shivering ried, evasive answer, And resuming and wkhaking, and huddled under the her e took up her ecards and blankets trying to fathom the mys dded: "Shall we eontinue?" ery, For a mystery it surely was, it The game went on, but with a not being an every day occurrence narked difference. for could seareely for an energetic Irish maid and a recognize Mrs, Hampton's blunder- temperate American suffragette to come playing for her former bril- suffer from hallucinations, Even if ance, She made mist \fter mim- it were, tt wasn't at all likely that take, played out of turn us trum heat of exaspers ait Ww hand, erytn rd until forgot whieh Madge, ‘on, flung down her in their hallucinations would be one and a the same, No, there waa some! ne queer afoot, but what T couldn't de- termine, his 8 auction, mamma, not ea- | was beginning to breathe more gino!” naturally and was once more relaxing Mrs. Hampton was staring fixedly my taut nerves for sleep, when upon toward the windows, and did not the air there bj 4 muffled ery-—a keem to hear her; but ax Madge, with ¢ f surprise rather than distress, A seraping of Her rose and W followed by a low, soothing murmur dered to the piano, she started quilt. This tle, true coward that Lam, I A Shani Onn. Of to the crawled beneath the covers and quiy Lat the carda scattered ever ered there, waiting, waiting woe of the felt and exclaimed Rut nothing came, ‘The low mur- wron ent we playing mur continued for a while, then ” silence. Then L hard a closing door, ening the leaves of and footsteps in the hallway-—cau- © of “Madama Butter fous, stealthy footsteps Desperation courage, prompted © tried to play, goodness me to throw off the covers and run Rut vou won't let us to the door, A gray, bathrobed figure hoed Mrs. Hampton was just passing, and L saw to my haven't done anything!" relief, and yet amazement, that Mrs, Phat just trouble,” Hampton was about to descend the 11 You've fallen asleep." tas, In a loud whisper I hatled Her voice flooding the air with @ ber, \ and at the same time to untold peril? You might perhaps have the pluck to solve the pro! lem as did the hero of THE MESSAGE NEXT WEEK'S COMPLETE NOVEL IN THE EVENING WORLD Do you remember “The Wings of the Morning.” by the same author? It was one of the mort popular The Evening World. in better than “The Wings This ia sufficient proof that IT IS WORTH YOUR READING. Merri clue to untold wealth— TRACY > “Aunt Neti! Aunt Nell!" [ eprted. And as with a violent start she turned and fixed her eyes upon me, f added, “What on earth's the matter? She did not answer, only stood star- ing at me, Questioningly, even accu y What I went on. in the glaas! error.” happening y--and tha ace ein th 1 said, she breathed. “Like the face that ore T could go more fully tn- to ny explanation, she broke in hastily with: “Oh, you must have seen M-Maggie. Maggie—er-—walks in her sleep.” “Mageie?” L echoed, for T was thor- oughly puzzled. “Yea,” she told me, while an awk- ward red stole into her cheeks. “IT Just caught her in my room, and I'm on my way downstairs to—to get her some medicine, This speech was so labored, and she herself so ill at ease, that I could only look at her and wonder what had come over the good lady. I must have shown my disbelief, for presently in @ more natural tone she sald: “There's nothing the matter, my dear, Do run back to be: ou're risking your life in those bare fect.” I felt lke retorting that I was risk- ing more by staying tn a room where door-knobs rattled and faces ap- peared in the glass; but to oblige her, for she seemed obviously eager to be rid of me, I returned to bed, CHAPTER IV. DID not wait for the ringing of the breakfast bell to take mo downsairs the next morning, but hurried below QS soon as I finixhed dress- ing. Madge, splashing in the bathtub and singing the “Jewel Song” from Faust at the top of ber lungs, wasn't the most companionable soul in the world and my mood demanded com- panionship. ‘The stairway in the Cottage ts the least attractive part of it, having been built for convenience, not beauty, It starts at the right of the fireplace with three steps and a landing, from which it branches at a right’ angle to the left and continues up behind the wall of the fireplace. ‘Thus, all of It that is visible is the three steps nd the landing, upon which open two doors, the one in the centre leading into the butler'’s pantry, the one at the right to the ce below. Not much thinking of what I was about, | ran down the stairs and col- lided abruptly with Henry, who had just closed the cellar door behind him, With apologies, we drew apart and I saw to my surprise that he car- ried @ tray, upon which were dishem and @ cup half filled with coffee. He was evidently transferring the tray to the kitchen, but from where? The celia No one in the Cottage was ill, to my knowledge, unless it might be Maggie, the laundress, who, according to Mrs, Hampton, suffered from sleep walking; but Maggie wouldn't be eating her meals in the cellar, no matter how rushed for damask dinner cloths. If i, ebe would be tucked in her own section of the servants’ quarters, not stowed away like so much coal in the fur- ace room, Who, then, had been breakfasting in the cellarway, and why should Henry be in such @ hurry to leave mo? I let him go without asking any of the questions which rushed to my lips; but the minute he was safely out of sight T laid my hand on the knob of the cellar door and gently pulled) ‘The door was locked, and my fingers, stealing down for the key, met only the empty keyhole. Another strange proceeding = An- other mystery with Which to tax my brain ‘ 1 had a busy time of it during breakfast-stealing side glances at Nora, who had recovered sufficiently to resume her duties; at Mrs, Hamp- ton, etill troubled and preoccupied, and Henry, who came in to hand us the morning papers and to replen- ish the grate fire. But their mask- like faces told me nothing; and until breakfast was over T got no satis faction whatsoever for my pains, Lingering in the dining room after the others, on the pretense of examin- ing the plants which made a con- servatory of the bay window, I began to rally Nora, who waa clearing the able, about her ghost. Little by Nttle T dragged details from her. When I was convinced that sho had seen the very face which had ap- peared In the cheval glass at the foot of my bed, I abruptly changed the subject by Inquiring after Maggie, “How is Maggie feeling this mora- ing?’ I asked. “Maggie, miss?" “Yes,” Tosaid, striving to apeak lessly, and succeeding about ai Has the villain in a "Steve, th pthful Sleuth’ play, “Isn't she til? “tiie exclaimed) Nora. "Misa Katherina, Maggie was niver better in her life “Rut she was il last night, wasn't she? T persisted, “Didn't she walk in her sleep, or something of the sort” "Maggie walk in her slape?” cried Nora, looking at me in perplexity. “L's all ye kin do to git Maggie to walk when she's awake, let alone n she's a slapin’.” hen who did walk in her sleep last night? You? “O\?) Walk in me slape? Indade, n was Nora's indignant denial. That settled tt, and LT went on into the living room, where Madge was murdering an aria from Tosca.” 1 Was 40 absorbed in this fresh develop- ment that T didn't even wince whem her high b-flat failed her, For, thanks to Nora, L was now convinced that the Hamptons had a family ghost of some sort to hide, one of which tn all the long years of our friendship I had not heard a murmur, But what cows the family ghost be? And why all this mystery? + (To Bo Continued.) +