Newspaper Page Text
What the Gray
House Hid
The Mystery of
a
Haunted
Mansion
Wyndham
tv
(
W.M U. SERVICE
by Wif«dW.rr. Me»-lpv
THE STORY
Hilton Hanby, prosperous New
York merchant, has purchased a
country place—the Gray house,
near Pine Plains. Miss Selenos,
a "ormer tenant of the Gray
house, calls at his office and
warns him that the house is un¬
der a curse. Further alarmjns
details are impressed upon'Adolf
Smunker, Hanby's secretary, by a
man who claims to have been
chauffeur for Sir Stanford Sey¬
mour, former occupant of the
place.. The Hanbys laugh off (he
warnings they have received both
from Miss Selenos and from
Sfmicker's acquaintance, as some
form of practical joke. But they
are shocked when they hear that,
'he caretaker whom they have
put in charge of the Gray house,
a man named Kerr, has been
mysteriously murdered tlanbv
consults his friend Pelham.
CHAPTER HI
—5—
At the real-estate offices of Doug
las & Smith, Pelham was referred tiv
Douglas, whom he knew, to a Mr.
Appleton,
"Appleton will tell you everything,"
said pouglas. "He has an amazing
metiiory for details, and a great rif
feetion for the Gray house. Come it>
to my office when you’re through.”
Frederick Appleton was a small,
plump man of sixty. He had a dis
tinguished conservatism in dress, a
florid complexion, and nine eyes
which looked more than usually large
owing to the thickness and power of
the lenses he wore. After a little
preliminary talk, Pelham judged him
to be one of those men in relatively
unimportant offices who bring to their
tasks :i certain not unpleasing pom
pousness.
"I lijive in this book,” said Mr. Ap¬
pleton! pointing to a ledger, "a com¬
plete record of the tenants and the
expenses of the Gray house for al¬
most thirty-five years. Here you will
find the cost of the upkeep of house,
grounds, and stables. In my head I
hard many facts concerning the peo¬
ple who have resided there, which
would he our of place in the books
of a strictly business firm.”
“I take it, then,” said Pelham,
‘‘that you have an unusual interest
In mankind?”
Sir. ,4|ltj»iefon’g shrewd but kindly
face “W'esbe .tnVped.
a great deal more In this
line . f work than you would suppose.
Oh, dear me. yes! Do I understand
that Sir Hanby desires information
about the place?”
"Yes, and Mr. Douglas said that
you could tell mi everything. He is
a close personal friend of Mr. Hanby.”
Mr. .Appleton's eyes grew a tittle
harder.
“So 1 inferred from the fact that
the sale was not made through me. I
knew that Mr. Hanby was interested
In the Gray house, but I admit being
staggered when Mr. Douglas made
the announcement that it was sold.”
It was clear to Pelham fhat the
other man was chagrined. No doubt
it was the allowable annoyance of
an old and trusted employee, who
having been consulted for so long. Is
suddenly left out of the firm’s confi
denee in the sale of a property.
"Not that I am criticizing Mr.
Douglas,” the other went on. “Ob.
dear me, no !” Bis manner was brisk
and cheerful again. “What can f do
for you, Mr. Pelham?”
“Did you ever know a Miss Sel¬
enos?”
“She occupied the Gray house for
three years. 1 remember her well.
Poor lady, she loathed and despised
men, partieaJarly your humble serv¬
ant. iVe had to evict her for non
payment' of rent. She had ample
warning, but we had to call the sheriff
in. May I ask how you know her?”
“She called on Mr. Hanby and
threatened him with all sorts of wild
vengeances if be did not sell the
place to her.”
There was no doubt about Mr. Ap¬
pleton s inlerest now.
"I can quite believe It,” he said
“I remember fhat when we put her
out she said fhat i should be dead
within the year. I may say that mv
good wife was very much relieved
when the twelvemonth had passed. I
hear that she lias at last inherited the
great Selenos fortune. They were
land-poor for many years.’
“You think she's not normal?”
“Insanity in the family.” said Mr
Appleton firmly. “The tilings she said
to me were most Indelicate, and could
only he explained' by madness of a
hereditary type.” The speaker hesi
fated for a moment. "1 suppose she
did not mentioD my name?”
“1 think not. I suppose you remem
bet Mr Seymour?”
“Now Sir Stanford Seymour. Ob
dear me, yes! t ventured to cull
upon him when in England two years
ago. The tragedy had left its mark
on Sir Stanford, but he was always
a reserved type.”
"What tragedy?”
“His two sons were drowned in the
lake.”
"Who was the previous tenant?"
“Mr. John Throckmorton. His wife
died at the Gray house. A lovely
woman 1 I went to the funeral. Very
sad- indeed. The take again."
"U seems to have been a house <>t
death.” Pelham commented. He did
not relish the idea of the Hanhy futu
tiy dotie. Inhabiting it as much as he had
"Who came after -Sir Stanford
Seymour?” - .
“He sublet it—subject to’ our Up
' proval, of course—to Mr. Crosby
Norton Mr. Norton tost his four
children.”
"In that same d—d lake?"
“1 regret to say yes," Mr. Apple
ton looked shrewdly at his vision
"Have you much influence with Mr.
Hilton Hanh.v?” ,
“1 am Ids closest friend.”
"Do you suppose that you could
'influence him to reconsider ids pur
chase?” Mr.. Appleton was' consider
/,! $
fm A
Mr. Appleton's Eyes Grew a Little
Harder.
ate and sympathetic. “1 am not a
believer In haunted houses. I try to
t>e skeptical In such matters, nut
there seems to be a strange fate
about the Gray house. If always
takes foil of the young and happy
Those Seymour children, for exam
pie—high-bred, strong, happy hoys
who could swim excellently; vet they
are. dead, and at Sir Stanford's death
his title goes to a distant cousin.
Then the Norton children, three girls
and. a boy—the lake got them, too
i tell myself it was a Coincidence.
Perhaps! Perhaps!” Bis manner
grew more confidential. "Tell me.
Mr. Poiha’iti, did,,.you ever hear such
a chain of'^Incidences as that?”
“It’s most disturbing news.” admit¬
ted Pelham. *
seems-to'me,” said the other
“that' if these unhappy facts were
duly brought to Mr. Hanby’s notice,
hh could not disregard them. No
doubt Miss Selenos’ manner anhoyed
him, and he disregarded tier story on
that account; yet”—Appleton tapped
the. big ledger—"the facts are all
do\yn here in rn.v own handwriting.”
“|’m afraid whatever I said would
make him all the more determined to
go. He is a skeptic, and opposition
niaiies h1fn ready to fight. I don’t
think anything would make him give
It up.”
“1 have done my duty, then,” said
Appleton briskly. “No doubt he is
right,, and these deaths were due to
lac-k' of care. I have here a letter,
with, estimate inclosed, from a Pine,
Plains carpenter, who agreed to put
the rustic bridge in order. That
Commerce Boomed by Methods of Counting
For ages even the most intelligent
men could count only to ten or
twenty, the number of their fingers
and toes. Then sticks and stone
counters were laid in rows to indi¬
cate and".compute numbers involved in
narter and trade. In the earliest civ¬
ilizations symbols were employed to
some ex'ent, then in Egypt they had
the happy thought of. drawing a pic¬
ture to'represent each quantity. Thus,
a frog, equaled 100.000 and a man
witn a'tns outstretched in admiration
•signified. 10,000.000. The Greek and
Roman systems of letters for nu
tjterafs were considered a great ad
vance, but only Hie most learned
could do any adding or subtracting
with them. The decimal system was
brought by an ambassador from India
into Arabia in 773 A. U., and Euro
CLEVELAND COURIER.
bridge, Mr. Pelham, crossed the lake
at its deepest part. The Seymour
boys were tishing from if, when It
gave way. I rather think the Norton
children were found near there, too.”
Appleton turned to tIre estimate.
“You see, Mr. Pelham, these trag¬
edies might have been averted if the
owner had seen fit to expend sixty
four dollars and eighteen cents. . It
was owing to my influence that the
lake was completely filled in. and the
stream feeding it was diverted to the
lower lake. Instead of five acres Of
water filled with stumps, which, made
fishing difficult. Mr. Hanby has now
a twenty-acre lake with good bass
and trout in ifinnd not a pickerel to
do damage. I have fished there ev
ery year, and I know. I wonder it
Mr. Hanhy would extend the eour
tesy to me?”
‘‘I'll answer for him," Said Pelham
“I'm a fisherman myself. Thank you
for what you’ve told me.”
“Well?” Douglas asked, a little lat¬
er. “Get what you wanted?”
“And more.” said Pelham. * “The
Gray house has a dismal atmosphere
about It, to my way of thinking. Ap
plefon seems to think that for less
than sixty-five dollars all those lives
might have been saved"
“I think he’s right." said the oth¬
er. “The old lake was within a few
yards of the house, and very deep.
It was too much of a temptation to
children. The hanks were steep, too.
as I recall them."
“Then you don't believe in the
curse theory?”
Douglas lighted a cigar before an
swering Pelham's question.
“In my ofliop. during business hours.
Hie idea seems silly: but sometimes,
when I can’t sleep at night. I’m not
so sure, t’ve Highland blood In my
veins, remember, and race memories
of haunted houses, and curses that
cjpscend. from generation to genera¬
tion Don't .ask me. Bill.”
“Yon give me Hie samp sort of
comfort that Appleton does He (ells
me what curdles my blood, and then
explains il all away by a carpenter's
estimate that missed the mark.”
* « * * * * *
It was not a very comfortable mo¬
tor trip for the llanhys. When Junior
drove, his father thanked God that
his will was made and his affairs
were In order. When llnnhy was at
tlie wheel, his son struggled hetween
ir feeling of pride that Ids prngenl
tor still had Ids nerve‘left, and a
fear that never signiti would he tread
the campus at New Haven.
“Corking road!” Junior commented,
when Pine Plains was in sight..
"Was it a road?” ids father de¬
manded "Pin relieved to know that.
I thought it was a race track."
"Where’s the Gray house?”
"We passed it on the last lap.”
"You might have pointed it out to
me." remarked young Hanhy.
"Why? I thought, as we went by.
that neither of us would ever have
the opportunity to Inhabit it.”
Junior laughed.
“This old bus can certainly clip
off the milestones!”
“Don’t boast. You only scratched
the one you hit.”
“It heats me.” Ids son remarked
philosophically, “why cows don’t
know their own minds 1 • didn’t
dream that beast was going to give
us a race.”
“Slow down. Junior!" his sire com¬
manded. “We’ve got io stand well
In this community.”
Hilton Hanby stepped from the car.
to be greeted by the local police chief
and an officer from Kingston.
“This is my son. Sherlock Gaboriau
Hanhy,” he said. “Is the inquest
over?”
“Yes,” said the local man. “1 wish
you’d been here before.”
“Any clew to the murderer?” Junior
asked.
“Not a one.”
Junior smiled. He knew exactly
how It would be.
“But there’s a mighty Interesting
development. This fellow Kerr
wasn’t Kerr at all. He had a whole
string of aliases. We finger-printed
him, and fitted the right name to
him. Your caretaker, Mr. Hanhy, !
was Bed Chapin, wanted for 'most
everything tip to murder.”
“That’s Interesting.” Hanby ex- ■
claimed. “A murderer murdered'”
He was not pleased to think that
such a man had been In his'employ,
although engaged by ari agent.
“Ilis references was stolen from
some Spanish war veteran named
Kerr. We’ll find out all about it
soon. Also he had Kerr's discharge
papers and a medal. Want to look
at him, sir?”
"Not on your life!" said Hanby,
who detested morbid tilings.
“I’d like to.” Junior suggested.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
pean countries got their numerals
from It proved Arabia popular in the right Twelfth century, and j
away
teachers of the new system were in
greet long demand. dammed Trade and industry j
so up by a lack of any i
simple method of keeping accounts or
doing husiness with persons at a dis- •
tance. sprang into life—and the Com i
mercial era was born. — Detroit
News.
Pit Pony’* Wisdom
in the did workings oi a Khnndda
Valley mine, in Wales, a pony hauling
its coal wagon suddenly dug his lieeit
in and refused to midge. While tin
miner with it was vainly trying 6
coax it to go on. a big piece of roe
fell with a crash in front of them-
Improved Uniterm International
Sunday School
T Lesson T
(By RflJV. P B F«TS5 Water. DO.. Herat
ber of Faculty. Moody Bible Institute
of CWrvv-ra »
((E). !i*i?<L Western Newspaper Union.)
Lesson for December 8
HELPING NEIGHBORS IN NEED
LESSON TEXT — Luke 10:25-37.
James 1:26, 37, 8:14-17; Matt. 25:31-11!
Golden text—T hou shait love tnv
neighbor as thyself
PRIMARY TOPIC—Being a Good
Neighbor.
JUNIOR TOPIC—Being a Good
Neighbor. »•
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP¬
IC— How lo Be a Good Neighbor.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP¬
IC—The Modern Good Samaritan: Who
Is He?
it Is difficult to discover a thread
of unity running through Hie texts se¬
lected by Hie lesson committee. The
teacher should choose between them,
making a study of the one best suited
to the needs of the class. If the use
of all the texts be desired, the teach¬
er will he under (lie necessity of se¬
lecting the verses from each unit
best suited to the needs ot the class.
I’erhaps the nearest approach to unity
of treatment of the texts in the light
of the lesson subject would he the
following:
I. Who Is My Neighbor? (Luke
10:29, 30).
The parable ot the Good Samaritan
makes clear who is a neighbor and
nlso what it means to be a neighbor.
This destitute and wounded man left
on the highway by the robbers, need¬
ed a neighbor. My neighbor there¬
fore, is the one who needs my help
whet her he lives next door or on Hie
other side of the world.
II. What Being a Neighbor Means
(Luke 10:31-37).
Our primary concern Is not—who
is tnv neighbor? but whose neighbor
am 1? Being a neighbor is:
1. To lie on Hie lookout for those
In need of help (v. 33).
2. To have Compassion on the needy
(v. 33).
Human need called forth Christ's
compassion. All wlm huve Ills spirit
will he likewise moved.
3. To give to those In need (v. 34)
This means not only to give money
but also to minister to Hie poor.
4. To bind up wounds (v. 34).
5. To set the helpless ones on our
beasts while we walk (v. 34).
C. To bring to the inn and lake care
of Hie unfortunate (v. 34).
7. Genuine love is not spasmodic,
but completes its service.
8. To give money (v. 35).
It costs much to fie a neighbor.
Love is the most expensive thing in
the world. It cost God IJis only Son ;
it cost Christ Fils life.
III. The Test ’ of Pure Religion
(James . 1 : 20 , 27).
1. The tongue Is bridled (v. ’20).
This means that those who have
experienced Christ will speak with
discretion.
2. Sympathizing with and helping
those in need (v. 27).
The widow and orphan are the
symbols of helplessness and need.
Those who have true pity will visit
such and render necessary aid.
3. Keep unspotted from Hie world
(V. 27).
The one who has truly experienced
the life from God will separate him
eelf from the world.
IV. Judgment of the Nations (Matt.
25:31-40).
It is difficult to see what bearing
this text has upon neighborly respon
sibllity as it Is a picture of the judg
merit which is to take place at the
end of this age.
1. The Judge <v. 31).
He is the Son of Man who died to
redeem the human race. He will
then be clothed with majesty and pow
er, occupying His throne us Judge.
2. The time tv. 31).
It will take place when the I.ord
comes In His glory, accompanied with
a retinue of glorious angels. It will
take "place after He has gathered the
elect remnant ot Israel.
.3. The place (v, 31).
From Zeehariab 14:1-5 we learn
that it will he In or near Jerusalem.
Since, according to Luke 1:31-33.
Christ is to sit upon the throne ot
llis fattier David, we conclude that
the place and the throne will be real
4. The people judged (vv. 32-45)
They will he the living nations upon
the earth afi’er the translation ot the
church (1 Thess. 4:10. 17). They
will be, people unto whom the gospel
of the kingdom shall be preached
(Matt. 24:14). Those who preach
'his gospel will be Jews (ltev 7 and
Romans 11). They will be the breth
ren of the Lord in the flesh.
5. The issue of the judgment (v
46).'
(1) The sheep, Israel, shall enter'
upon their inheritance of the prepared'
kingdom.
(2) The goats, rejecters of Christ
go Into everlasting tire prepared for
the devil and his angels.
A Glowing Service
There is no greater or more glow
ing.service iu tiie world tiian that ol
recovering ,ro.u the .human refuse
pile those who have been thrown
there by a worlds bitter condemns
lion, and giving to them that new hope
that will “turn them trom darkness to
light, and front the power of Satan
unto God.”
Beneath the Humblest Garb
Gentleness and a kind heart are oft
en found beneath the humblest garb.
Homeless Men Glad to
Find Stray Ducks’ Eggs
Any morning before the rush truffle
has begun you may see the homeless
ones who sleep on the London em¬
bankment walking slowly along, peer
trig over the parapet at the steps and
landings. They are looking for ducks’
'
YggS. .
I was walking past the air force
Car memorial (writes a correspond¬
ent) when I saw two ducks perched
on one of the steps just above high
water mark. Between them lay a
beautiful new-laid egg.
I climbed oter the low railing and
retrieved the egg;.' As I was clamber¬
ing hack it seedy looking embankment
habitue accosted me. "You’ve pinched
my breakfast, guv'mir,” he. complained.
I gave him the egg. and tie explained
that he had found a half dozen eggs
on the same steps during a fortnight.
—New York World.
Sailors in Small Boat
Menaced by Albatross
Haunted by.an albatross, a bird of
ill omen, and in danger of having their
boats smashed'by a huge whale, were
among Hie experiences of the crew o,
the Siltonhall, a British steamer that
caught fire recently hundreds of miles
from land in the South Indian ocean.
Soon after the cargo of coal caught
fire the decks became red hot and the
hatches were in flames. The crew
took to two small boats and for 44
hours were adrift in a gale, it was
during 1 his time-> that the albatross
constantly swooped down menacingly.
This story bears a remarkable simi¬
larity to the .incident in Coleridge’s
poem, “The Ancient Mariner,” in
which the albatross, an ominous bird,
lmunts a stricken ship.
Pulpit Jokes
The late Dr. John Roach Stratton,
unbending at .Greenwood lake, told a
reporter a number of pulpit jokes.
"Then there was a very nervous
preacher,” Doctor Stratton said, “who
gave out as his text one Sabbath,
‘Heaviness limy endure for a joy, bui
night cometli in the ..morning.’
“Another preacher had to preach
before a convention of medicos. He
was a joker, that man, and no mis¬
take. His text was, ‘A certain wom¬
an. had suffered many things of many
.physicians, and bad spent all that site
had, and was nothing better, hut
rather grew worse.’
“A terrible Scotch preacher offi
ttted at a notorious miser’s funeral.
This isn’t a joke, though. The Scotch¬
man took for-Hie text of Ids funeral
sermon* ‘And the beggar died.’ ’’
Premature Burials Fought
Fear of being buried alive has grown
to such an extent in Europe that the
Society for the Prevention of Prema¬
ture Death has been organized: II is
arousing public interest In Britain in
the building of a large mortuary, where
bodies lii'ay be kept until there can he
no doubt that-death has taken place.
It. will be conducted along the lines
of that in Munich, Germany, where
attached (o each body is a cord con¬
nected with a system of bells, which
ring at the slightest movement of the
body. Attendants are on duty day and
night, and if a bell rings, they dash
for a doctor. The new society has 11
tests of death.
Suspiciout
Suspicious Husband—Who called
this afternoon?
His Better Half—Only Aunt Sophie.
S. IL—Well, she left iter pipe.
Not Adapted to the Many
The chief drawback to living the
simple life is that so few people can
stand it.—Capper's Weekly.
So much new slang appears that
it is no wonder that siting lias to
have a whole dictionary.
m
1
■
If
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Mothers.. .Watch
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/COMMON head colds often “settle”’
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CHILDREN’S
MTl.n
Ilonllii diving
^ All Winter Long
Marvelous Climate — Good HolelB — Ttfuriflf
Camps—Splendid Roads—Gorgeous Mouttlsin
Views. The xc onderf ut desert resort of t tut
-|ggrg^ Wrtio Croo &. C hatfey
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Watchmaking Schools
France has three schools of watch
making which each year graduate front
of ale was 21(5 gallons. t
Kissing is dangerous; the result i 0
sometimes a wedding.
