The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, March 31, 1920, Image 9
LAURENS* SOUT CAROLINA WEDNESDAY, MARCH31 .NUMBER 37
. 1y Willi
John"
(Continued from Last Week.)
SYNOPSIS.
CHAPTER I.--Circumstances having
:Drevented Spalding Nelson, clerk, joining
the Americnn forces going to France, he
is in a desponideit mood when he re
ceives an invitation to dinner from his
great-uncle, Rufus Gaston. On his way
to the house he meothl, under peculiar cir
cumstances, a young girl, apparently in
trouble, to whom he has an opportunity
to be of slight service. She lives in the
same apartment building as Rufus Gas
ton, and he accompanies her to the hou~s.
Gaston and his wife are going to Maine
for a trip and want to leave Nelson in
charge of the apartment. He accepts.
Gaston and his wife tell their great
nephew of mysterious noises -"wiispers"
-which they have heard in the house.
CHAPTER It.
Slnday morning came at Inst.
It was ht:ardly eight wheln I set ont
for my now <Itillrtrs tatkltrin with mev
only one stmil hianlhIg and having
ily two tiik for the xr(essman.
In tle thite litervenling sinttce Ily visit
to the (aist on home I had done but
little exeept Spectlate oil Ih- tutysteri
ous wn ail ngs that both of the old peo
ple had Surreptitiously gIven 11ue. It
seetmed so utterly linpti robaible a lintil
possible that there could be any in
explicable nystery about a home in a
modern, pp-to-date aptirtment house
in the ceniter of a clvilized city. And
if there was a mystery, why did they
stay there? Why didn't they move?
Yet, as I pondered over the matter,
I was convinced that. both iny great
tin:Te in'd his Wife 'wel'o 'rational.'' I
dismissed without hesltation the the
ory that there could have been any
tipertnatural happeiings to atfright
jietn. It was probable, I decided, that
their fears might have been plaed on
I)y somlje conspiracy on the part of
their servants to induce them to spend
a Season In Maine. Perhaps there
was solne specter fromi my great
Itncle's past naow rising to confront
him that he was seeking to hide fron
his wife. It might he that she knew
of it or had received threats and was
trying to conceal the inatter from him.
There are few men of millions with
out soie secret shamneful pages in
their lives. As I remembered that
old Rufus Gaston's dollars had been
made in South America, all that I had
heard and read of plots and counter
plots below the equator came bulzzing
into my brain. If such should be the
case, thiat some betrayed conspirator
now was seeking vengeance, more
than ever I welcomed the unexpected
chance that had thrown thais oppor
tunity for adventure in my prosatc
path.
Yet maybe their wnrnings were jus
tifled. There was Barbara Bradford,
who lived nder the same roof, on the
very floor with them. She seemed to
he caught in the web of some plot, to
he living in fear of sonic mnyster-ious
peril.
Was she, I wondered, ini any way
connieeied with the mystery thaft over'
hung the OGatoni home? Did muy great
unicie and his wife know her? H~er
missIon to the Park had b~eeni to get
some papers. Could they have been
Ina any way involved with what was
mienac'ing my gi dat-lincle's peafco of
mid? How I regretted now that I
had not asked tihe Gastens if they
knew Miss Bradford. How I welcomn
ed the opportunity I was now to have
of living in the same apartment house
with her, close tat hand it ever I could
serve her. I was glad now that cir
cumstances had prevented my going
to France with Birge and Roller.
As I arrived at my great-uncle's cor
ncr, I saw Miss Bradford approaching
from the opposite direction. She was
in ridinlg togs. I timned my steps to
reach tihe cornier tis she did. Would
she, I wondered, consider our strange
meeting a few eveninigs before suffl
cient initroductioni to Justify her speak
ing to me.
"(hood morning, Mr. Nelson," she
greetedl me pleasantly. "Making ati
early call, aren't you?"
"I'm comng here to live for a while,"
I ansawered, failing Into step with her.
"The Ghastens are goinig to Mainie and
have asked me to occupy their ap~art
ment while they are away,"
-As we chattted we hadl entered the
huildinig, and as before I wvent into
the elevator with her. As I left her
At'the dooer, wondlerinig if she haud had
any more encounters in the park, yet
hardly daring to ask, she turned to
me. halt anninanticn11v. and ad.
u sf Iu~iis,
his.pers
dton I= rwi n Mer
"Mr. Nelson, since you've conme to
live here in the house, I must he Care
ful. We have not been introduced,
andi my people will think it strange
If they see me speaking to you. You
understand, don't you? You must not
speak to me or recognize me until-"
"Until what?" I cried eagerly.
"Until we can manage to be proper
ly Introduced."
"Yet," I Insisted, "you promised to
let me help you."
"I have not forgotten. I'm grateful,
really I an. Perhaps I may call on
your services. I may have to. If I
do, I'll find some way of letting you
kntow."
"Some secret way," I suggested, half
sanrenst lenlly.
"I'erhips", she laughingly nodded as
we separatel d.
As I toIk out the keys mly great
uncle hil givenfl tue aid eittered t.he
alart ment, I looked lbout 1nw4 with a
whoi-.- .ow interet4. That l1ivle word
"amine" makes a vast diff'eT-ence in the
way we regard things. Now that
thtese luxurious quarters were tO he
my home, tempornrily at least, I look
ed about curiously. Certainly at first
.glance there was nothing mysterious
in the atnosphere. Setting my hag
down I began an immediate inspec
tion of the rooms.
The Gaston apartment, I discovered,
occupied one whole side of the sixth
floor of a twelve-story building.
Around the elevator shaft that came
up - through the .center was . a small
square court with four doors, two
opening into the Bradford apartment
opposito and two into the one I was
occupying. The east apartments were
known as Six A and the west as Six B.
The door by which I had entered led
into a lofty foyer, connecting by sliding
doors with a great dining room, and be
yond it, in the front of the house, with
a reception or living room that ran the
entire width of the apartment. Back
of the elevator, with a separate door
for the servants' use, were the kitchen,
the butler's puntry, a servant's sitting
room and two bedrooms. From the
foyer a long hall ran almost the length
of the building. On the servants' side
it was blank as to doors, save for the
passage from the pantry to the (lining
room, but onl the other side several
doors opened Into spacious sleeping
rooms, eaci with its own bath. As I
was wondering which of the bedroons
imy great-aunt had expected me to
occupy, I notlced still another door
which I found led Into a small bed
room on the servants' side of the
house but unconnected with their
quarters. While It was less elabor
ately furnished than the rooms oppo
site, it was comfortaile enough, and
It had a spacious bathroom adjoining.
The fact that the bed hero had, beenl
left turned down was evidence enough
that it was intended for my occupancy.
Rleturninig to the foyer to get mny bag
antd unpack It, I was startled by tihe
ringing of thte front doorbell.
I sprang eagerly to answer it. It
must he0 Miss Bradford. Probably site
had reconsidered and had decided to
take me into her confidence. Who
else could it be? There was no one
else whio knew I was In the apart
mlent. It titust 1)0 Miss Bradford
With an exclamuationl of wvelcome on
my lips8 I flung open thte door. A man
stood there-an uitter stranger. In my
disap~pointmentt I was almnost closing
the door in his face, but as If antici
pattitg my thought ho quickly advanced
one foot over tile sill and kept it there.
"Well," I demanded, almost savage
ly, "what do you want?"
"Oifi is you, Is it?" ho replied, eye
ing i vith what seemed to mue a
most Insolent stare.
"What do you mean?" I asked, be
wildered. Certainly I never had seen
this person before. Hie was short and
stocky, with sparse nondescript hair
and weak, shtifty blue eyes, Ills face
had an unhealnthy pallor, as If ito had
lived long away from the sunlight,
and was simken Ila as If f rota under
nourishment, yet the breadth of his
agtoulde(rs atnd his hugo rough hands
seemed to indicate physical strength
beyond the ordinary.
"You're Mr. Spalding Neisont, aren't
you?"
"That's my name," I answered
shortly.
"Mr. Gaston's-" Ie paused, as it
trying to recall the relationship.
"infr, Oaston's great-nephew,"
Continued on fourth pagn. this section.
________teilI \
Per
SpecialI ::Cent 1s u
S ALE
DRESSES AND SUITS
With the approach of the Easter season, we are pleased to an
nounce a special reduction of 1 p ccit. on a large assortment
of choicest spring merchandise, goods that every woman will need
and admire when she sees them. We do not expect that these
bargains will last long after they are once announced, so we sug
gest an immediate inspection before the supply is exhausted. We
name a few of them here, all marked in plain figures on our coun
ters and shelves.
TRICOTINE SUIT SERGE SUITS
Tricotine 'Suit, f'ancy silkc lined, butt~on anni (braid11 p;il 111]tl(, tlill(,,ra e
Irillilied, very dashingei; regiulai price $50.00, 15 per celt dis- lir i ' v is' y' I tilar pIvt $65.00,O.1 p I it discomt
vounilitI Easte g1evial :ifr Spea
$32.50 $55.25
No AI/l'EltATIONS. No \'Vi lOVS
Coibilation d s of printed ""ilk Foli'rdI and Gleor- ( lJa ilt ioa )ress I ('I0o' Setin. headed, em
get. e ; I wo side ininels f'orin11g t iun ie h-ck ;(G ot t te ' s'levve's
with Foulard Volds; belt and ne k trimimed with velvet rib- lt special, nly
bo l in contrastintg color. Price $45.00, 15 per c(tit disot)lit.
E.aster. Spec~(ial $76
$38.25 NO \l H L\PIONS.
NO A1/'lERATIONS.
Tall ( 'lifflii TI'vn J.1 t I j h d Elttt t'llett EI""ovt i ve
RiSsiani Bilouse Suit withii lated Skir. , h)em'lit iful m- ruffles m skirt. ri ii i -$2.0 15 p vent (isvoit.
broidery, silk lined. Prie $60.00, 15 per cint discoint Easter ' A L ster '41)evial
Special $76
$51.00 $27.6l
NO AILERA'TIONS. No__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Youth mdel )ress ot high (lity Ta of lt i an s i iii i o. terimibiie
frontI anid back, -inii ( nove l in, wth cuolored wooNl 11'oss. P rice ilt v 1) WiI 4 it I (Ir
$3l7.50, 1 5 por eeilt.I d 'iount, 1Eastr (I y neial1 'it '~ i ais Iik iis~it ei~t. Pc'c
$30.9~2$5).)0 atir5 e't 1 I Itdieiat
NO l' AI/ERATIONS. $25
Easter Footwear
Quite th ltett .nlOt its in Oxfords, IPmnp ~s lprs E s e
amd Isoots. Kerenchi heels, mliit ary heels, C uban heels, lowHo i r
heels. Ili n alys is ht t1a it ilei~ ult
Patent idl C'hocolate, C'ordovan, TJani, Mahloganiy, Whlite a vih'wtzr(i ~~)~(lltt'l
and dressI on I oshSiadlts,1 atilvaarteious t tpricesait
$3.00 to $13.75$10
Extra Specials in Easter Blouses 1ii1ts ilCilIloe$41alshthdkalszs
Georaigette C Ilouses, plhain and lace trcimmnied, wort-h $7.50)$1 5
Special $5.75 llt' ut'rroiiSlIloe ' )i i
Voile~ Wa\ist, whilte, beut ifu11l'rw-e t riniuineditIe qihiy tsli~ i 0 i
From $2.00 to $5.00 . 30
*Waisis amil Sport l'loiuses in wtide range of' style s anti colors 1~ale alc i1 oe Ir s tcia1( aeele'i.t es
From $7.5 toS$19G5 -S$2.0
CAS ON Yinare s, ionC DrC fGorthAvSHtn heaNdYm