CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
I stopped just inside the dining
room and looked at the tensely
listening group. There wasn’t even
the sound of a breath; all were in
tent upon Cary’s reading.
“—will be killed’.*’ He raised
his head and looked around the
circle.
Kaye at that moment glanced up
and caught my eye. She stretched
out her hand in a silently inviting
gesture, and noiselessly I tiptoed
across to her side.
“Read it again.” The harsh,
croaking voice startled me. Miss
Althea’s haggard eyes were fixed
on Cary’s face.
He laughed sneeringly. “See tne
way your name is spelled.” He
held the paper toward her.
Eagerly she grasped it and, hold
ing it within a few inches of her
nose, scanned what was on it.
"R,” she croaked. “Spelling my
name with an ‘r.’ Bah!” Reluctant
ly 6he relinquished the paper into
Cary’s outstretched hand and re
peated her first words.
“Read it again.’
“ ‘Unless you give your father’s
papers to Althear,' spelled with a
final ‘r’,” his voice was scornful,
“ ‘you will be killed .”
Again he raised his head and
looked around at each one.
“What does it mean?” gasped
Mrs. Gould.
Before Cary could answer her,
Miss Althea spoke again.
“Spelling my name 'that way!
Now. who would do that?” The
long, ciaw-like fingers came up
and caressed her skin f 'om which
bristled a few straggling '-.airs.
That sparse beard-like growth
on Miss Althea's yellow chin was
one of the things which so repulsed
me. She was always fingering and
twisting it.
“Sounds screwy to me.’’ Mark’s
voice was contemptuously sarcas
tic; his eyes met Cary's in mean
ing glance.
"Who would do such a thing and
why?” Janet’s soft tone was anx
ious.
“What are you going to do,
Cary?” Kaye voiced the question
which was on my lips.
“What would you do?” he coun
tered.
“Throw that thing in the fire and
carry on!” By the smile which en
circled his lips, her reply must
have pleased him.
“Consider it do—”
Miss Althea interrupted him.
Her voice rose to a shrill cry.
“You mind your own business,
missy. Do you want to see him
dead?’’ Her voice became inpera
tive. demanding:
“You’ll give them to me, won’t
you, Cary?” m
Fury was on his face, he glared
at her and his long, shapely fin
gers twitched as though they
longed to be around her scraggy
neck.
“I will not! I’ve started to go
through those papers and I’ll do ii
though the roof falls. As for you,
you’ve done everything you could
to thwart me; now, you’ll tell the
truth. Did you write that letter?”
His sudden attack seemed o
confuse her. Her mouh fell open,
with a faint plopping sound.
“No. I didn’t.” Her voice was
still high, shrill, but the ring of
truthfulness was in it.
“Who did?”
“I don’t know.”
Cary’s eyes studied her.
“Who do you think wrote it?”
“I’m not thinking, that’s not my
business. You’d better forget your
high-faluting notions and paes those
papers over to me. You'll be sorry
if you don’t.” The last words were
like the snarl of a wild beast.
"And I’d probably be sorrier if
I did. I'll keep the papers and I’ll
write that book if my life pays
for it.”
My heart sank. Such a letter
might not mean anything, but why
would anyone threaten to kill for
thosf old papers? I could think of
but one reason. There was some
thing in them which would seriouo
ly hurt the Essexes—otherwise why
would Proctor think it gave him a
hold on Kaye? What could that
something be? I believed that it
vitally concerned Miss Althea. Was’
she a whited sepulcher? Was she
striving to protect herself by lying,
stealing and threatening death?
And how, above everything else,
had she persuaded Horace Rand
to work with her? I thought she
was telling the truth when she
denied knowledge of the letter—
yet—Carry was going on:
“Your pal—the one who wrote
this latter—must be well educated
to spell your name with an r.'
Or is it a code signal to you?"
His sarcasm registered, for she
flinched. Badgered and flustered
by his scorn, she glanced at the
others. There wasn’t a sign of love
or respect on any face. His con
tempt was reflected on each one.
Her control suddenly snapped.
"I don’t know who wrote the
letter, and I’d kill him for spelling
my name that way, but he’s right.
You’ll never live to use the stuff
that’s in those papers. You give
them to me. Give them to me, i
say!”
Cary laughed at her, a jeering
laugh which incited her to greater
fury.
“The papers are mine and they’ll
stay mine. They’re nothing to do
with you, and if you make any
more trouble over them I’ll have
you arrested and put in an insane
asylum. That’s where you belong.
You know who wrote that letter.”
“I don’t,’ she screamed. “I
don’t.”
“You said him.’ How do you
know a woman didn’t do it? You
have no writing to go by.”
“Him or her, what does it mat
ter? It's the letter that counts.
You’re up against things you've
never dreamed or imagined. You
give me those papers.’
“Bah!’ Cary imitated her own
snort of disgust and turned away.
■We won’t get any sense out ol
her,” he said, in a voice plainly
audible to her straining ears.
‘‘Let’s eat.”
“Eat! You can eat when your
life depends on your doing what
that paper said! You’re a young
fool—”
Cary had reached the limit of
his endurance.
"If I go to grandfather with
this, he’ll have you out of this
house before noon. I want no more
threats or insults from you. From
now on you minr your own busi
ness, or—I’ll see that you do.” His
voice was menacing.
His sudden reversing the threats
■was too much. “I’ll eat no more
meals with simpletons I’m dc\e
with the lot of you; you’ll all be
sorry some day. When that day
comes, don’t come sniffling to me.”
She passed through the door and
Cary addressed Mrs. Gould.
"Aunt Beulah, I’m sorry if you
think I said too much. I realize
she is your sister, but I couldn’t
stand her another nj.inute.”
With a rueful smile, Mrs. Gould
crossed to Cary, laid her hand
carressingly on his arm and said:
"Threats seem to be the only
language she understands I think
you did right. I’m beginning to
agree with father. She certainly is
crazy to carry her obsession so
tar.
With that we gathered around
the table. I still didn’t believe that
Miss Althea was crazy. She was
a rabid termagant, there was no
doubt of that. To quell her, one
must use her own weapons, but it
wasn’t the light of insanity which
glittered in those black eyes.
While I had bg£n thinking, Mrs.
Gould summoned Jabez, who sul
lenly took his seat by the tabie
while Alice served us. When we
were all served, Cary gave his
aunt an appealing glance.
"Jabez, you and Alice may go
now. When I want you, I will
ring.’’
Did she think by sending the
Soviet Press Publishes
Reports of Bulgaria’s
Entrance Into the Axis
MOSCOW, March 2.—W—The So
viet press published without com
ment today brief reports of Bul
garia’s entry into the Axis. Two
Tass, official Soviet news agency,
dispatches from Berlin were print
ed. the first announcing the sign
ing at Vienna Saturday _and the
second giving the text of the pact.
These reports were followed with
news of British foreign secretary
Anthony Eden’s visit to Turkey.
The communique was published
announcing that Britain and Tur
key had studied the Balkan situa
tion and reached “perfectpccord.”
Sir Stafford Cripps, BrHsh am
bassador to Russia was under
stood to be flying back to Moscow
after participating in the discus
sions last week at Ankara. 5
Appointment of Labor
Commissions Advocated
NEW YORK, March 2.—(A1)—Ap
pointment by President Roosevelt of
new labor commissions to settle and
prevent defense production strikes
and lockouts was urged today by a
special committee of the Twentieth
Century Fund, an institute of re
search in economic problems endow
ed by the late Edward A. Filene, Gos
ton merchant. _
servants from the room that she
was preventing their overhearing
the discussion which followed?
Jabez would probably .t-keep Alice
from deliberately listening, but 1
was sure that every servant in the
house was aware of what had
taken place. Miss Althea’s voice
was high and shrill enough to be
heard all over the lower floor, and
Cary's last words to her were
spoken in anything but a soft voice.
Cary and Mark put their heads
together at one side of the table.
In a moment Cary passed a piece
of paper to Janet.
‘‘Look it over and pass it along.
I want each cf you to see it.” 5
.. To Be Continued)
THIS CURIOUS WORLD Ferguson *
SIR ISAAC 1
NEWTON
IS BEST
KNOWN FOR HIS
DISCOVERY
OF THE LAW OF
G/ZAV/TAT/ON,
BUT HE
MADE TWO
OTF/e/Z &REAT
SCIENTIFIC
DISCOVERIES,
EITHER OF
WHICH WOULD
HAVE SATISFIED
MOST MEN AS
THEIR LIFE
CONTRIBUTION
TO THE HISTORY
OF SCIENTIFIC
THOUGHT/
HE DISCOVER
ED THE
k C0A4P0S/T70N
) OF L/GF/F,
! AND THE
O/FFfFSVT/AL
CALCULUS,
A METHOD
Iv OF COMPU
1\ TATION.
COPR. 1941 BY NEA SERVICE. INC.
>0\/HAT IS THE MEANING OF ,
I A/7Z^’/<r/<‘//ErK3>, <5j£S7&/Oc>,
< AOJ-=V"UV5A/«=>=3=-^3
I
ALASKA
HAS A POPULATION!
OF ONLY 60,000...'
AND ITS WH'/rjS,
V-tAZ-/= A/A77V&-.
ANSWER: Blitzkrieg, lightning war; Gestapo. German secret police;
luftwaffe, air force.
DAILY CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1. Fabulous
bird
4. Jewel
7. Fuss
8. Girl’s name
9. Peel
10. Seize with
teeth
12. Odor
13. Topic
15. Cushion
16. Twilled
fabric
19. Exclama
tion
20. Land
measure
21. Native of
Galicia
24. Annoy
25. Cavity
26. Harass
29. Penalizes
30. Send forth
31. Gain
32. A painter
(poss.)
34. Jewish month
36. Ounce (abbr.)
37. Establish
38. Friar’s title
39. Inquisitive
42. Era
44. Require
46. Wealthy
47. Swiss river
48. Outcast class
of Japan
49. Attempt
50. Split pulse
DOWN
1. Scraped
together
2. Norse
war god
3. Opposite
4. Chatter
5. Prepare for
publication
1 6. Marine officer
9. Cicatrix
11. Breathe out
12. Resort
14. Strengthens
17. Antlered
animal
18. Jumbled
type
21. Circum
ference
22. Part of
face (pi.)
23. Electrified
particle
26. Wading
bird
27. South
American
river
28. Tear
29. Percolated
31. Tiny
33. Like
34. Chief
(prefix)
35. Exclama
tion
38. Pertaining
to a focus
40. Chair
41. Period of
time
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc. 3‘3 d
Saturday’* Anawer
43. Fiber used
for cordage
45. Arid
OUT OUR WAY-: By J. R. Wflliams
Jk
/ STAND UP THERE \
AND I’LL PUJT YOU \
THRU TH’ MANUAL '
OF ARMS ...'SEE
HOW MUCH YOU’VE
LEARNED JN THAT
COMPANY-#STAND
\ UP THERE ....
V HATTENTION.'
NOT on your life/ our \
CAPTAIN MADE MA A \
CORPORAL TO SEE THAT \
X DID KITCHEN POLICE I
AN’ ATTEND CALLS — j
AND ONE CORPORAL /
IN A ONE-BUCK-PRIVATE /
HOME IS ENOUGH/
M.- -^
INC.
V. T. M. REG. U. S. PAT. OFF.
PRIVATE WITH NO PRIVACY
cr.R.w.LiiftMs,
OUR BOARDING HOUSE . . . with .., Major Hoopfe
H M! LET ME SEE — 35 CENTS WOULD j
^ 8E A FAIR PRICE FOR THE PRODUCT/ J
f■—100,000 TIMES 35 CENTS EQUALS f
( #35,000 — SUBTRACT OUR COST OF J?
^ 10 CENTS EACH— HAR-RUMPH/—■ ^
f A TiDV SUM / — 8 OUNCES INTO ATOM
/ goes 4,000 Times/— and #25 tons .
( EQUALS 100,000 UNITS/—TONE/nf
^p—^\THlS IS STAGGERlNG/a^j
sounds Like'S
TUE OLD BOV/
'was flying/
• blind in a
FOG AND jS
\ GOT OFF Si
\TWE BEAM/M
iT0NA.0B,R0W~u5i7^
Be telling us J
'WE COULD Uftvpl
WON TUE NOD An
WATERLOO, BDli
that was a Suwow
ER5LEPTI
A?'U
/AAwav '’TTTi
UP IN THE —
BUCKS-AND
JKE CLOUDS/
LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE _
WASH TUBBS A Chance For Amends ~~ By Roy Crane
iVl DR. DOWIS, A PROFOUND ADMIRER f VOU ARE PERHAPS THE Y REALLY —^ I UNDERSTAND PERFECTLY, DR. BASSILA. WHILE / NOW, HERE'S THE SITUATION.VrYES,S:5!
VOURS, DR. BASSILA. FOLLOWED VOUR GREATEST AUTHORITY ON AH - YOU YOU'VE ATTAINED CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS IN / THE CONDITION OF MY PATIENT/ IAMM3V
RESEARCH WORK IN THE MEDICAL MALTA FEVER. SEVERAL PLACE ME TREATING ANIMALS, YOU HAVEN'T DARED TO I IS SO CRITICAL THAT HE'S FA?Py to
JOURNALS FOR YEARS. OF MY PATIENTS HAVE IT. IN A MOS1 . TRY YOUR METHODS ON HUMAN BEINGS )— l WILLING AND ANXIOUS TO kfiOPRATE!
ATTENDED THE NATIONAL EMBARRASS' s-——-—t AS VET «n—:- \ UNDERGO ANY EXPERIMENTj
DEFENSE BANQUET, YOU / M6 SITUATION \ THAT HAS EVEN ONE
KNOW. ONE OF THEM r \lN 50 OF SUCCESS / /
IS- WELL, YOU'RE THE HUM -7.—
ONU/pEas\
. 3-1 ^ *coreTi94i by nea service', Wc T/i^rIcT! s.'pat. off. SjilBI^BBSB 3-' i,i._J
A* ■" --‘ ' " “"
GASOLINE ALLEY
THE GUMPS -
BKICK BRAFORD By William Ritt and ClarenTe toT