6 TIC C IRCULAR STAIRCASE BKmary i 6 ROBERTS ❖ RINEH ILLtiTmiONS BY mrrKJCHT not e» aaajj ntntk/ca T SYNOPSIS. Miss lnnes, spinster and guardian of Gertrude and llalsey, established summer headquarters at Sunnyside. Amidst nu merous difficulties the servants deserted. As Miss lnnes locked up for the night, she was startled by a dark figure on the veranda. She passed a terrible night, which was tilled with unseemly noises. In the morning Miss lnnes found a strange link cuff button in a clothes hamper. Gertrude and Halsey arrived with .Jack Bailey. The house was awak ened by a revolver shot. A strange man was found shot to death, in the hall. It proved to be the body of Arnold Arm strong. whose banker father owned the country house. Miss lnnes found Hal- Bey's revolver on the lawn. lie and Jack Bailey had disappeared. The link cuff button mysteriously disappeared. De tective Jamieson and the coroner arrived. Gertrude revealed that she was engaged to Jack Bailey, with whom she had talked in the billiard room a few mo ments before the murder. Jamieson told Miss Tnnes that she was hiding evidence from him. He imprisoned an intruder in an empty room. The prisoner escaped down a laundry chute. It developed that the intruder was probably a woman. Ger trude was suspected, for the intruder left a print of a bare foot. Gertrude re turned home with her right ankle sprained. A negro found the other half of what proved to be Jack Bailey's cuff button. Halsey suddenly reappeared. He said he and Bailey had ieft because they had received a telegram. Gertrude said that she had given Bailey an un loaded revolver, fearing to give him Hal- Bey's loaded weapon. Cashier Bailey of Paul Armstrong's bank, defunct, was ar rested, charged with embezzlement. CHAPTER X.—Continued. "In cash?" "In cash." "But the man who did it—he would be known?" "Yes, 1 tell you both, as sure as I stand here, I believe that Paul Arm strong looted his own bank. I believe he has a million at least, as the re sult, and that he will never come back. I'm worse than a pauper now. I can't ask Louise to share nothing a year with me, and when I think of this disgrace for her, I'm crazy." The most ordinary events of life seemed pregnant with possiblities that day, and when Halsey was called to the telephone, I ceased all pretense at eating. When he came back from the telephone his face showed that something had occurred. He waited however, until Thomas left the din ing room; then he told us. "Paul Armstrong is dead," he an nounced gravely. "He died this morn ing in California. Whatever he did, be is beyond the law now." Gertrude turned pale. "And the only man who could have cleared Jack can never do it!" she ■aid despairingly. "Also," I replied coldly, "Mr. Arm strong is for ever beyond the power of defending himself. When your Jack comes to me, with some $200,000 in his hands, which is about what you have lost, I shall believe him in nocent." CHAPTER XI. Halsey Makes a Capture. It was about half-past eight when we left the dining room, and still en grossed with one subject, the failure j of the bank and its attendant evils, Halsey and 1 went out into the grounds l'or a stroll. Gertrude fol lowed us shortly. "The light was thickening," to appropriate Shakes peare's description of twilight, and once again the tree-toads and the crickets were making night throb with their tiny life. It was almost op pressively lonely, in spite of its beau ty, and I l'elt a sickening pang of homesickness for my city at night— for the clatter of horses' feet on ce mented paving, for the lights, tin? voices, thf sound of children playing. The country after dark oppresses me. The stars, quite eclipsed in the city by the electric lights, here become In sistent, assertive. Whether 1 want to or not, I tlnd myself looking for the few I know by name, and feeling ri diculously new aud small by contrast —always an unpleasant sensation After Gertrude Joined us, we avoid ed uny further mention of the murder. To Halsey, as to me. there was ever present, I am sure, the thought of our conversation of tlx* night before. As we strolled back and forth along the drive, Mr Jamieson emerged from the shadow of the trees. "Good evening," he said, managing to Include Gertrude in his how. Ger trude had never been even ordiuurily courteous to him, and *he nodded cold ljr Hal ey, hoMcver, was more cor dial, although we were ull constrained enough. He and Gertrude went on together. U-aving the detectlv. to walk with ««•*. As soou au they were out of earshot, he turned! to tue "Do you know. Mi . Inu«'»," he •aid, tie d> per i go into thi* thing, the more (range it mini to uie I am very m for Mi»< Gertrude. It look a* II H !«•> », ht It., tru<d M* hum ti. uve, U tin than a ras ••I. ami afit-r her pluck) tight for Him. it • in* hard I look, d through the du»k to where I4«l II 'l' I•d 1.1 4i. .11... ,| amen# the trees. Sh«« had made a pluck) light, poor i hlid Whatever •I. might h.He |„ II ill IV 1 to ||., I oi i.d llnd bothies but a «1< • p sym patliy for her II ie had on! tome Ui we wHh iin wtioi> truth then' *ll i Im. Mi l.util. on «». tag . K«* aii> •inpiei .n* * ii' ..O«UM| U» nr. md* Vu, wtn.tan' "Nil,' I itpOetl I »».«»« a Uottfte ful of maids that will boar watching, oue and all. But there has been no strange woman near the house or Liddy would have seen her, you may be sure. She has a telescopic eye." Mr. Jainieson looked thoughtful. "It may not amount to anything," he said slowly. "It is difficult to get any perspective on things around here, because every one down in the village is sure he saw the murderer, either before or since the crime. And half of them will stretch a point or two as to facts, to be obliging. But the man who drives the hack down there tells a story that may possibly prove to be important." "I have heard it, I think. Was it the one the parlor maid brought up yesterday, about a ghost wringing its hands on the roof? Oh perhaps it's the one the milk-boy heard; a tramp washing a dirty shirt, presumably bloody, in the creek below the bridge?" I could see the gleam of Mr. Jamie son's teeth as he smiled. "Neither," he said. "But Matthew Geist, which is our friend's name, claims that on Saturday night, at 9:30, a veiled lady—" "I knew it would be a veiled lady," I broke in. "A veiled lady," he persisted, "who was apparently young and beautiful, engaged his hack and asked to be driven to Sunnyside. Near the gate, however, she made him stop, in spite of his remonstrances, saying she pre ferred to walk to the house. She paid I The Step, Slow, Measured, Infinitely Cautious, Was Nearer Now. him, and ho left her there. Now, Miss Innes, you had no such visitor, 1 be lieve?" "None," I said decidedly. "(leist thought it might bo a maid, as you had got a supply that day. Hut he said her got ting out near the gate puz/lod hint. Anyhow, we have now one veiled lady, who, with the ghost ly intruder of Friday night, makes two assets that I hardly know what to do with." "it is mystifying," I admitted, "al though I caii think of one possible ex planation. The path from the Green wood club to the village enters the road near the lodge gate. A woman who wished to reach the Country olub, unperceived, might choose such a method. There are plenty of worn i en there." I think this gave him something to ponder, for In a short time lie said good night and left. Hut 1 myself was far from satisfied. I was determined, however, on one thing. If my suspic ions -for I had suspicions were true, I would make my own investigations, ami Mr. Jamleson should lcaru only what was giKjd for him to know. We went back to the house, and Gertrude, w lio Mas niore like herself since her talk with llulsey, sat down at the mahogany desk in the living room to write a letter. Halsey prowl ed up and down the entire east wing, I now iu the t ardroom, now in the bil liard room, aud now and then blow tug his cloud* of tobacco smoke among the pink aud gold hunting* of the drau lug room After a little I Joined hlut iu the billiard loom, and together • went uur the details of the discovery of lite body The tardiiMiui was <|ulto dark. Where we tat, lii the billiard room, only ou» uf the side brut ki t.-s was lighted, uud *« spoke in subdued tones, as the hour and the subject ■it li.ej lo d« maud Whew I spoke of the ttguie l.iddy and 1 had *< en ou the |>orclt through the lanlrooni win dow Friday night, Hale y »a altered Into the iinrkt n»d room, uud together we stood Ihei miii li a* l.ldd) and I had done thai oiini night Th« ; vinolo* was the satue grayish n i UM a iv in the blai kn> as buiwie CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1910. A few feet away in the hall was the spot where the body of Arnold Arm strong had been found. I was a bit nervous, and I put my hand on Hal- Bey's sleeve. Suddenly, from the top of the staircase above us came the sound of a cautious footstep. At first I was not sure, but Halsey's attitude told me he had heard and was listen ing. The step, slow, measured, in finitely cautious, was nearer now. Halsey tried to loosen my fingers, but I was in a paralysis of fright. The swish of a body against the curving rail, as if for guidance, was plain enough, and now whoever it was had reached the foot of the staircase and had caught a glimpse of our rigid silhouettes against the billiard room doorway. Halsey threw me off then and strode forward. "Who is it?" he called imperiously, and took a half dozen rapid strides to ward the foot of the staircase. Then I heard him mutter something; there was the crash of a falling body, the slam of the outer door, and, for an instant, quiet. I screamed, I think. Then I remember turning on the lights and finding Halsey, white with fury, trying to untangle himself from something warm and fleecy. He had cut his forehead a little on the lowest step of the stairs, and he was rather a ghastly sight. He flung the white object at me, and, Jerking open the outer door, raced into the darkness. Gertrude had come on hearing the noise, and now we stood, staring at each other over—of all things on earth —a white silk und wool blanket, exquisitely fine! It was the most uu ghostly thing in the world, with its lavender border and its faint scent. Gertrude was the first to speak. "Somebody - —had it?" she asked. "Yes. llalsey tried to stop whoever it was and fell. Gertrude, that blank et is not mine. I have never seen it before." She held It up and looked at it; then she went to the door onto the veran da and threw It open. Perhaps 100 feet from the house were two figures, that moved slowly toward us as we looki d. When they ctmu within ranije of the light, I recognized llalsey, mid with him Mrs. Watson, the house keeper. CHAPTER XII. One Mystery for Another. The most commonplace Incident takes on a new appearance If the at tendant circumstances are unusual. There was no reason on eurth why I Mrs. Watson should not have carried a blanket down the east wing stair case, If she so desired. Hut to take a blanket down at 11 o'clock at nluht, with every precaution as to nuls<»,and, when discovered, to (ling It at llalsey and bolt IIUIM VH word, and a «ood 1 one Into the grounds this made the Incident more than significant. They moved slowly across the law ti and up the steps Hal ejr wa. talking quietly, and Mrs. Watson was looking , down and listening She wan a woman of a certain amount of dignity, ino*t uttli but, so far as I could s« <i, al though l.iddy would have found fault If she dare«|. hut just now Mi. Wat son a luce was uu enigma Site was defiant. I think, und> r her mask of submission, and she still showed the effect of nervous shock "Mrs. Watson." I said severely, "will you be MO uo"d as to i* K plain this rather unusual m-currem «>*" "I don't think it so unusual. Miss Inn*'*," Her voice wus deep and »«ry i clear; but It a .is somewhat ti emulous 'I was taking a blanket d**wu to Thomas, who Is not w>li tumult* aud I used this sialressw. as being mat- r tin t>«th tw Urn U'JB'- When vested, and through an ugly stroy —Mr. Innes called and then rushed at me, I —l was alarmed, and flung tho blanket at him." Halsey was examining the cut on his forehead in a small mirror on the wall. It was not much of an in jury, but it had bled freely, and hia appearance was rather terrifying. "Thomas ill?" he said, over his shoulder. "Why, I thought I saw Thomas out there as you made that cyclonic break out of the door and over the porch." I could see. that under pretense of examining his injury he was watch-, ing her through the mirror. "Is this one of the servants' blank ets, Mrs. Watson?" I asked, holding up its luxurious folds to the light. "Everything else Is locked away," she replied. Which was true enough, no doubt. I had rented the house without bed furnishings. "If Thomas is ill," Halsey said, "some member of the family ought to go down to see him. You needn't bother, Mrs. Watson. I will take the blanket." She drew herself up quickly, as if in protest, but she found nothing to say. She stood smoothing the folds of her dead black dress, her face as white as chalk above it. Then she seemed to make up her mind. "Very well, Mr. Innes," she said. "Perhaps you would better go. I have done all I could." And then she turned and went up the circular staircase, moving slowly and with a certain dignity. Below, the three of us stared at one another across the intervening white blanket. "Upon my word," Halsey broke out, "this place is a walking nightmare. I have the feeling that we three out siders who have paid our money for the privilege of staying in this spook factory, are living on the very top of things. We're on the lid, so to speak. Now and then we get a sight of the things inside, but we are not a part of them." "Do you suppose," Gertrude asked doubtfully, "that she really meant that : blanket for Thomas?" "Thomas was standing beside that magnolia tree," Halsey replied, "when Iran after Mrs. Watson. It's down to this, Aunt Ray. Rosie's bas ket and Mrs. Watson's blanket can only mean one thing: There is some body hiding or being hidden in the lodge. It wouldn't surprise me if we | hold the key to the whole situation now. Anyhow, I'm going to the lodge to investigate." Gertrude wanted togo, too, but she looked so shaken that I insisted she should not. I sent lor L.iddy to help her to bed, and then Halsey and I started for tho lodge. The grass was heavy with dew, and, man-like, Halsey chose the shortest way across the lawn. Half way, however, he stopped. "We'd better go by the drive," he ! said. "This isn't a lawn; it's a field, i Where's the gardener these days?" "There isn't any," I said meekly. "We have been thankful enough, so far, to have our meals prepared and j served and the beds aired. The gard ; ener who belongs here is working at j the club." "Remind me to-morrow to send out : a man from town," he said. "I know i the very fellow." I I record this scrap of conversation, I just as I have tried to put down any thing and everything that had a beur- I Ing on what followed, because the gardener Halsey sent the next day \ played un Important part in the events of the next few weeks—events that culminated as you know, by stirring the country profoundly. At that tltne, ! however, I was busy trying to keep ! my skirts dry, and paid littlo or no attention to what seemed tlun a most trivial remark. At the lodge everything was quiet. I There was a light in the sitting room downstairs, and a faint gleaui, as if from a shi'ded lamp, In one of the up per rooms. Halsey stopped and ex amined the lodge with calculating j eyes. "I don't know. Aunt Hay," ho said dubiously; "this Is hardly a woman's affair. If there's a scrap of any kind, you hike for the timber." Which was llulscy's fcolicituus cure for uie, put Into vernacular "I'll stay right h< re,"* 1 said, and arousing the small vi ruml.i, now shaded and fragrant with honey suckle, 1 hantinured the knocker on the door Thomu.t opened the door hlniself- Thonias. fully ilrt'tiMil aud 111 his cus touiary health. I hud lltu blanket ox r uiy arm. I M might the blanket, Thomas," I said; "I ani sorry you ure so HI." 1 The old 111 itti stood staring at ine and then ut the lilunket. ills con fusion tinder other clrcuuistitncM would huve been hull'reus. What! Not HI?" Il.iUey said from the step "Tinnuns, 1 111 aliuld >m »u been malingering," Tltftßul eel.led til htlVe bet tl debat ing SollietiilllK Willi llllli elf. NiiVS ||« stepp d H i* on the pinch and ukisii! the dour gently behind hlui iTu iik •'••.vt'ixrKli > Were Net Needed. • •l«ini t „> ik t wUUky |» nut a cur« lor «m»h.- «»*»'• "Tbeii that nm»t he the 112 n<*» native tvtau d lt>a wut «1 lie.and." V L F ANY ask you what would satisfy to make life easy, thus I would reply: As much ns keeps out hunger, thirst and cold."—Dryden. SELECTION OF FOODS. Many housekeepers who pride them selves on their knowledge of the cuts of meat and can tell at a glance the hardy old farmyard veteran from the juicy young broiler, fall down com pletely when choosing fruits and vege tables. Berries which looked well in the market prove flat, stale and un profitable. Melons and cucumbers outwardly attractive were only skin deep In good looks. Oranges and grape fruit are frequently overripe and peaches green. The wise selection of fruit is not learned in a day nor with one lesson. For the beginner there are a few points, which if observed will make the chances better of get ting what one pays for and teach one how to tell the good from the bad. The two chief tests are weight and fgararnce. Ripe fruit has a fresh, sweet odor which is easily recognized. Fragrance is the best test to give to berries, as those without that delicate aroma should be regarded with sus picion. This is also true of lemons, oranges, peaches, pears, and especial ly of cantelopes. When buying oranges, grapefruit and melons, weight is the important item; if light in weight, beware of them, they will either be pithy or un ripe. If melons are spongy to the touch they are either unripe or stale. Cucumbers should never be purchased if spongy. In selecting muskmclons the sweet est ones have a rough rind. The bmooth streaks which divide the fruit into sections should he yellowish. 1 k / E SCATTER seeds with care \ 11/ lpss hand, V/ v And dream we ne'er shall see them more; But for a thousand years their fruit appears In weeds that mar the land, or health ful store." EMERGENCY SALAD. The Ingredients for a salad are usi> ally at hand, the vegetables left from dinner; if they have been served with a sauce, this can be washed oft before putting away. Remnants of fruit that are not enough to serve as a fruit course make a delicious salad. Fruit is nice served with a heavy sirup, a Frenchdressing or a mayonnaise. When serving a French dressing on fruit it is well to use lemon Instead of vinegar, and whipped cream may be added just before serving. Cold cooked string beans make a most satisfying salad with a little onion and a French dressing, all heaped daintily on crisp leaves of let tuce. For a beet salad cut enough cold cooked beets into dice to make three cupfuls, put into a salad bowl, add five tablespoonfula of olive oil, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a tea spoonful of salt and a few dashes of red pepper. Arrange on a bed of let tuce on a cold dish; pour tho dress ing over It and serve. Celery and hard cooked eggs with a dressing make a wholesome salad. Tips for the Worker. Never get careless about your work. He cheerful over your work; nobody wants to hear of aches and pains. Politeness costs littlo and brings In splendid returns. Don't think you are indispensable. Notice the hole made in a pail of wa ter when you draw out your linger? So will our places be filled when wo go. Fie dependable; there Is no quality HO worth cultivation and often lacking In otherwise good people. Cultivate a keen sense of humor It lightens many a burden and makes easy many rough roads. Egg Cutlets, Cream Sauce. Make a thick sauce with two table- Hpoonfuls of butter, three tablespoon fuls ot flour, one and a half cupfuls of milk. Cook until thick and well done. Have ready six hard cooked egg* roarsely chopped with a silver knife. To the sauce add a half teaspoonful of onion juice, a table 1 poouful of chopped parsley and the eggs, then net aside to root. Hour the hands, and mold In small -lit lets; dip in egg and crumbs utid fry In deep fat. Serve with Cucumber Salad. Reletl even slxed cucumln rs and cut n thick slice from each lengthwise without peeling thelll, Scoop out the ■ceds and pulp and put mido; peel one or two tomatoes and mil up, drain off the Jut< u and till the cucumber shells with the led and whit- bits, lay e.ieh en a lettuce leaf, 1 our over a IVetnh dit'iilim and serv* very cold Rtiwid Bermuda Onions, Melt '«•> tutileM»>onfuls of butler In a M M»»lW and lay In sis mM Itortati4l lulim* ciprlnkh with two lea*i>o4n ■ ul-i eaeb of exit and sugar villi a < iplul of.l ■.« k and lim it <-r until tender, adding b dllng water a* needed ft. i v<- with the sauce I*oU 112 t'l UMMiUiI lH* UlUutiM I want any person who suffers with bil iousness, constipation, Indigestion or any liver or blood aliment, to try my Paw-Paw Liver Pills. I guarantee they will purify tlifl blood and jmt th« liver and stomach Into a healthful condition and will positively cure biliousness and const ipation, or I will refund your money. Munyon'j Homeopathic Horn® Remedy Co.. 63rd and Jefferson Sts.. Phlla., Pa. GAVE SIS AWAY. V....—. r^=> * Her Little Brother—Say, are you ?oln' ter marry my sister Bess? Her Suitor —Why, er—er —er don't know. Her Little Brother —Well, you are. I heard her tell pop she was goia' ter land you tonight. When Servants Were Slaves. It hasn't been so many years since servants were practically slaves; they were bound out for a term of years and never could hope to better their conditions. The world advancing, however, and now servants, especially those who do washing and house cleaning, are better treated. Easy Task laundry soap, that does half the work itself, and which cleans pots and pans and painted work like magic, is re sponsible for much of this emancipa tion. Only 5 cents a cake, too. Real Modesty. "An actor should be modest, and most actors are," said James K. Hack ett at a luncheon in Pittsburg. "But I know a young actor who, at the be ginning of his career, carried modesty almost too far. "This young man inserted in all the dramatic papers a want advertise ment that said: " 'Engagement wanted —small part such as dead body or outside shouts preferred.'" Faults In American Character. In an address on botanical educa tion in America, Prof. W. P. Ganong remarks that "disregard of particulars and a tendency to easy generalities are fundamental faults in American character," and he lnsistß upon the necessity of laboratory and experi mental work In all scientific study. Books "ease the wits," but independ ent observation is the source of sound knowledge in science. In the Suburb. "What beautiful public building is that?" "That Isn't a public building. It's old man Savltt's summer cottage. "And whose neat little cottago is that over there with the tower on It? The llitle one-story frame affair." "That isn't a cottage. It's the First Episcopal church."—Life. Thinking of Curtain Lectures. Mrs. Peck—l see the Maine Agricul tural college proposes to establish lec tures especially for country pastors. Mr. Peck—What's the matter, ain't nono of the parsons up there married? I have come to see that cleverness, success, attainment, count for little; that goodness, or character, is the Im portant factor in life.—Romanes. \ Cut Out Breakfast Cooking Easy to start the day coul and comfortable if Post Toasties are in the pnntrv ready to serve right from the package. No cooking required; just add some cream and a little su^.tr. Especially pleasing these summer mornings with berries or fresh fruit. One can feci cool in hot weather on j »r» »«*r food. "Tht Memory Lingers" POtfrt M CIUKM. ft , I.Wt lUttl* l lttk Ml- k
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers