Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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/ ? -'"lflHBI | (Continued from last week) i * 8YNOPSI8 CHAPTER I.?Answering an advertise. Slant calling for a young man willing to engage tn service of vr vav, uma JUOi roiui iicu **""? Franca, where he had bean captain of engineers. meets Natalia coolldge, writer of the advertisement, and without being Instructed as to his probable duties. Is engaged by hor, and that same evening introduced to her. friends as her fiance. CHAPTER n.?'fhat night. In the CoStIdge home. West Is startled by the appear* ance In his room of a young woman, whom he takes to be Natalie, but who escapes berore he can be sure. Next morning Natalie tells West she has been troubled by some woman, apparently her double, who has been impersonating her. CHAPTER III.?Perclval Coolldge, Notalle's uncle and guardian, apparently Is disgruntled by West's appearance as Natalie's fiance, and the feeling of antagonism Is mutual. Natalie, Coolldge. and West plan a visit of charity to a poor and remote section of the city. CHAPTER IF.?Leaving West In the car, Natalie and Coolldge enter a small cottage, remaining a length of time which causes him some uneasiness. Before they return. West secures Information which leads him to believe Coolldge Is deceiving Natalie, and hae ulterior motives. CHAPTER V d?n Unexpected Dismissal. The shades had been drawn cloRely ! exclude the sun, and, for a moment after he first crossed the threshold o' the library, West wos unuhle to dls uiigiiisii any occupant. Me nenra sex- I ton silently close the door behind him, ' but It was not until she moved slightly , that he was ublb to perceive her presence directly across from where he stood. Her voice broke the silence. "You will find a seat next to the window, Cnptuln," she said quietly. "It was very good of you to come." "The pleasure was mine," he replied. "You wished to speuk with iue, the servant said." "Yes." She leaned back against the couch on which she rested, with face now clearly revealed, one-hand nervously twirling a fan. "This Is a very strange situation In which we find ourselves, Captain West." "I have felt so," he admitted, surprised at this beginning. "Yet I must iriRH "What Do You Moan by i natr' ' confess, I am now becoming quite reconciled." Slie sat up suddenly, with eyeo aeurchtfig his fuce. "What do you mean by that?" "Perhaps I ought not to say," he answered holdly. "Yet circumstances seemingly Justify frankness between us. I mean that I feel far more deeply Interested In the final outcome of this uffulr today than I did yesterday ?-It means more to me." "Indeed! Why?" "Largely, I Imagine, because I sip privileged to ktiow you much better. That naturally makes a difference." "I?oea It indeed? You Imply then an Increased Interest In myself as an Individual brings with U a greater desire to serve me?" "Assuredly, yes." "Then you render my task doubly hard," she said soberly, yet with a certain hardness In the tone. "I had not suspected any personal side whatever. You were a total stranger to me, Captain West, and I employed you In this matter merely In a business way. as?as?a detective. Surely you understand thls^cleerlyf "In a measure that Is quite true," feeling the sharp stlng of her words. "Yet the comparison Is hardly fair, Is It? I am not a detective In the sense with which you employ the term. You knew I was not serving you for pay." j -Did IT' | "I should hope you did,** his voice hardening slightly. t "Kut for what other end did you volunteer your services?" "Perhaps that la not so easily explained. It was a spirit of adventure which first led me to answer your advertisement, I presume. At least, I can give It no other name. Then, when we met, you appealed to me personally; I felt a desire to further our Acquaintance and ? well, your story aroused my Interest. "Is that alir "It might have been had not you chosen methods of procedure which led ooe U> other thoughts." rjHV ^WE E r V m T+ M k? ^/bft CDPYRKJMT 1922 by ^HH^ALFPE0A.KNOPF ML as my nance. Why, that Is positively funny. Didn't you know that was umy a puri or ine game Deing played?"! "Yes," he said, Ignoring the humor | of It, and feeling oddly sober, "I understood, and was playing^ the Kami as you. Only both of us, I think, fon get an important fact." "What, please?" "That we were young, socially on a level, and that you were an exceedingly charming young woman." She laughed again, yet this time wttb more restrain^. 'That Is quite ridiculous, Cuptala West. Surely, you are not actuall? making love to me?" "No, I am not. I am merely facing the situation very frankly. It would be useless for ine to claim Inck of Interest in you.. From our very first meeting you have uppeuted to nit strongly?more so than any other woman of my acquaintance. I confess ] care for you?as a woman." "Really you are quite flattering. | never dreamed I possessed such mar. velous powers." She remained sllenl a moment, i her eyes shaded by theli long lashes; then uplifted them agali to his face. 'This makes it all tip more necessary that I now speak plain J, mic oeiii uii ui leugin, "inat " should explain to you it has all beet a mistake. That was why I asked yoi to come here now." "All a mistake! Not the troublyou weee In, surely?" "Yes. I in out have dreamed idoet et It, T think. I have just had a long, confidential talk with I^rclval CoolIdge, and we understood each other perfectly. Everything Jias been explained. So there la no necessity for our pretending any longer." West rose to his feet, comprehend Ing her full meaning, yet unwilling to yield his position without further explanation. "Your words are certainly plain enough," he said slowly, "yet I trust I may be pardoned If 1 nsk a question or so. Do you mean the mystery is already solved wHlJWit my further assistance?" "I am convinced there was no myaiery , iliftt. it was .only Imagination, J Captain West. Mr enlllntr von was a : mistake." "There Is no one impersonating you ?" "No." "The cheeks at the hank r the strange person using your name; all these were myths7" She laughed. "Of course. I really believed nil I said to you at the time, but everything has been explained since, and I realize how very foolish I have neen." i "You sent for me, then, merely to say I was dismissed?" "Yes." "And you told Coolldge, of course; how I came to be here?" i "Yes." i "And the others? What will they think?" "Why, that can make no difference. ' Let them suppose we had a quarrel, ' and thnt our engagement Is broke#," and she laughed again, evidently vastly amused at the Idea. "But you, personally?" he Insisted. She sobered Instantly, also rising, kl 1 ????ik e ** j "Captain West, let us he sensible. I j Invited you here for a certain purpose. You were employed as much as any of my other servants. Is that a sufficient answer?" "It certainly Is. I will depart at once." "Thank you. The limousine will he at the door. You will return to the club, I presume?" "Temporarily, until other arrangements are made." He bowed and left her standing there in the shadows, the expression of her face veiled, but there seemed no response, no softening in the rigid attitude of her figure. She did not care; was only Interested in his Immediate departure. The change hud occurred with such abruptness. West was unable us yet to realize its full significance, but, with no attempt to combat her decision, left the room, closing the door behind him. i c.n vi | _ I The Body of Suicide. As the car whirled West down the circling driveway, the only sign of life visible about the house was the motionless figure of Sexton on the stepsu If either Miss Natalie, or Percival Coolldge, took Interest enough In the proceedings to witness his departure, tliey chose to remain carefully concealed within. There was no pretense even at speeding the parting guest. He had Simply been dismissed, turned out, decently enough, perhaps, considering his status, yet with a certain measure of contempt which rankled nevertheless. The young mnn could not altogether reconcile this style of treatment with his preconceived conception of Miss Natalie Ooolldge. lie had been too deeply Impressed by her to easily relinquish his previously formed opinion of her elmrncter. This latest action did not at all coincide with her former open friendliness. He had not gone to her as a servant, nor had she In any wny treated him an such. What could account for so remarkable a dval Coolld<ei. This Explanation seemed probable. The man had In some wyj retained her confidence; and then, through trickery, had sue* ceeded in poisoning her mind. From the very first Coolldge had disliked him Instinctively, and made do effort to conceal his feelings; he resented the Intlnincy between him and Natalte, naturally euough, and would use every means possible to get the younger, mau completely out of the house. No doubt he looked upon him as dangeeous. But why T There could only be one answer to this query. His own dishonesty; his secret knowledge of some trickery relative to-the funds of the estate. He had convinced the girl of his honesty, but. more than ever, West believed the rello'w a rascal. These thoughts flitted through his mind, yet not consecutively, as the car left the grounds, and turned on to the main i?nn#l ??1 ? ? i .1 ? icoutu( tiiji nmun. i iiey were still skirting the Ooolldge estate, although the house behind was con* cealed by shrubbery. Suddenly, Just as they cleared the bridge, and began to mount the opposite grade, there came a sharp report, sounding *6close ' at hand the chauffeur clamped on his brake, and glanced anxiously over the side of the car. "Blow-out, wasn't It, sir?" "No," said West shortly, staring him* self out Into the -thicket of trees at their left. "It was a shot flred over there; a revolver I should say.. Wnlt a second, Sanders, until I see what has happened." It was largely curiosity which led him to leave the car. The sound of either a rifle or a shotgun In that lone* i iy spot would have been Instantly dismissed as natural enough, but a pistol was different. That was no place foi such a weapon. -It somehow had ' .grimly sinister sound. Determined to learn exactly what had happened, West pressed his pas ougu wrwvru urougn cne vines or ^oe i fence, and emerged Into the field beI yond. A half dozen yards and he found the clover trampled, as though a man had passed that way. The trail led Into a shallow depression, past a rather large boulder, near which the trampling of the grass was even more plainly revealed, as though the stranger had remained hare for some time, had even seated himself, and then, abruptly ended a few yards away. Evidently the fellow had turned hack *t this point and retraced his stepa West, now thoroughly puzzled und (already convinced that some mystery hovered over the place, began to circle through the untrampled clover, but . without any defined purpose. All at once, at the lower end of the gully he came, unexpectedly, upon another trail, this one well marked, apparently frequently used, which led strnlffht across the field and terminal. ed nt a small pate leading through the* wire fence. Evidently here was a short cut to the road, well known to the servants on the estate, and possibly others. The discovery, however, told nothing further than this, and contenting himself with another glance about the unchanged held of rustling clover, West proceeded along the course of the path, Intending to thus rejoin the automobile, waiting his return behind the trees. Within a few steps of the gate, which was closed, he came to a sudden, horrified pause, staring ahead at a strange something huddled in the path. It was a shapeless thing, bearing no resemblance to a human being, until he advanced closer; then he reeog.nlzed the form of a man, curled up as r dog sleeps, face down, hidden by his arm, and llinha drawn up, as If In a sudden spasm of agony. A hat was In the path beyond, where it hud fallen, and a revolver lay glittering In the sunlight a few fe?t away. There was nothing familiar about either figure or clothing, yet unquestionably there lay the body of a suicide. The single sliot they had heard, the tell-tale revolver close to the dead man's hnhd, w?re clear e>fldence of whut had occurred. The unexpectedness of this discovery, the peculiar position of the dead man, the loneliness of that deserted field tffc which he lay, shocked West' and, tife a moment left him stranjteiy hesitant Who waa the inan? What Who Was the Man? could have led up to the pitiful tragedy? Yet he advanced step by step ! nearer to the hideous/ object in tha I path. The man had been shot directly behind the tight ear, killed Inatantly, no doubt, as the deadly bullet crashed j through the brain. West lifted the ann which concealed the face, already shrinking from the suspicion whlct j had began to asaull him. Then he i j knew who the dead man was?Pereival , j Coolidge. I West stood guard beside the body ' until servants came and bore It to the ' house, but made no effort to follow. Instead he gave his address to Sexton, and continued his journey Into the city. After what had passed between them be had no desire to again eo from meeting her. Just what thl man's death might mean to the glr he coold not safely conjecture, ye deep down In his own heart, he fel convinced tliat this net of self-df struction would later prove to be i confession of guilt. Yet, be that as I ' may, he was already definitely rule out of the matter. Not unless sh personally sent for him could he eve venture to go to her again In uny ca paclty. To his mind this decision wa final. He was called for the Inquest an gave his testimony. The hearing wa brief, and the facts ascertained a , clear there remained no doubt in th minds of any one but what this wa a case of suicide. No particular at tempt was made to probe Into th cause, the personal affairs of the dea man being left for later lnvestlgatloi West saw Natalie at the Inquest fo the very few moments she was upoi the stand, but {heir eyes did not meet nor did the girl give any evidence a recognition. Somehow the Itnpresslo) the young woman loft upon him lj those few moments was not a plensnn one. He could not clearly analyse thl result, yet she was either acting part to conceal her true emotions, or else she was really Indifferent. It was not until the Collowtog day that reason begun to reussert Itself, and he succeeded In marshallug the facts of tlie case more clearly In his own mind. I He even began to doubt and question his own testimony, yet, before he reached any real conclusion, one of the club servunts approached his chair. "Cnntnln" West th orn la a man rata# here asking to see you." "A man! Where?" "I had him wait In the anteroom, air." "Very well, Mapes." It was Sexton, twirling his hat nervously In his hands, and still standing Irresolutely In the middle of the floor. As sight of West he took a hasty step forward, eager to explain the cause of his presence. "You'll pardon me. sir," he burst forth In apology, "But I must see you, sir." "That's quite all right. Sexton. Let's Step In here whore we cun talk quietly." He pointed the way Into a private cord room, closing the floor behind his visitor. "Take the seat over there. Sexton. You came In to see me frond Fairlawn?" "No, sir, I didn't. The fact Is, I'm not out there any lonper." "Not there! What do you mean?" "I've been dlsehnrged, sir, with two other servants, since the funeral yesterday." "Dlsehurped! Ry whom? Not Miss Natalie, surely?" "Yes, sir. She didn't jdve no reason; Just said we were not wanted any longer. That's one reason why I came here to see you. sir." "But I hardly know how I eon be of help. I have no house of my own, and ?well, the truth of the mntter Is, Sexton, Just at present I uin not on very good terms with the young lady myself." "I know that, sir," ?M>rg_ confidently, "and It Isn't a position I am seeking, at all. I have quite a tidy bit of money laid uwuy, nn<1 could get plenty of work. That's not the point, "sir. Why should Miss Natalie tell me to go like that? It isn't a hit like her. fdr; she ain't seemed natural at all lately, and I tell you there's something wrong goin* on out there. I'm sure ' that, air." "Sure of whnt?" "\WpI1, for one thine. It's my opinion thnt I'erclval Cool I <lee never killed himself, sir." West snt uj> stiffly, ns thoneh struck a blow. These words startled him; drove his own mind Into sudden activity. "Whnt makes you think that, Sexton?" he questioned slowly. "Well, there's more than one thine." ns though glnd to huve made the plunge, and anxious to justify himself, "But first of all that wasn't his revolver they found lying beside him. He always had one In his valise, an' It's thcro now, or was when I looked f?i see." "You didn't tell thnt to the coroner." "No, sir; he never put me on the tnrwt RoaldoB T didn't Itnnu- nhonl It then. Did you notice where he wns shot, Rlr?" "Rehlnd the right enr; the wound was plainly visible." "Not very ensy for a mnn to do himself, sir." "No, but possible, nevertheless. Th( coroner was satisfied on that point." "Yes, sir, but the coroner overlooked one thing, sir. He was sure It wns ? suicide case, nnd wnnted to get dorn with It In a hurry. I nnd Simmons sir, wnshed the body to get It rend3 for hurtnl, nn' I combed the hair dowr tlwk Hi 111 at U'Ai i rwl Thorn iirnun'i no powder murkH on the skin, an' no' a hair was singed, sir. That's whs' makes me say he never killed himself.' West sat silent and motionless, look Ing straight at the man opposite, en deavorlng to decide on a course of ac tlon. Some way In the depth of hli earnestness. Sexton no longer nppeare* a servant. He was a man. voicing i man's heart. West realized the changi Instinctively; here was an Intelligen loyal fellow, to he met frankly, am or the time being, nt least, on th ground of equality. It would he use less to try to either mislead, or de eelve. "Sexton," he began Anally, "this 1 a pretty serious charge you mnke, m; man. hut since I have been thinklni things over, I confess some suspicion circumstances have arisen In my owi mind. Of course I was not aware o thcdo mil hnvo liwt ralotnrt Hn they fit In nicely with some observe tlons of my own. The troth In." h confessed frankly. "I did not tell al I knew to the coroner's Jury. I mean to do so, but the right questions wer not asked me, and certain detail slipped my memory until too late. D you recall a boulder of rock out I that clover field?" "Yes, sir, to the right of the path it Is mostly hidden now by th I growth." ' "Entirely concealed, ^ few yard _ I I I ! 1HSj^ .The package Your taste o The sales pr< Over ^ billioi I < I i V [ I I I I % / Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co. had advanced Into the field severu rods when I came upon the trail o some one leading directly north. I was not a path; merely evidence tha a single person had passed that way ' I followed, and came to this boulder Here there was every proof vlslbli that the previous party had remalnefor some time, seated and lying on th ground under nroteetlon of *???? The occupancy was n recent on| Then evidently, whoever It was, ha au<au<.?s iu iue rigiu in me goners direction of the ,rnte through tbf fence, near where Ouolldge's hody was found. The marks of advance ended I on a little rise, some ten yarde from , the boulder, where the fellow appar- ( | oiiiiy luiueu iuuiit uTiw retraced his steps." "How far was that from the gate ' Into the road, sir?" Sexton usked breathlessly. I "Within easy shooting distance for a revolver of that calibre^ I should say. 1, Any Rood marksman could have rung ! the bell." I "And you saw no one?" 1 : | "No; not u sign; the fact Is I failed at the time to put two and two to- 1 gether. The thought of a possible murder never occurred to me." i "You think It was murder then, I sir?" "Yes, I do," replied West gravely. "It has all the marks, but who committed the crime? What was the motive? It will never do for us to make such n charge, after the coroner's . verdict, without positive proof." I "No, sir." I 1 "And you know of nothing which , might clear this up?" "No, sir; I've been with the ' Ooolldges. sir. aver since Miss Nutnlle "You Think It Wat Murder, Then, 81 r?" i was a little girl, and I ain't heard of any trouble that ought to end In mnrI der, air." I "How old was Mlas Ooolldge when j her father died?" I "She must have been aeventeeu, I air." c "And alnee then Perelval Coolldge I hat! /nil / linetTA r\t 1 I "Practically, yes, sir; there wan ant other trustee, hut he died ; and then. < as I understand. Miss Natalie had I! some funds of her own." t West took a cigar from his i>oeket, 4 and lit It. Although not altogether i clear In his own mind, ha had begun I 4 to see light. t | CHAPTER VII 4 Against a Stone Wall. | Was this discovery anything to html I, What difference could It make whethI v Perclval Ooolldge had died by hla A ' suggests it. on firms it. i sold ester CIGAREl N'atalle Coolidge to Iiuve the truth revealed? And. If It would benefit her, why should he devote his time and labor to such nn effort? She had cast hlro off. thrown him nslde; her affairs had no further Interest for hlin. Let her lawyer take rare of them. These were West's first thoughts. All true, yet this state of mind brought no satisfaction. He was Interested; he could not escape his first impressions of the girl, or drive from hlni a desire to serve her, whether she wished it. or not. She might, indeed, 'he in equal danger from an assassin. He could not determine this until he learned the cause of the slaying of Perclval. Then, on the other hand, suppose some one else's suspicions were also aroused. Who woidd they naturally look to as guilty of this horrible crime? There was but one answer?Natalie Coolldge. She was seemingly the only person to directly benefit by his death. All these considerations urged hint on, overcame his doubt and Indecision. Then he desired to learn the truth himself. His eyes rested on Sexton's anxious face. "I've been thinking it over," he admitted quietly, "and I guess it is up to you and me to find out what this means." "Yes, sir," hesitatingly. "You?you don't think it was Miss Natalie, sir?" "No, I do not, Sexton. I have my own reasons for saying that. Yet naturally she is the one to he first suspected. I>o you know anything?" "Only that I am sure she was in the K>tmen, sir, wnen the shot Was tired. I saw her there Just after you drove away." "That Is conclusive then, so far as, her personal actions ure concerned." "Where was It the three of you went on Sunday in the runabout, Captain West?" tusked Sexton. "To a house over in the factory district; some charity case that Ooolfdge was Interested In?the widow of one of his employees, I believe. "I>Id you see the people?" "No, I didn't ko In; waited outside In the car; It was no affulr of mine.J Why?" he asked In surprise. "Because, sir, Miss Natalie seemed like a different person when she Kot hack. Not In looks, or nothing like that, f don't mean, hut An the way she talked and acted. Nothing suited her hI 1 the rest of the day. You' know how she waa to you, sir. Well Me was just thut snappy witb all of us, even after we brought the body I buck to the house. And she wouldn't look at him, sir, not even after be wus dressed proper and laid out." i "I hardly believe," suid West j thoughtfully, "you can attribute her ( state of mind to anything that oc- ; curred on that trip. Indeed she was In high spirits all the way home." "I can't help that, sir," Sexton In- j sisted blindly. "It was something thut > happened yesterday whot set her j wrong, an' If I was you, sir, I'd lind out whut happened In thut house ttrst of all. Could you find the place?" "Yes, I think so. I'll look It up, although 1 don't have much faith In your theory." He glanced at his watch. "I'll <r<> nil# Ihfiru n<nu Vnii . />.?? ......I. I... ? . m . ....... . vyu vvmr Hl-ir ; about Ave, am) we will talk over any discoveries I tuay make." "And wliut shall I do, sir?" Both were standing, West with hand on the knob of the d< >r. The light In his eyes hardened. "Nothing occurs to pie now, Sexton, unless you can find an excuse to return | to Kaivlawn, ufter something you have forgotten, let us suy. If we can learn what Miss Natnlie proposes doing It might furnish a clue." "Very well, sir, and I am to be here at live o'clock?" "Yt'8< at live; I will leuve word with I the doormun to show you In tit once." We?t picked up n tnxl-cab for the trip, bidding tlie chauffeur to drive to a certain: section of the city, and then up and down the various atreeta unI til told1 to atop. His conversation with I Sexton 1 had greatly strengthened ids n 1 1 I I i i ' i > 1 ,v pork nam ^ ?glassine-turapped. field i TES the truth If possible. Yet, thus tor there was nothing to build nnnn i?o clue, no motive, no suspicion as to who had perpetrated the deed. He simply faced a blank wall, In which no entrance was apparent, yet there mast be one. If lie was only fortunate enough to stumble upon It. Deep down In Ills heart West was conscious that he possessed a motive In this search far more worthy than mere curiosity. That motive was Natalie Coolldge. He smiled ut the thought, yet confessed It true. In spite of her curt dismissal, his memory of the girl centered about those earlier hours of -their acquaintance. Something mysterious had occurred to make her change so quickly, and he was unwilling to condemn her before ionrililii? llix runl ?mnn Tlie chauffeur drove slowly up and down obscure streets for half an hour before West recognized familiar surroundings, and motioned for htm to draw up against the curb. He had discovered the place sought, but from the street it exhibited no signs of occupancy, nor did any knocking at the front door bring response fronp within. He circled the building. Every door wns locked, but, as he pnssed along tho other side to regnln the taxi, a man emerged from the next house, and hailed him. "Say. what're yer epoopln' round there for? Lookln' for somebody?" "Yes, the parties who were here Sunday. NVhat's become of them?" "Ilohart, y<ni mean?" "Is that his name? I met him downtown, and ho told me to come here," West explained rapidly. "We had a deal on." "< >h, yer did, hey," leaning his arms on the fence. "Well. Jim Ilohart was tho name ho glv' me. That's my house, which Is why I happen to know what his name was. Something queer about that fellar, I reckon, hut 'tuln't nono o* my business. You ain't a detective. or nothin' like that, are yer?" "Nothing ut all like that," West laughed, although 'interested. "Why? Did yon think the police might be after him?" "Not for enythfng I know about, only he skipped out mighty sudden. Paid nie u month's rent, and only stayed there three days. That looks sorter queer. Then Sunday that fellar what committed suicide out south?I read about It In the papers?caiue to see him In a car. I got a boy workln' in his t'uctory. that's how I come to know who the guy was. The next night Hobart, an' them with him, just naturally skipped out." "Who did he have with him hero?a family?" "A woman 'bout bis age, I should say, an' a younger one. 1 didn't see 'em only from the window; didn't pet no sight o' the pill's fare at all, hut could tell the way she walked she was young. They didn't have uothln* with 'em; that's nil m> stuff In the house there." Keeling the uselossness of trying to learn anything more, West thanked him. and returned to the taxi. "Hack to the club," he ordered briefly. and settled lute his scat to think. The information thus gained had been small enough, yet sufficient to stimulate his belief that he was at least upon the right trail. The sudden departure of this man Hohart, and the fact that no youiyr children were In the family, wcrr Important Items to consider. fVmljdge, thou, lind not visited this cottage to Bid a widow and orphans. Thore lind boon soma othor object in his < all. The girl must have known and understood the real purpose; that was why they both acquiesced so readily to Ids remaining outside In the ear. It whs part of their mutual plan to thus leave him in ignorance. Yet they hud made a mistake in taking him nlong at all. This error alone gave him now an opportunity to unravel the riddle. Rut did ft? What did he know? Merely that Coolidge had not gone to tills house on an errand of charity; that the occupant called hlraaelf, tern