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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1930-02-27, Page 3eull THE STORY SO FAR lU- THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1930 by ^Standing side by side on the quay at Folkstone harbour stood Hugh Drummond and Peter Darrell wav­ ing good-bye 'to their wives who were passengers on the “Maid of ■Orleans” liich was slowly pull­ ing away from the pier, The men returned to the hotel to discuss a previously arranged meeting. Hugh Drummond’s home is situated near Romney Marsh where Granger, a eccentric recluse, was his nearest » neighbor. One night .as Drum- . anond was sitting at the window, smoking a last cigarette before re- . firing,’ he saw a series of red and blue 'flashes coming from the di- • section of Spragge's Farm in the aniddle of the Marsh, The next • day Drummond happened to meet Granger himself and casually anentioned the lights he had seen on the Marsh. Granger became /greatly excited upon hearing the news and he and his valet rushed . for the fortress as if seeking safe­ ly, Drummond and Peter go to ‘Spragge’s Farm where Peter is to inquire for board. .NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY “Now, Peter,” he said, “we ap- giroach our destination. That place there in front of us is Rye. Cast .your eyes two fingers right and you -avail see on the hill an imposing red brick edifice. That is the house of Drummond. Straight-in front of us you will see a smallish house in a /Clump of trees;’\that is Spragge’s Farm. One finger to the right of any house, also on the hill, you per­ ceive bother house. That is our 'friend Granger’s prison. Now you ■ get the geography of the part that -concerns us. And the great point, n-s you will notice, is that if, as I am tolerably certain, those lights were a warning, of some sort, and Spragge FarnAis aa good a place as any on the Marsh for Granger to see them from.” » “Correct,” I agreed. “Now, what am I really to say to Spragge?” “Any darn thing you like,” he laughed as we started once more. “It’s only- a preliminary reconnais­ sance, and < we .can’t expect much luck.” “ It was Tortunate we didn’t, be­ cause we had none tat all. The farm stood about a quarter of a mile from the road-, and a rough drive—little more than a stony lane—led up to 51. A gate barred the entrance, and leaning over it was a morose look­ ing individual smoking a pipe. He stared at us with' iscarcely veiled hostility as we pulled lip, and make am effort to move. “This is Spragge’s Farm, isn’t it?’ saidr Hugh politely. “It is,” grunted (he man without Removing his pipe from his mouth. “Do you know if Mr. Spragge is anywhere about?” “I’m Mr, Spragge.’ What might ■you be wanting?” Hugh’s fingers began to drum on She steering wheel, and it wasn’t dif­ ficult to tell exactly what he was wanting. But to clip a man over the jaw is not conductive to further con­ versation, and his voice remained studiously mild. “I was told, Mr. Spragge,” he said quietly “that you had room to let HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIllliHlllllUilllllllllUr, on your farm. My friend here is anxious for a pltfce where he can finish—er—a book undisturbed. If your room is free he would like to see it,” The man removed his pipe, only apparently to enable ’him to spit with greater ease, Then’he stared insolently from one to the other of us. t “You were told wrong,’.’ he grunt­ ed. “I've no room to let, and if I had I choose who I put up.” “Your choice must be fairly limit­ ed I should imagine,” remarked Hugh, “if this is a fair sample of your manners. Nice chatty little fellow, aren’t you, Mr. Spragge?” 'The man straightened himself up, and the veins on his forehead began to stand out like whipcord. “Look here, you damned he said thickly, before how I unless quick, man shrilly “you be off. This farm ain’t po business Of yours, and I’ll thank you to get into your car and clear out.” “The ingratitude of women,” said Hugh resignedly. “After all I’ve done for poor Mr. Spragge too. Well Peter, never shall it be said that we stayed where we werii't wanted. We’ll go. But do tell little Ferdin­ and when he wakes that he, ought not to sleep* on his back. He swung the car around, and as we went down the drive I glanced back. The man had scrambled to liis feet, and was standing by his wife. And the two of them stood there motionless watching, us until we turned out of the drive into main road. “Not much out of that, Peter, afraid,” said Hugh, “All that the dude,” of this sp'ealts “you get out I lose my temper, I like, and to whom I like. But you’re out of this I'll pull you out of and little Pansy-face beside well.” ■ Hugh laughed pleasantly. “And why should I get out of this, Mr. Spragge? This road is as much mine as it is yours, and you’ve no idea make leaning against True, your face leaves much to be desired, and your clothes are deplor­ able, but the general picture-—the tout ensemble—of the Englishman guarding his home is quite wonder­ ful. Don’t you agree, Peter?” I glanced at him out of the cor­ ner of my eye, and saw the old well- remembered look in his face. He was deliberately goading the man on, though for what purpose I couldn’t quite make out. This man Spragge was a powerful looking brute, .and I failed to see any object I in starting a rough house. And that was exactly what seemed eminent. With a flood of blasphemy the farm­ er flung open the gate, and slouched over to the car; as ho came Hugh opened the door and stepped, into the road. “You--------------” snarled .Spragge. “I’ve warned you once: .now you can have it.” I almost laughed: how many men had said words to that effect in days gone by? And with the same re­ sult. Spragge shot out a fist like a leg of mutton, which encountered air, and the next instant he was ly­ ing flat oil his back in the middle of the road, completely knocked out. “Quick, Peter,” said Hugh urgent­ ly. “Sling the blighter into the back of the car, and we’ll take him to the farm. Heaven forbid, old man,” he chuckled as the 'Bentley spun up the track, “that we should be so grossly inhuman as to leave the pool’ injured fellow lying in the road. His wife's tender care is es­ sential,, and—-keep your .eyes skin­ ned’. We might spot something.” We pulled up at the door, and al­ most immediately a woman appear­ ed. She was a w.ortliy helpmeet to Mr. Spragge: in fact I have seldom seen pair. pretty the car you' as what jjpretty picture you that gate. Headaches Were So Bad They Her Awake Headaches seem to be habitual with jdome people; some are seldom, if ever, free from them, • suffering continually from the dull thi'obbings, the intense pains; sometimes in one part, sometimes Sn another, and again over the whole liead. There is only one way to get relief fron; those persistent headaches^ and •that is by going’ direct to the seat of the trouble, for unless the cause is removed the headaches will still con- lluliv VI U U. UlUj -LUI LIJIIxaOO Wlv removed the headaches will still tinue to exist,"and the fact that Steeps the stomach, liver and bowels lonrtd Up is proof enough to "show that St will eliminate the cause of the head' .•aches. Mrs. A. M. Arsenault, Now Aberdeen, NJ3., writes;—-"For a period I had .hCen troubled with headaches and they wero so bad they Hpt. me awake at .Might t was advised by & friend, after paving used hyiny different kinds of snediciim, io try‘Bur(|ock Blood Bitters. After taking tliree bottles I was com- pletcly relieved, art j can recommend it SO bo a perfect .medicine.M Rut up only by The T. Milburn Co., JLtcL, Toronto, Ont. a more forbidding looking Tall and gaunt, with a thin saturine face and bony hands, she looked an even more unpleasant cus­ tomer than her husband. He was a powerful, foul-tempered brute: she looked the personification of evil. “What has’ happened?” she asked harshly. “Mrs. Spragge-, l assume?” re­ marked Hugh politely. “I regret to state that your husband's jaw has encountered a hard substance, which has temporarily rendered him un­ conscious. So, my friend and I. at great personal inconvenience, have brought him to the dear old home­ stead. Shall we bring him in?” /Spragge was already beginning to stir uneasily, so there was no time to be lost if we were to get inside house. ' “I don’t understand,” she said grily. “What has happened to fool?” “Far be it from me, madam,” mur­ mured Hugh, “to cavil at the excel­ lent description -of your spouse. But he will doubtless tell you all about it when ho is his "own bright self again.” We had slung him out of the car and laid him on the grass, and as Hugh spoke I suddenly became aware of a noise' that rose and fell regu­ larly. I came from the inside of the house, and at that moment, Hugh, evidently heard it too. He grinned faintly, and looked at the woman. “How nice it is to have a little peaceful nap in the afternoon,” he murmured. “But you should never take in a lodger that snores, iMrs. Spragge.” “Get out of this,” came a thick voice from behind us. Spragge, who had come to, had raised himself on his elbow, and was glaring vindic­ tively. “Splendid,” cried Hugh. “Our own bright boy again, A little arnica ap­ plied by mother, and the face will be as good as new. But tell me, who is the human fog-holm within?” “Look have, mister,” cried the wo-* the I’m we have established is that the Spragge,s are a very unsavoury pair and that they have a man who snores staying in the house. But whether the man who snores is the red and blue light merchant, or whether it is any of them, Heaven only knows, far as I can see there is only to find out.” “Which is?” I asked, * “To go there by night,” swered. “That's when the is likely to occur. And I’ve somehow or other got a hunch that our musi­ cal sleeper is going to turn opt to be very much in the picture. Let’s go back to the house now, so that you can dump your kit.: then, we’ll have dinner at the Dolphin in Rye, and do a bit of night work after. Jove! Peter, I’^n beginning to feel quite young again.” “You’ll be younger before you’ve finished,” I said resignedly. “They tell me a few months in prison is a ' wonderful rejuvenator.” But he grinned; in an affair of this sort he was beyond hope. “Prison be blowed, old boy. We may be a pair of thugs, but we are young men from the Christian Assoc­ iation compared to this comic bunch. Besides, we cart always retire from .the -contest if we want to.” At that it was my turn to grin: a lion can retire from its kill if it wants to. At" any rate time would show: up to date beyond putting Mr. Spragge to sleep we were blameless. The Bentley swung to the left as we came to Rye, and we took the cir­ cular road around the hill on which the town is built. Peter, halfway round, A famed resort old days, and good pub now. road to Hastings, but we go straight on up to the higher ground.” We crossed the railway line, and another three miles brought us to Hugh’s house,' where I dropped my baggage. As he said, the. view from the1 Marsh was wonderful: it 'lay spread out in front of us like an ae­ roplane photograph. “If you look through the telescope, Peter,” he remarked, “you’ll see it is focussed on Spragge’s Farm.” I adjusted the eyepiece and that I could make out every of the house. Almost could the handle on the front door : werful was the instrument, though I kept my eye' glued to it for fully five minutes I saw no sign ■ol’ life.. The place was deserted: presumably Mr. Spragge was dealing with the arnica, and the mysterious sleeper still snored. “When you’re ready, Peter,” he said, after he had had a look at him­ self, “we might stroll along past my friend Granger’s place. I’d like you to cast an tions.” I was ready, took the road, walk brought us to our destination, and assuredly Hugh had not exag­ gerated when he called it a prison. The wall was about ten feet high, and constituted >a fairly formidable obstacle in itself. But what made it practically impassable was the ar­ rangement of steel spikes on the top. They faced in all directions: and one was about two feet long. There was no gap anywhere: they contin­ ued over the massive wooden gates that formed the entrance. And by standing away from the wall I could see the top story of the house inside: every window was guarded with iron bars as Hugh had said. ‘ ■ “The gentleman certainly seems to resent intrusion,” i remarked, and even as I spoke a small two-seater went past us and stopped outside the gates. A young man was driv­ ing it, and by his side was an ex­ tremely pretty girl. For a time they sat in the car looking somewhat dubiously at the prospect confront­ ing them: then they both turned around and looked at us. And af­ ter a moment or two the man got out and came over to us. Ho was a cheerful looking young­ ster with a snub n'ose and freckles, and when he spoke he had a ly charming smile, “Excuse me,” either of you Mr, “Not guilty,” “The gentleman you’re after side the fortifications.” “I say,” he went on a bit awk­ wardly, “you’ll understand I don’t want to be rude, of any tripe of that sort, but what kind of a bird is he?” “Why do you ask?” said Hugh, “Well—er—-the lady with me has taken on a secretarial job with Mr. Granger, And dash it all, this bally place looksTike an inebriates* home,’ “It’s hot that.,as far as I know,”! And as one way he an- activity ‘Up that cobbled road to the right, ” said Hugh when we had gone “is the Dolphin Inn. for smugglers in the an extraordinarily On your left is the found detail I see so po- . But eye and A short ten minutes’ so we once more he said, Granger? remarked perfec but Hu is 1; ;li ill' said Hugh. “But frankly I would not call it the sort of household that I'd like a girl I knew to go to.” “You hear that, Pat,' he sang out. “This gentleman thinks the show is a dud.” The girl got out of the car and came and joined us, Though usual­ ly of the unobservant nature, I no­ ticed that there was a ring on her engagement fihger, and with the ac­ umen of Sherlock Holmes I arrived at what turned out to be the correct solution. “Can’t help that, Freckles,” she said calmly. “Dud or no dud, I’ve had fifty of the best out of the old bean and that’s that.” “You could send the money back,” he said doubtfully. “Easily, little briglitteyes,” she laughed, “If I had it to send. Un? fortunately all that remains is twelve shillings and foprpence half­ penny.” “That's a bit of a snag,” he ad­ mitted. “But look hear, Pat, I don't like the smell of this place at all.” “Nor do I,” she agreed frankly, “But what can I do?” “Can you tell me anything about this gentleman, sir?” He turned again to Hugh with a worried look on his face. “Practically nothing, I’m afraid,” said Hugh, “He came here some years ago, and had all these affairs .erected around the house. He calls nowhere and sees no one, and the only other occupants of the house are a man and' his wife.” “There is a woman there then. That’s good.” The youngster looked vaguely re­ lieved. “But may I ask exactly how you came to hear of this Hugh.,to the girl. “Quite easily,” she had ray name dow.n at London for secretarial days ago I went to find if anything job?” said smiled. “I a bureau in work. Ten was doing, and lhe woman who runs it offered me this. It might have been anybody else, only I happened to be the first. And the terms were .so good that I‘jumped at it. Five pounds a week,and fifty on account.” “Ten days ago,” said Hugh thoughtfully, glancing at me, and it was clear what he was thinking. If this girl had only heard of it then the offer must have been made be­ fore the appearance of the lights on th Marsh. “Have you any idea what your work is to be?” went on Hugh. “Not ,the slightest,” she answered. “Presumably an ordinary secretarial job.” lOnce again Hugh glanced at me: then he lit a cigarette. “Well, as I told this gentleman,” he remarked, “it’s not the sort of house I’d choose for a rest cure. But I may be wrong: I never been inside myself. Only there is one ’ thing you ought to know.” ’ And then briefly he told her about the mysterious signals that came from Spragge’s Farm. She listened in silence, but the result was a fore­ gone conclusion. Her mind was made up, though Freckles did his best to dissuade her. • “Can’t you possibly chuck it, Pat?’ he said earnestly. “How can I, you mut?” laughed the girl. “I tell you I've spent the fifty quid.” “And I’m overdrawn,” he mutter­ ed. “Hell.” “Look here,” began Hugh and I simultaneously. t ' The girl gave us both a delicious smile. “Sweet of both of you,” she said. “I know just what you were going to say. But I couldn't dream of it. After all this I shall worry.” “But youth, what sort of a house it was.” “Go press the bell, my pet, said firmly, the shore, stand He as he spoke. “Look here, Miss—?” “Verney,” said the girl, * “Mine is Drummond: and this is Peter Darrell. What I was going to say was this. My house is the next one to this—about half a mile away towards Rye, Now everything may be quite O. K., but in case—-only in case, mind you- you to know that we’re near hand. So make it a tween two course it’s you’ll be able to take a walk: in fact, if I were you I’d insist ont it. Then if anything crops up you can come and tell us, But if by any chance he keeps you inside or makes you stop in the garden, and you want to get at us, just write a note, put it in an envelope with half a brick inside and bung it over the wall. You can spot the place—close by the gate, and we’ll be here to get it.” I “Thanks most awfully,” said the | girl gratefully, “though ’I’m sure it won’t be necessary, goodness, what an awful man!” The denly it was as the certainly not a prepossessing sight as his narrow eyes took u>s in in turn, and the girl's exclamation was very natural. Suspicion was in every line of his face, and it was not until he Hugh that his expression clear- be all old bird can’t eat right Tom; don’t I do “So would anybody who worry/’ answered me. you the saw she ’•It’s little Patricia for Go on, yon ass: we can’t here in the road all day.” went over reluctantly and did was told, and suddenly Hugh (4C8) Nine competitions, including” men's and women’s handicap events, men’s and women's team matches and mixed foursomes will feature ihe programme of the’ sec­ ond annual Empress midwinter golf tournament to be played over the Colwood course at Victoria, February 17-22. The E. w. Beatty trophy is the chief award for the men's and women's handicap com* petitions. saw ed. but in case- •it isn’t, it will help at one or other of us will point of being here be- and three each day. Of quite on the cards that Miss Connie Wilson, champiop. fancy skater of North America and Great Britain, will take a star part ip the Ice Pageant of the Frontenac Winter Sports Club to be staged at Quebec February 12-13. She will be supported by the best talent of Quebec and a group of stars from Toronto, including the champion­ ship four of the Toronto Skating Club. Ottawa will be represented by the Minto Skating Club and 24 lady skaters from Toronto will per­ form in the ’'Danse Moderne” num­ ber. quite Oh! my looking peephole in the gate had sud- opened, and staring through the man who I placed at once pugilistic servant. He was The greatest fireworks display of the year, the “Fejte de Nuit” exhibi­ tion at Quebec, recently, one of the features of the Winter Sports sea­ son which lasts until March, con­ sisted of a sham attack, by hun­ dreds of snowshoers bearing torches, upon the garrison of the citadel. The heavy explosions of Roman candles, bombs and rockets began the attack, which culminated when the besiegers were driven, back by the garrison, who sent vol­ ley after volley of blanks crashing into the nighty When the bugles sounded the “Cease Fire”, the show was generally voted one of the fin­ est in years. (To be continued.) Mr. Will Dobbs, of Centralia, has rented the farm of Mr. iS. Haskett, on the 4tli of Biddulph—Lucan News The outstanding contributions that the Canadian Pacific Railway has made to the life of the Domin­ ion in an industrial and cultural way were emphasized by E. W. Beatty, chairman and president of the road, at a recent address before the Canadian Industrial Traffic League at Montreal recently. His company, he saidj had in the past five years, spent over $249,000,OOP on capital account alone and dur- . ing the same period had built over 1,000 miles of branch lines. 1929 with its decrease in earnings, he regarded as an exceptional yea,? not likely to be repeated in subse­ quent years. A Bad Cold Finally Ended In Bronchitis Mr. Albert Schultz, Kelvington, Sask., writes:—"For several weeks I had a very bad cold, and finally,’it ended in bronchitis. "I had been trying all kinds of medicine, but none of it seemed to do mo any good. "Finally I saw where Dr. Wood's Norway Pine Syrup A considerable increase in grain shipments from Saint John has al­ ready been established since the new year, over the entire month of December, 1929, General Superin­ tendent J. Woodman, of the Cana­ dian Pacific Railway, states. Bush­ els of grain for December export from Saint John totaled 508,357; from January 1 to January 17, total was 651,438. was advertised as chitis, so I got a had taken it I started to- improve, and by the time I had finished/the second one I was entirely free of my trouble. ’ ’ Price, 35 cents a bottle; large family size 60 cents," at all druggists or dealers. Put up only by The T. Milburn Co., Ltd.. Toronto. Ont. a relief for bron- bottle and after I The second annual Sea Music Festival of the Pacific Coast passed*, into history January 19, when onceft again capacity houses greeted the final offerings. Outstanding among the features were the two ballad operas, "The Order of Good Cheer”, incorporating French-Canadian sea chanteys of the 16th century, and "Bound for the Rio Grande”, a rol­ licking sea-song playlet by Captain. Frederick Wallace. Each of these was repeated by request on three successive days. The 16th annual winter carnival with the first official Western Can­ ada Ski tournament will be held at, Revelstoke, February 4-5. World records have been made on the ski hill at Revelstoke, and leading ski jumpers of the continent will at­ tend the carnival. ■ PREMIER’S DAUGHTER CHRISTENS NEW SHIP o Ten thousand people witnessed the launching of the C.N.S. Prince Henry, new vessel of the Canadian National Steamships, at the yards of Caminell Laird and Co.> at Birkenhead, England, when ihisfr magnificent, new ship was christened by Miss Ishbel Mac­ Donald, daughter Of lit, Hon. J. Ramsay MacDonald, Prime Minister of Great Britain. Miss MacDonald, who has travelled over the route between Vancouver and Prince Ru­ pert, over which the Prince Henry will sail after her delivery to Can­ ada, was enthusiastic as to the beauties of this Inside Passage and said she hoped soon to renew the pleasures of that trip; t F. A. Pauline, Agent General of British Columbia, congratulated the build­ ers and also the Canadian National Steamships on their enterprise in having this splendid vessel added to their fleet, while C. J. Smith, European Vice-President of the Canadian National System explain­ ed the work which the Prince Henry and two other new steam­ ships, soon to bo launched, will perform on the Pacific Coast. Pho­ tographs show (left) Miss Mac­ Donald with R.S. Johnson, Manag­ ing Director of Cammell Laird and Cd., descending 'the gangway after the launching and (right) Miss MacDonald breaking the bottle of champagne on the ship’s prow as she gave the vessel its name.