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The House of Whispers WilliAM JOHNSTON EnluaraI~s.my~ miRWN MYERS 0oPyrigbt by LitU BRmwn &Co. Continued from first page, this section. their plans. Conte, let ile escort you. Miss .." As I hesitated over the name she answered simply: "Bradford-laihura DIladford." Rhe pondered for a moment over my uggestion 11n.l then turned to walk ithi me tfloward the allartment house. "Whar~t w*re the nien like?" she asked. I deser'wed themi as best I could, though really the 1impression that the youth on the bch haid left was vague. His vOic(, an insoleit, loirse, Iicul tiva ted one. was ahinost all I could re call about him. "I wotier who they were? I won der how they knew?" "Knlew wNviat?", ler lips tigItetied into a straight line. "I Cn't tell you. I duren't. I Isn't my secret." Iy tis tline we had reahel her homne anad tlie bowln.r dooriman wNas Swiligitg back thw greaLt ir-oi door for Is it lid he iinty litei itiotn to aniloii tietl my arrivili, but reeal Iig that Mis.s 0ladf'r1 lad said that the Gaston niparinelit was oi the ,tamie floor ts hers, I st opped with her into the elevalor. \V hen It luil descended, leaving ts togethrn 'in III the corridor, she tunIled to Im. ait'ui tffl lolifd r han1d. "THinik you so imichi, Mr. Nelsou." "I wish yoi'd let me( help you," I cred. She shook her head. "Well, promise me one thing," I in isted. "What is it?" "That you never again will go alone to the park to meet those men." A tremor shook her body, and once More a look of terror erent into her eyes. "I eil't protmise that. I must meet themo. I must ! I must !" I reacied out and took her hand. "Promise I me, then, that before you go again you will let inec kiow." "You must not try to stop my go ing," she cried desperately and free ing her hanid turned quickly and un locking her door left me standing there alone, staring tifter her. Perplexed beyoid measure as to what I ought to do, after a monent I pressed the hell and wits adnitted to the Gaston apartment and to the pres ence of iiy aged relatives. Although I tried to pretend anl in terest in their cotiversation IId absent ly answvered their <questions about my fatmlly, my thoutghit s kept conlst aniitly recurring to the sti range tromuble of the gIirl acr'oss thle hall, Iter' 1light In - terestinig tin. far moore thain the pu1' post' for whicht my grenit-uncile lhid seiit for roii. I Imtel 'xpwetteil that he would bro:'-h tt subiject himiself1, but the cotlf,- tirrivt'l amtl still the 'otn versat ion hadt beent limit ed to stilteds faimily' ehat. .) u e returined to Ite living ri'tia, I deldiut'l to give him a lend: relietvedt. "Ye is, ye', o.(f course,"5< ech io I Mrs. G;aston. they'3 hotlh setimitd atI a Ilow- for w'ordt'ts. "Yol'i t'll Itimit, ittfuts,'" said tmy llis tired old eyves stieltd 11ny entml~ temitne C: 'trefully, st'arebingly', a If he was tr'yinig to rend my stoul. "It Is this,"' saihl uold ltiufus, spea'lk ing'. slowly an wtith I eftlt as if lie lhat ed tot tdisritose hils inittitolls. "''Tre' day:s fr'a:n t~ -ow- tat will Ibe gointg to Mati ine to ite gonie fori stomte not like to leave this apatrtmetnt whotlly t nnt'i editt, iinIl it occurr'med to Mr's. Gastonl thatt ytou igh't occupy It in 011r a bse nte.'' 1 amo afiraid lmy ,ounlti'nanclte at tha t momenlt mu lst. havie het rayedt't myi ('On sterna jion. My grt'at ('xlectatIions vanishetd, bIlew utp. disatppea red. 'l'hiey did( not wvanit me1 for an heir but for a caretaker. What ia ftool I hadt been to imnaglino for one mtomenit tat thIs 1)0 nlurlious old couple had contemnpiatedl doIng anytinmg for me1. Thley wtanted me to dho sotmething for themo. A star castle re'fusal of thlei' prmoff'er Itroml bled on my lips bult was stay'ed by tmy gr'eat-aunt spe'aknag: "It will enauble you to save your room rent. Mr. Gaston will pay the remit hI atdviance before we go. TFhere will lie nto onei herte to servo your meals 8o you will have to get them elsewhere, hut I will arrange with my ltandress to come in oInce a day to make up yo~ur room, anti you'll be uno der no expetnse." Her Atuggesition tha't I wvould have n renom ent to nny deided me. Two other considerations also influenced me. It might lhe a plani on the part of the old people to try inc out and see if I was trustworthy, and then. hv elling under the same roof with i'arbara Bradford, I might have op portunities of seeing her again, and who knows, perhaps of assisting her out of her mysterious plight. "I shall he very glad indeed to come," I found myself saying. "It was nice of you both to think of me." "We'll consider the matter settled," announced old Itufus. "We are un used to guests here, so you had better come at ten on Sunday, an hour after we have started." "Itufus," suggested my great-ant apprehensively, "had you not better give him the combination of the wall safe? My jewels are there, and in case there should be a fire--" "Why not take them with you?" I In territpted. "They are a nuisance when you are travell~ " she objected. "A safe deposit box would be bobt ter, then." "No," said old Rufus shortly. "Both my safe deposit boxes are full and there is no use hiring another one. The jewels will be all right where they are. In case of flre you can re mnove them to a place of safety. This is the combination-see that you re ninher it-six right, four left, two right, eight left, 6,4i." "I'll renmembher it,' I replied. men tally repeating It over and over again. "And now, my dear," said the old gentleman, "if you will get the keys from my desk, we can permit our nephew to depart." My great-atuint left the room to do his mission. The minute she was safely out of hearing old Itufus' whole iianner underwent at startling change. Into his deep-set gray eyes camie a look of terror. His fne( becam21e ashen, and the witlitred hand with which lie cluitched mny armi was trembling vio lently. "Listen, boy," he hissed, leanin-g for ward that he might spenk into mny ar "Something Wrong Here -in This House-I Tell Youl" and lookting about apprehiensively as If he feared to be overheard. "Listen there's something wrong here." My first thought wats that hie hand been suiddenly strickenl with senilo dlementia, but recalling his perfectly raioalcodut hrugou-te es : Something wrong?"er - rin Thi, wanderooingy.i"it do 'Cleniyo man? le Cluhed to heoeard. aistengh ero'rs, aondthisn ~voae hupre'' t Ma irte wohitr bwanm thate hn lintet. ideivsrcknw h ei ra"oaI on ~li't o, hel b'euilitd. "Iewrst of the. eveing Ihw (limorosly t thory isand ouwent mn "The.' smearn notevere out what it i's.'Aly keendo uoel tinlg happen.? I am aways. h~iearig vlves-wh\isper, whispers,1012 awy My w'it'ife thinksif iton n l ih 21otunt'ofieny hellth.r n'ca Idot att in ''o kn'tw. v Ple, lrase i,'d wpling, 21find (iwht ~Vit it bIfor wll return.(I (Iiihav noii~ lonie'.hr 1i 2 ni n ese foiiur F int ot ibou why 'e inrs iuli. w yit i f h itk tis ho'2o2m arm' andItlid ' is3 fingert. on' lia he hfid h'i wttitfs fo'e't reture.Wt aurn. tble lfort hie sutrai'htenedit upii ands whn henrrd therom hea apptr en tly3 hadt ent irely r'ecover'ed his srlf possessiin aiid w'as his naotuiral self atginu, ia digiied', wor'bl-wveary old "I cantt't find your keys, Itufius," said( may great-o un , "'you2 had1 betteor get them yourself." The m~ite he left the roomi she hastened to my sidle aind shie, too, lie gant to whispler llnystleriousI war'tnings, exhibIting a terrior hardly less than her' agetd hutsbandlt's. "This is t house of mystery," sho announilced(. "I'm always hea ritng strange s(ound(1 here. Ie dioesn't know"--with a nod in the direction old Itufus had gone, "andt I dlo niot w~ant hima to. That la the reason I amtf tak ing him awany. S'olve the mystery oif it before we return. I'll pay you. I'll mtake It well worth your while." IHer husbandl's shiufflinmg in the pass ago wvarne-d her of his return, amid she gtulekhy dlropjledl my arm. As lie en. tered she was tellIng me In (quite nor malI tones to lie sure to remembner her to my mother the next time I wrote. 01(d tfus handed ime thme keys, ex plainingr which wnu which. "And remember," said my great uncle, as he escorted me to the door, "you are not to come until Sunday morning at ten, after we have gone. And remember the combination of the safe-Remember !" The insistent way in which he re peated the word conveyed to me force fully that what he most wanted me to remember was the strange warning he had given me, and as I clasped his hand in parting I tried by the firm ness of my grip to let him know that I understood. "Remember," repeated my aunt, too, as she stood there in the door a little behind him, at the same time giving me a significant look. Yet, puzzling .as had been the con duct of hoth of them, my memories that night were not of their warning nor of the combination of the safe nor of the hour at which I was to arriv-. They were of the most beau tifui eyes I ever had seen and of the haunting terror written In them. (To be continued.) Piles Cured In 6 to 14 Days Drugglets refund money If PAZO OINTMENT faill to cure Itching, D liod, leedingor Protruding Piles Instruntly relieves Itchir.g Plies, and you can 'alei restful Mcet) after the fltst apphicatiou. Price 00c CLEMSON CADETS RETURN TO BOOKS All but Scattering Few Re-enter Col. lege. Riggs Makes 8peeeh. Clemson College, March 22.--The regular work of the third' term of Clemson college began this morning with all the seniors present, all the juniors present but four, and al of the lower classes except 20, some of whom have asked for an extension of leave on account of sickness or other causes. President Riggs welcomed the students back, as is his custom in an earnest short address. A feeling of op timism prevailed at the chapel exer cises. The regular class work started this afternoon. There seems to -be a desire on the part of all to make the third term's work the best of the year and to forgt as !ar aspossib le the recent occurrences. Date Trees Big Yielder. As many as 4,000 dates have been gathered from a single palm at one bearing. NO COAL BUT PLENTY OF WOOD We have a lot of Wood cut for Grates. Just the thing for mod erate weather. PROMPT DELIVERY Eichelberger Brothers 0 Middle Georgia Oil and Gas Company of Washington County Georgia Has Commenced Drilling. March 9th The First Test Well Was Christened Lillian "B" One. Numbers of people from South Carolina and Georgia were there for this event and to see surface indications. Read what a few of them say: lacon, Ga., .\larch 10, 1.92". Aiken, March 6, 1920. Newberry, S. C., March 1, 1920. I vT hont it ay concern: I have over represeting varis rs ~ i) ed he IiecuII i ~ ~~'visi ted tile oil field of tile Midl (( cpuarcihasers front illy couanty ex peti tug and was much interested in tle drill- Georgia Oil & Gas Co., at Sandersville, to demand their money if I found Ing operations, gas flashes, seepages Ca., and found the work of drilling things Iisrepresented. and other indications of oil. well under way with an up-to-date I can go back and advise them with with the fact. that lot pmurchasers are gas from a surface standpoint and holdings. getting on the ground floor of a prom- consider an investment here Is well *M. M. IUFORi. worth taking thle chance, for with evi ising chance business venture vith a dence they have and the men whom I company managed by clean and hon- believe are conscientious, I an some est men. The optimism and enthusi- What Optimistic Over 1. prospect. asm of Mr. 'Rloss, the driller. is con- .Every statement of company fully verified by absolute facts andi demion tagious. lie impresses you as being strations. 1j. C. (BROWN. ewell Informed, holest and capable and 11tifort March 10,1920. is an important factor in the develop- o whom It may concern: Seeing i, Iment of the field. believIng. That is what I (lid a ar Yours very truly, ferday and invested without heslta- The demonstration of oil and natfiral .1 G IILY AIDl ion lin tile Middle Georgia Oil & Cas vas seepages Is till thley claiml. I ,! l .1.0. ~h~lIi) Co. W'. W. NIVEII. satisfied and expect. great things from this field. A. It. NPW'i'ON. Atlanta, CAa., Mai , 9, 1920.1 I have visi ted 'a riou oil fields, and( Macon, Ga., March 14), 1 92ot. lullev tIt the rii testpispectinTo whom it may concern: I don't ati, S. ve.,March 1, 11.20. the' ((ll i liv todiay. 1 .1ill. of coti I'M, k Ito w antything aboutt oil lirosieteis bill. tIt is, here. Th'le coin Italty Ila. it icIliv iX etiig rgleat thr ings froln ily Ill - front wh'at I sawi~ ant wiling to wif a0 I (red I lie goods. Am a perfectlIy sat isliedl vest tit 1s. 111\' Smt ri s c.s si I thIIte Ileacl ldh. w it 1113 mtrehases, T , wenty-vwo geologists and oil experts declare this one of the prospects yet discov ered, and they predict the Beach field to be one of the greatest oil fields ever opened up in this country. The company's driller, a man of forty-six years experience in the oil business, and who has the distinction of having opened up more new fields than any man in the business, states: "This is one of the finest prospects I have ever seen, and I have never seen a prospect with such surface indications as are found on this field where oil was not found in abundance. en Natural gas sufficiently strong to flash and burn is in evidence on the surface of this field. Lots are being sold for $35.00 each which carry a certificate of participation in all earnings of the company from start to finish. These lots may be paid for all at the timbofpuchaerllng ts I pdi s e oil word, shouldcome truethinkwh and ew ofthtthesea-oldma t ouwe ould pay an annual dividend on i ove $500.00 Georgaditin ot& Gaesfth lt. e Teta comany .\irs maaedblen ons1enwom9hveko n o eas. have recetly variou o ntheh-ieldanddsa on, mysel .\arl th1caisf1h cmpnyvei fied. thi dollrits nowpewouin mea asmuho ia onerhnIdreon'tsatroi ssruk o tcuntr g tody n o m. the gourd looi knou aythn qui Thsps anoprtntuta oe o xctnmea then s fom nomyrtt i t-.frlm what sa amlltte for smale ilso e ipsdo vTelpoemrie sent.myn wrlus exain eallhtacils LAURrrENSC,,larS., C.0 I cam ove repesentng vriou