The evening world. Newspaper, April 11, 1916, Page 17

I, J | } \ bave told tl \ 4 _ The Evening World D et A Gir (Copyright, 1915, by Mildred Van Lnwegen.) NOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS ring Kingtley gore to spend a winter n 1EY Tab an” ea The. Hampum puter interest, “At dinner, 0” " Need tema Throng a widow” Late that night the. same Or in "at tie door of ‘Watharine s. ron. Weroptom “isle” tor one of the" mal 1) walking In her sleep, Bat oF sralune to jeep, Bat Katharine CHAPTER IV. (Continued,) HE morning brought to light nothing more, and though I longed to nose about and what there was to dis- cover, I had no opportunity. One thing after another demanded my attention. Mrs. Hampton had a book of old photographs to show me; and when we had done laughing over them there was a note to write to mother to inform her of my safe ar- wival. After which Madge, whose Present hobby was a daily constitu- tional, insisted that we must go for @ walk. ‘The snow had ceased, and the in- tense cold had formed a hard crust on the deep layer that had fallen. Walking was not at all tiring, but on the contrary delightfully invigorat- ing. We must have walked miles, for when we returned with glowing facos nd ravenous appetites, we found tt was long past time for luncheon, “Bob Tanner phoned you,” sald Mrs, Hampton to Camdon, when we were sitting down to overdone muf- Wns and chops. “he seemed very Anxious to talk with you—mentioned @ome papers which you should have signed before leaving town. So 1 sug- Gested that ho might bring them out here—combine business with pleas- ure—talk things over with you, and Spend the week-end with us. He's coming on the 6 o'clock train, I be- lieve.” Camdon murmured Madge exclaimed in delight, and I— well, 1 might well confess it—L felt my heart give a mighty leap, The hot blood surged all over me, It was years since Hob and I had had our affair, but 1 had never quite recovered from it. Not that | sighed into my pillow of nights, or spent weepy hours over old letters, indeed, 1 seldom @ave him a thought, and rarely, if ever, suw hin, But when | did~at an occasional tea or ball, whither he was sometimes dragged by his socially in- clined faimily: heart did not fail to start thumping, and my cheeks to @ame with telltale color, Bob was the one man in the world for Whom I would have been willing to make bread pudding and wear my guits two seasons to help out of the furniture instalments, But just when Things were about to culiminatenit was auring my first season, six oF peven years ago—everytning went to mash. 1 douvt if either uf us could use of our quarrel, or, f that ma whether the warre!, All | know ts that ery eve, so to speak, of our becom Ang engaxes, he siopped calling, approvingly, as Wt may have been he Was dis Appointed in ng awfolly frivolous at tl dhe, with bis Jew shingle but hung, of a se- gous frame of mind; or perhaps he Yad just been trifling, | preferred t Abink the former, for Bob wasw +e least the tri ind, and when} had ~dealled ald, and the in his tine eyes, L could hav in he cared: So to-day 1s L realized th we were to nic main ie mately and under t ime roof after al t years-—y « whiel had brought fm success spelled with at nd to me only an increasir Tessness riteit is om rang that 1 wo ied, nor odd that wnen luncheon was over I shoul te my room to cold-crean my put up my hair on curlers ‘As tuck would have it, Bob arrived rlier than we expected caugn’ QeeMadge and me—curle | up before the fire, nodding over a P le of maga gines. My plang to swe) tn Tike the Jeading Indy in a musica! comedy and Gazzie hin with my beawey and charm gere completely shattered. 1 stood There Hike an awkward country: girl clutching my erat 1 La one hand and my ur curlers with the other, a 3 fast and furiot ‘The cor on was that he peemes. to be in such ving bury. That had [ been wearang sackcloth an apes f douvt if he would have ticed It, tous heartily. A from. the Kk moment flung “You'll at present, duty ¢ alvin a laughing wave of the hand, ib hurried into the s.noking room Aa ‘Bie door Awung shui. | saw him sit table without remove: « {take a bundle of papers t-case, CHAPTER V. OB vad Camdon down at tt were still smoking dares) tur I room whe Ist could hear their voices fror havin stairs, mamur of or. But the thou atly. van ished, as, pausin nent on the Janding, my 4 fell vpon the de leading to the cellar, It stood ajar, and from the keyhole a small, bright key was protruding Who had opened it? the key left in the Ir the a which rd mind, a place a hand ¢ ‘and peer for J why wae ed me ‘0 knot Winch pror uddously or ra Bllence! Darkness! ‘Tai as ail T suppose it was the} n me that spas responsible for w followed fear had 1 regarded the laws of eti- iP Ne NINO INN iThe Secret in the Snow Weird Adventures In the Realm of Mystery By Mildred Van Inwegen | » ing uns | IAF RNA WAAAY, quette, should never have yielded to temptation, But once I had peered below and had seen the nice, mys- terious, beckoning darkness, 1 should not have lived up to my sex had I not gone on and investigated, With a delicious sense of adventure, T caught up my train and groped my way down the narrow steps, It was the typical cellar, large and bare, with @ furnace in the centre, coalbins at one side, and a pile of trunks and boxes in a far corner, Gazing around, I sufferec twinge of disappointment for plainly there was nothing to be found here; though what I had ex- pected to find I can't say. 1 walked slowly about, looked over’ the edge of the bins, examined the trunks and boxes, and even took peep at tho furnace fire. But all Was serene and peaceful, and I be- to think my tmagination had again burst its bounds, when I espied the door leading to the laundry. There was a light in the laundry— a single gas-jet turned low, which ave the roo, a smallish place, a singularly tly look, As I @n- tered and gazed about, my eyes tak- ing In the tubs and hampers, my heart suddenly leaped to my throat. There, in the middle of the floor, upon @ square pine table, was a tra: —the same tray that Henry had ca: ried—now set with fragrant, ateam- ing dishes, Whoever had brought it here this time had either been care- less or greatly hurried, for the soup was spilled and the coffee slopped) in Ita saucer. But where was the prisoner? And who could he be? Half fearfully I let my eyes rove about the dim compartment, but save for a cot which evidently bad been slept in, it held no more surprises. 1 approached the cot, timidly touched its wrinkled covering, and peered be. neath fora chance pair of shoe a above for a hanging coat or garment. But there were none of these—noth- | ing, In fact, which could betray the fdentity of the prisoner; and had it not been for the presence of the tray, I should have doubted the existen: of one. Even the tray was disappointing. | Its dishes had not been touched, and the napkim was still ft by the side of the glass; frem which 1 gatl that whoever was supposed > partake of the tray was either un-| aware of its arrival or indiiterent to) its contents, But where could this| somebody be? Lurking ja a corger| which 1 had not yet discovered? As if to search for this corner, 1 bait turned, and as I turned there came a sound from behin sligint | sound jike paper rustling. ‘The crash- ing of & canuon ball could not have | startled me more completely. 1 fed on craven heels, Visions of pursuing gorgons and flying tends rushing through my head, As 1 passed the furnace and stum- bled up the stairway 1 thought 1 saw & white something fluttering near, and this ient wings to my scut- ting feet. took the steps two at a time, reached the top panting and panicky, and hurled inyself at the opening. Only now there was no opening! Svlid oak met my frants attack, and IT found, upon rattling and } king the knob, that the door was closad and locked. ra moment, overcome with ter- ror as I way, f beat wildly on the panels and cried aloud, half expect- on hands to pluck at me and draw me buck into the darkness; but as the minutes passed and nothing haypened, my courage gradually came back. [ceased to beat upon the door, and ventured a glance down the stairs betind me, It was thus that I discovered that @ which had been or my alarm was of wrapping from ono of thy ise that T had rustling in in my As | ab- did no tha more paper hanging I a sheet laughed. acd pletured eight, I actually whieh nd called, 1AM Too FAT. | NEVER CAN Look STYLISH 1AM SO PITIFULLY SKINNY ' NEVER CAN LOOK STYLISH AIG hs New OTYLE . NOBODY CAN TELL | AM FAT Sialltng Oe, rentag Wort) “ . THE NEW 3 STYLE Ig VERY KIND To FAT PEOPLE You NEEDN'T WoRRY MaADANE, THE NEW STYLE 1S VERY RIND TO SKINNY PEOPLE | AdoRE IT Nowooy aily Magazine, Tuesday, April CAN TELL | AN silence, whlch rasped harshly on my taut nerves, If this were a practical joke I thought Bob—for it must be he -was carrying matters a little too far. Again I began to beat upon the panels and impatiently demand my freedom. Another silence, but this time a short one, for after a bit the key turned in the lock; but instead of the door swinging wide, it came pee jow a mere fraction, and the same voice implored: “For Heaven's quiet!" Utterly bewildered, I stood quite still until tho creaking of the hinges told me that the door was being closed again, At this all my ire and an- tagonism rose in revolt, and I deter- mined, no matter what the cost, to got the better of my tormentor. Yes, tormentor, for it didn’t occur to me that my would-be jailer was trying to do anything but torment ine. Summoning every bit of reserve sirength, T leaned against the heavy vor and pushed and shoved, panting the while: Tat me out! sake, Ka be T will out!” Ava aneriiv: “Don't_you know who it is? it's Katharine Kingsley!” No open sesame ever had the magic of my name, for hardly had I uttered it than resistance on the other side of the door ceased, and [ was perinitted to cross the t ro one came, Surely Madge by t reshold to the landing. {ima must be Areas! ana ranae: ae As I burned: 8 face my persecutor dinner! Apd the mer camane a half-scolding, halt-jesting A Nn ee nee teen pe things suddenly, awam_ before 1? And H if it had bee: ’ Instead of Bob Tanner's And Henry-te it had been he merry countenance it was Henry's person? EB int Ht ch | was gazing, and never It wae irndapnine to stand there ao 9°, £ expect, to behold @ more con: i vat aottaeltramenumnan ah? trite, baffled expression than that Wet FO ae trom arian aes which ‘he wore. Henry was Goored, frara antl called myself ridic, “pclulely, Aad #0 was f, armen fears and called rayself ridics Fora minute—-two minutes, perhaps ee to ae eet att ltngered ~We stared At each other, chins drops mith : Tha Ring, eves round and: w Then, LA TE (ha flurried. m he backed Pe AR ae SN os the butler's pantry, mutter.ngt fancied L could hear m ! pardon, Gyles,“ T ean't lew : i whenever T moved, which in! 48,994 honover T moved, which in nidntt know it was J? Who, then, kod lovely beneath me, wan Kate = n th with rising > ut CHAPTER VI. Bate ie NCITED though [ was, and vane hy bewtldered, I did not men- While even this brought no lon this Inst ineident to presently T detected a tne other members of the movement near the landing, household, iw if a door were bei ly opene ‘After a moment, somebody mounted the steps—-whether from the living 1 or from the butlers pantry, I 1) not tell-and paused hefore the vy spot where L was standin, jrasping **® doorknob with 1 rattlea it insistently both wad t me out! Let me out! instead of the rendy acqut- nea which T naturally expect a, there ( 4 cautions movement at the keyhole, and an imploring volce “Rate It was nu Ts that vou?" R men In rly one likely Aon, in en ve “Mis Kate! a man's voic tevred, for of the three trage, he was the to call me "Kate f our tyessed me by ys motive in keeping tthe cello, | did not an- il he rene ated the query leva 1 waited for the dar to open, but nothing of the kind ned, There wa ent 0 e other side, no tu the key in the lock only a sort of breathless, unnatural ; mind, but stored tt away in my its predecezsors, when it came to sifting #t down for discussion, @ locked door and an abandoned tray tn a laundry seemed made of filmsy stuff indeed, and I felt that I should only, meet wita ridicule in present- ne It, So f proceeded into the living room, w a owas nt deserted, sat down lire, ang tried ‘to compose t into a semblance of calm, And there L sat, reading Life upside down, inti the « ng of the Chinese din- ner gon, brov.at Bob and Camdon from sne # ug room, and Madge ani her other from upstairs, Move had never looked loveller in fe than sae did that night, and though 5 absolutely eclipsed poor me vn my pitiful attempt at conquest, ' 1 could feel no envy in my heart, Bob, Camdon, and all of us gazed at her in silent admiration ie wore, an she had promised, her amber set— the odd bracelet and ring, the long urrings, and Camdon's chain, which, gainst the dull cream of her gown, glistened like far more precious gems, Some women have the knack of knowing just what ‘hey should wear, Madge has it lg perfection, and that night, as she pagscd in the shadow of the fireplace, all her beauty brought into play by the shifting light of the burning logs, { remember thinking that this knack amounted to som thing close to genius, A Burne-Jone maiden in type, the amber of her or- numents tended to accentuate the fairness of her skin and the Titian glory of her abundant hair, Stately, Tegal, moving with a superb languor, which only @ saleslady in @ millinery shop could rival, she would havo dominated a whole roomful of royalty and made Cleopatra siink into the shadows, pearl cocktail and all! Watching her as we moved forward to the dining-room, 1 did not wonder that Camdon aspired to placing her at the head of his princely posses sions, for nowhere could he have found a more queenly, magnificent helpmate. As both the men sprang forward to pull out her chair it swept over me in @ jealous flash that per- haps Hob entertained the same sentt- ment, The glances he bent upon her aivoly. contained more than mere friendliness, and though he did not talk to her any more, if as much, as he did to me, I felt a difference in his manner. During the conversation I learned how many times they had been to- gether during the winter, And when Bob, who had never been a great pa- tron of music, told me that he had renewed his subscription to the opera, I was convinced that in him Caradon had a dangerous rival, With bis fine, an cut features and splendid phy- sique. Hob would have been a dan- gerous rival for Apollo, and only a mummy in @ glass showease at the museum could have withstdod the charm of his personality. The possibility that Bob and Madge might be in love with each other made me utterly miserable, Though T had come to dinner with an intention to do or die, the intention swiftly van- ished, leaving me instead with @ sick- ening desire to crawl away some- where and hide. In this new-born misery 7 com- pletely forgot the excitement of my four through the cellar, and until some one commented upon Mrs. Hampton's long absence from the room, [ Was not even aware that she was hot with us, ‘Then T vaguel called the fact that she had risen during the soup course, in response to a silent signal from Henry, and de- parted. But why had Henry called her? And what was she dong? ‘These were the queries which Madge put to us, and to which only i could have surmised the right a For my ears, suddealy wound, detected f overhead, the opening and cl doors, Alnd later, when @ lighted lan- tern twice passed the dining-room window, I knew what was happening. They were making @ search of the house! They were still searching when we finished dinner, and though T yearned to Join them and discover what was on foot, T had to curb my yearning and hurry to my room to change my clothes, For Bob, who had not been in the country in winter for years, had proposed a sleigh-ride, and upon our agreeing to the proposition, had Ktepped to the telephone and ordered a sleigh and team from the village. “Good warm clothes, girls!” he called after us as we ran up-stairs No frills and furbelows! We're in the country, remember, and tls ts to be an old-fashioned ride “L wish ET had an old coat," T said to Madge, who had entered my room ahead of me, and was switehing on the light. m afraid my suit coat won't be heavy enough old coat around — “That somewhere,” Madge answered. “I think it’s in that closet on the left of the stairs. We keep old trash in there, and if you don't mind how you look, you're welcome to Whatever you can find there. After the dismal failure of my in- tended conquest at the dinner table, I wasn't caring much how I looked, and, ag I already bud Madge and bob settied in an uptown apartinent, with me dropping In to keep an eye on their children while they went to theatres and dances, my nee did not matter, So I siarted stolcaully for the closet, resolved, since 1 couldn't be beautiful, at least to be warm. With this purpose in mind T crossed the hall and opened the ¢ et door. It was one of those Jong, unlighted closets which for blackness and gloom have no equals save in darkest Egypt. ‘As Lentered its unfamiliar depths and felt my way along the wall, my heart 1 jerked out: Mrs, Hampton and threw @ 6! who likewlse 5! way. to think that I sigh there.” “But there there,” Mrs. ing “Indeed, empty,” But pered: beat @ little faster; and when & “I'l go and fer.” broom, against which f must have brushed, fed suddeniy to thé glance as he stradehten floor, the palpitating organ Jumped gay: * to ny throat. Righting the broom to its former position, Ustarted on, my hand groping from hook to hook, But just when I touched what I thought must be the fur collar of Mrs, Hampton's old coat, my blood froze in my veins; for it was not lynx with which I had right, , been there, Un remembe and he one appeared “You're come in contact. It was coar fonger hair! Human hair! And aa threshold and ca ny fingers, unable to proceed or side of the bed withdraw, clung to its tan of you.” it moved within their grasp. I must have uttered shrick upon shriek and gone quite mad, fo: next thing I remember strong were bearing me from the closet When 1 became quieter and could look about I saw that [ was on Mrs Hampton's bed, with Bob bending over me and the doorway filled with frightened Kate, dear ite, look at me!” yes to his, and the he turned to Mra, Hagpton and sald 1 right now, you see g on the pillow f moaned: the hair! ‘The hair!” violently, and then, tried to sit up, stretch- aris, I pushed me down, and wonderfully soothing felt then Rob was saying. As L raised my let them stuy tee “Mov “The ] shuddered counterpane, "You win, couldn't for the ath frantic, my atly yet qu won, « nothing the matter, Try yourself”. And when I had d him 1 was calm, he added: s wrong, Kate? Can you tell showed surmising, us “It isn't much to te T confessed, realizing how improbable it would found to them. “But on top of all that's be pening, it seeme dd hore rible to me. el “On top of all that's been happen- ing?” echoed Bob, "What has been happening?” That's just the trouble!" T eried. “, don't know! [t's just little mys= terious thing#--a face in the glass, @ sound, a locked door, a tray, and now=hair!"” fair?” they all exclaimed Y hair.” I repeated testily; and, as they looked at me inquiringly, T went on to explain: "I wanted a coat 1" ov “This slippers.” Yours?” Bi And Made at her mother, “Yours? looks Bob leane declared, and echoed: abruptly and quite without thinking, “Who's Kate?” By Maurice Ketten started percetpbly, “Please see if that couldn't Hampton objected, ede uneasily toward the hall. Miss Katharine, the closet's dided Henry. a Kate. and down You might as well humor het Then he left the room. He could not have been absent five minutes, but it seemed how loudly the clock tloked, stmained and il at And my heart gave & mighty bound when T heard him say: Some one has —as he crossed the be rtled glance at Henry, glanced her But the rest of them stood and stared at me, and Bob, who seemed aus temporarily out of my head, leaned down and paid: “Why, you're Kate.” 1 saw that to argue would only tn- volve things further, and at that not get anywhere, So I sald, with a weary person's still any one and whis He gave Mrs. Hampton @ knowing up, as if ntury. T eo every hurriedly to the He held up for Inspect slipper of the sort servants or country folk CHAPTER VII. & stared at ft silently, and at one another. Rob F& Facts wanted now~g00d, solid facts backed up by tronclad proofs could #ay so, Mrs, Hampton reached r, and, picking up the slipper, @x- med in an odd, unnatural tone: hike little laugh and sald het actly pper didn't ds who had been in the closet that some been there, and I had had enough one -"this belongs to one on a dle worn ‘by Nora recalling her ghost, began to sob hysterically, wring- ing her hands and invoking the pro- jon of all the saints; claimed the slipper. Throwing it upon but no one ave a dry why [ had explain It merely must bave were what I one But before I of my old sb ejaculated, with « puzzle pohoed Why, mamma! You never wore a slipper like that in your life.” “[ did!” Mrs, Hampton insisted, her eyes defiant, her cheeks guiltily red. “L wore it a long time ago glance after I te ear slelghing, and Madge told me had turned one of my ankles.” Venight find an old one of her "Then what wae It doing there?" I viother's hanging In the cloxet off the burst out. “In the closet, { mean.” hail, But instead of a coat I grabbed — Mra, Hampton sbrumi: d elaborately haindful of hair-—real, live hair and, murmuring something about the which moved in my fingers. 1 carelessness of maids, carried the ae tne one in that closet with me.” slipper to her chiffonier, and dropped “[mposaible! ejaculated 3 Hampton-—-a trifle too emphatically, I thought “Who could it be?” asked Madge, This ani and thin, With . it into a lower drawer red me, it Ww sture 18 40 filmsy which Im plied that sue considered the incident 11, 1916, eeencecooesoooscooooes tem an did De you remember “ The Wi the aeme author? It was Well “THE MESSAGE” ia of the Morning.” This closed, she turned and faced us; | whereupon I cried suspiciously, at even rudely: “Where's the mate?* To which, with admirable coolness, she replied: “I only turned one ankle. The other slipper Was thrown away.” I relaxed with a helpless sigh, Tt was useless to combat her ingenuity. Realizing that the excitement was over, the servants moved slowly away, their whispered murmurings floating: back to me from the hall, and the room settled down to @ subdued quiet. [say subdued, because that was its feoling. For, though the pressure in the atmosphere was somewhat lifted, it had not entirely cleared, a sense of heaviness still pervading like to the \murky darkness which precedes a j storm. Mrs, Hampton looked obviously un- comfortable, Camddn was chewing on his cigar, which had gone out. Madge and Bob, who had walked to the window, stood there peering out into the darkness, neither of them speaking. The silence lengthened painfully, but until a distant ringing of bells \announced the approach of our sleigh Jand team, no on ‘attempted to preak i Then Bob, dropping the curtain, rted for the do 1 tell him to go back,” he sald. | “You'll do no such thing’ * 1 erled, sitting up and klessly jabbing hair~ ping in place. jelgh ride.” “put you're he declared, To which I retorted: “I'm in better condition ing than for sitting around spooky house. Please, let's ! Bob gazed down at me in a Wa h once had set my pulses to rac nd which would have done #0 now, ha 1 not resolved to become spinster aunt to his children, in no condition for one,” for sleigh- in this 01" All right,” he sald, seizing my hands and pulling me to my fect. “its your party And turning to Mrs, Hampton, he added: “It wouldn't \ 4 for her to | Not ata hurried and | the contrary, of good—the all.” it was on the tip of my tongue to ask her why she should be so anxious to get Us out of the house; but realiz~ ing that [ had caused the poor, dis- tracted lady enough discomfort for | tno day, 1 kept iny peace and doctlely | followed Hob from the room. 1 was ready long before Made, for T had only to don a one-piece cordu~ roy drest and the old coat which Bob brought to me from the closet, Madge, tn her elaborate dinner costume, re~ quired a great deal more time to Change, and kept us waiting a good Rut this was not alto- ia fr her fault, for her mother was with her while she was dressing, and even after | had gone below and was sitting in front of the fire with Bob and Camdon, t could hear the rise and fall of their voices , would It?” Mrs, Hampton's slmost eager reply, “On it would do her a world fresh air and cold and An odd moment to choc friendly gossip! But was it And if so, why ¢ when ahe at last joined us, ) been wearing her mother's wor- ried, preoceupiod expression? What time will You be back?" Mrs. Hampton asked, as, muffled to the ears, We started for the door Bob looked inquiringly at Madge, and Madge with a little smile sald You needn't wait up for mamina.” yo which Mrs, Hampton replied “L thought you might like an oyster stew and cocktails, If you could give me any idea what tine to have them ready” us, “Pray don't trouble, Mrs, Hamp ton,” Camdon broke in, “We'll be passing Manor Inn, and we'll stop it we're hungry.” As he finished speaking, he turned with hand outstretched to open the door; but in the very act of turning, a change came over him, [t w ff some strange and terrifying v! revealed itself to him, for he back a step or two, and aching for the doorknob leally to his head, heavens!” he kasped, “Good pointed sbakily to the windows. and Our eyes, riveted to him, followed the direction of jis finger; but the long French windows exposed no adtul s! red th it. If se it thing had ap- had as swiftly van- With nerves atingle, 1 whispe “What was It?" “A face!" he said It was indeed gone, for though we srately and collectively peered from all the windows and went out “Is gone upon the poreh to gaze there was nothing to be see ! kerens on all sides 1 leas vistas of snow bathed In silver moonlight, ‘Tha air, so clear and frosty, Was breathless in its quiet We stood together on the steps and f kaw Camdon, In spite of the Intense cold, take out his handkerchief and mop beads of perspiration from his forehead And when the shru be- low the porch gave an ubexpected crackle, [ uttered a little cry and clutched Bob by the arm In a hollow Camdon whis- perad “Lan't something the shrubbery But before voice, moving there in Bob, who alone of us appeared calm and unexeited, could Investizate, Madge started impatient- ly down the stops, saying ‘or goodiess’ sake, let's be on our way! Thia looking for trouble is get- ting on my nerves.” She succeeded in hurrying us with- out further parley to the waiting sleigh, and in diverting Camdon's at- tention until we were well down the drive, But her efforts were so labored und “er purpose so obvious that I knew instinctively what bad hap- pened, Madge now shared her moth- era secret It was an tdeal night yet wonderfully bracing, With the beauty of full moon, over which majestic clouds were swiftly pass- tog, It was @ night oo thous tad -bitterly cold, Suppose you should find the clue to untold wealth— ‘and at the same time to untold peril? You might perhaps hace the pluck to solve the preb- THE MESSAGE By LOUIS TRACY NEXT WEEK'S COMPLETE NOVEL IN THE EVENING WORLD novel ever published in The Evening World. IT 1S WORTH YOUR READING. rrrrrrrrr rrr the hero of ‘ings of the Morning,” by one of the most popular aon better than “The Wings is sufficient proof that Hut we, I fear, were in no mood to aporeciate tt and had it not been for Bob's cheerful con’ tion we should bf made a very morose party in- eed. Camdon, beyond remarking every few minutes that we were in for big blizzard, for he could smell it the air, had nothing whatsoever to say. Madge, once she had us safely on the turnpik lapsed into @ troubled silence. And I, between ruminating on what had happened already and speculating on what the morrow might bring, must have proved a very distraught companton, ‘After a couple of hours we stopped at a little inn on the other side of Forestville—-Manor = Inn— popular place in summertime, but reeking with desertion now. The sleepy-eyed proprietor welcomed us and led the way to a small room fitted up like a grill, where he took our Indifferent orders. Camdon ordered Scotch whiskey, and while we were waiting for the oyster stey to be prepared, he drank freely of it. Whatever it was that he had seen In the window of the living-room, it had profoundly stirred him, for his hand shook notice- ably when he raised his glass to his lips, and In the glare of the light over- the muscles of his face were ning. I watched him in open disdat wondering why it was that. he, great, strapping man with little parent refinement of feeling, should show #0 plainly the effects of hi shock, and why, tf the face which he said he had seen was the same as Nora's apparition and mine, tt should be so much more of a shock to bim than to us. We must have lingered in the inn « long time, for when we came out again it was snowing, and as we started forward and struck the open road, the wind, hitting us full tn the face, told us that a storm was brew- ing. The moon had gone under a cloud, and the aky, which previously had been a thing of such shifting silver before us, was now dull, monotonous gray, spreading from horizon to horizon. Beneath it the silent country took on a sinister appearance, and as Cam~ don, who was perceptibly under the Influence of his Scotch, began to sing I shivered involuntarily. Hob, turning to him, said quietly: “1 wouldn't do that tf I were you.” And Madge, with a quiver of re pugnance, shrank as far as posaldl from him into her corner. But Camdon was not to be quelled. As wo sped along he became more ‘and more obnoxious. I was eghast at the change that the liquor had wrought In him, though I had never in the least admired him, hie manners had always been Le@proach. able, and to seo him swaying to and fro, roaring and singing, lee! over into Madge's averted and even patting my hand familiarly, caused me to open my eyes wide in horror and amazement, Rob did his best to get command of the situation, but It was useless. Camdon refused to change seats with him, shouted at the suggestion that he should ride up with the driver and wilfully continued his ribald merri- ment. I shall never forget that homeward drive-—the snow on every stde, the sleighbells jingling, Camdon’s voice rising and falling In qhrill discord, and Rob, Madge and L sitting in tense and rigid silence, And never will home look more welcome to me than the Cottage looked that night, as with ite Hehts gleaming from the living room windows tt weleomed our ap- } up the driveway, “T ean't tell you how sorry T am,’ was Rob's low-voiced aside as he helped Modgo and me to alight. “T wouldn't have had this happen for anything, and I feel in @ sense re- kponsible, for it was on my, sugwes= tion that we went sleighing.” t isn’t a bit your fault,” I contra- dicted him. He smiled down and gave my fingers A aque which sent the blood pound. ing through my v ‘Then, motion- ing us to go on in, he turned back to the sivigh and reached up to assist Caindon Tn sil nee Madge and I entered the living-room, and though Camdon called after her: "I shay! Aren't you goin’ to kiss me good night?” she vttered no word, but with @ face like stor mounted the stairway 1 heard the men coming in and Bob trying in vain to hush his companton, And as in loathing I closed my bed- room door, Camdon's loud orders for more whiskey flouted up to me, Bob must have remonstrated with him, for the last thing which reached my ears wi angry snort and the words “Mind your own business, confound you Vlainly, Camdon was not himself—or perhaps he was revealing bis true CHAPTER VIII. MUST have fallen almost In- stantly asleep, for Camdon and Bob were still talking below and Madge moving about in her room when I drifted (nto oblivion, But It seemed a: if I had hardly closed my eyes before they came open again, and I found myself staring into the darkness. 1 had heard people who suffered from insomnia say that to change one's bed was often a successtul rem~ edy, and 1 decided, in my dire extrem- ity, to try the experiment myself, There was a couch in Madge’e room which would answer the purpose nicely; and, gathering up my elder- down quilt and an armful of blank- I started for it, The tread of slippered feet on the cold tiling of the bathroom sounded unduly loud, but not loud enough to shut out that other sound which, as L passed through the little room and was pushing open Madge's door, sud- denly fell on my ears, Some one was coming up the stairway. Some one had reached the ball! (To Be Continued) ~ '