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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1939-12-28, Page 6THURSPAY, DECEMBER SS, 1930 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATL ini llllllllllllll lllllllllllll U “Well, there’s only one more thing then. I want you to place his latchkey under the scraper, so that I’ll he able to let myself in. Also not a word to anyone who tries to pump you. Promise that. “No room-mate or best boy friend to confide in?” “Certainly not.” “Good. You don’t sound garru­ lous anyway.” “I’m not.” “Splendid. I’m turning in myself to think things out. Do all my thinking in bed. I’ll want to talk to you before you leave for business in the morning.” “Now how on earth does he know that I’m in business?” she asked herself. “How does he know there is a scraper, for that matter?” Aloud she said she would be about in good time. “Final afterthought,” came the voice. “It is the Gresham Works, isn’t it? Used to be Hartley Land­ side’s the place where the explosion was at, I mean?" ■She said “Yes, that’s it,” almost doubtfully, his information seemed so complete. “Splendid. That’s all I want to know. By the way, those blue pyjamas are delicious, suit yo.ur eyes,” he said astonishingdy. “Good night.” The line went dead. He had rung off. Marveling, she went back to the first-floor front. Hendringham was lying as she had left him, taking short snoring breaths. She fetched cold cream from her room and gent­ ly smeared his face and hands. She wished she had not been forbidden to send for a doctor. The breath­ ing frightened her and his clothes were wet. Hoping that the whisk­ ey would ward off any chills, she piled blankets over him. Then she collected his pocket-book and let­ ters from his suitcase extracted two mysterious cartons in which were celluloid cylinders packed in cotton­ wool and apparently filled with greenish powder. She handled them “as if they were dynamite” and hid them behind the newspapei’ in her bedroom grate. A note to the kitchen about the breakfast that Mr. Cope had seemed to consider so important and she was free to go to bed. She had to put her own latchkey undei’ the scraper though, there was no key in the drugged man’s pockets. It was a quarter to ten and the other boarders were drifting back from their amusements. CHAPTER TWO A Sleepless Night Claire Silvane would have been prepared to maintain that she had not slept a wink all night. Actually she had had some five hours of con- ' tinuous sound sleep, but less than three hours of restlessness will al­ ways constitute “a sleepless night” for those who normally repose with all the abandon of healthy youth. Because she had allowed herself so little yielding to excitement throughout the whole extraordinary evening of surprises her curiosity took its revenge when there was no longer no need to maintain that cool efficiency on which she prided herself in emergencies of all kinds, and even when the turmoil of her own mind had at last subsided she had lain awake disturbingly con­ scious of the presence of strange ob­ jects in her room—a distorted met­ al container, heavy with mechan­ isms, hidden under a peach-color­ ed quilt and a rather crushed even­ ing frock in the wardrobe; two cel­ luloid tubes, filled with a green-gray powder and labelled mentally “to be handled as if they were dyna­ mite,” behind the fan of folded hewspaper that decorated the bed­ room grate; a man’s pocket-book and papers, soaking wet so that she had had to swaddle them in her own perfectly clean handkerchiefs before daring to tuck them under her pillow . . , things under her pillow were supposed to bring a girl dreams, not to cause her to be Nagging, Dragging Pains In the Back Many women have to do their own housework, and the constant bend­ ing over, lifting, making beds, sweeping, ironing, sewing, so neces­ sary to perform their household duties puts a heavy strain on the back and kidneys, and if there were no kidney weakness the back would be Strong and well. Doan's Kidney Pills help to give relief to weak, backache, kidney suf­ fering women. eDoan’s Kidney Pills are put up * in an oblong grey bbx with our trade mark a “Maple Leaf” on the wrapper. Don’t accept a substitute. Be sure and get “Doan’s.” Th a T, Milburn Oo., Ltd., Toronto, Ont awake “all night’ wondering. But she wondered, wondered un­ til her head ached with it, and tho’ sub-consciously she had regretted not having asked the questions that actually she had never been given the chance to ask anyone, she was capable of congratulating herself on her avoidance of any display of cur­ iosity. She hadn’t been in the least “nosey,” She had taken everything as it came, in her calmest secretar­ ial manor, and she had dealt with it efficiently as a secretary should. It was none of her business if young xnen boarders who carried a good deal of temporary authority over her proceedings at the Works should get drunk, or drugged and came home scorched of face, their clothes sodden with water, or if their friends should choose to be face­ tious about her negligee over the telephone. A secretary saw a good many things, if it came to that, she was not supposed to wonder about. She’d seen a good deal her­ self that defied wonder in the last few weeks at the Gresham Works, ever since that contract for Mark 1702’s whatever they were, had been received from the Controller of Munitions. She’d seen Hartley Land­ side under condition that, as a se­ cretary. she felt debarred from dis­ cussing. Her heart had ached for poor old Hartley, but she had asked no questions, only done her wo­ manly best to put heart into the man. .She imagined she had done Hartley good and that he was grate­ ful. And then, when after hours of wondering she had felt an uncon­ trollable impulse to assure herself that Mr. Hendringham was all right imagining that she ought really to have disregarded his instructions sufficiently to send for a doctor, imagining him breathing his last and all the inevitable blame that would thereupon have been hers to shoulder, she had tip-toed into the first floor front once more for a re­ assuring glance, she had had a fright. It was true that, when she was once more snugly curled up in her bed, she had called herself a fool and told herself that these old houses really did creak unaccount­ ably at night, that ivy must occas­ ionally scratch at the window pane. But that had not comforted her al­ together, Things like that did not help a girl to go to sleep and it was only afterwards that she had tried to comfort herself with the assur­ ance that Mr. Hendringham was sleeping more soundly, his breath­ ing easier even in the quick mom­ ent when, bending ovei’ him, she had heard the floor creak. For the moment she had felt sure that there was someone else in the room and she had stood still, statuesquely still and as cold as any statue in the warm night. Then when the ivy, if it was ivy, had gone scratch­ scratch across the glass she had scuttered incontinently to her room, where she had locked and bolted the door, had even piled chairs against it. Reviewing all this she was rather ashamed of herself in the morning light. ■She felt sure that it had been al­ most morning when she had at last fallen asleep and now it was full daylight, a little after five by her wristwatch. That was the worst of going to bed undei’ the sub-conscious urge that one must be about early in the morning, as she had, know­ ing that if she were to have a talk with this Cope man she must be up by half-past six at the latest. Now she had at least an hour and a half in which to lie and listen for sounds from the next room. But there had not been the least of sounds from the next room. On that side everything was almost ominously silent. The only noise of any sort at this hour of the morning was the nature chorus from outside her window, thrushes calling across the lawn, sparrows chattering, starlings in acrimonious debate, a lark in ecstasy. It was all so soothing normal that she be­ gan to question the reality of last night’s events, to wonder if she might not have dreamed them all. For a test she pushed a hand under her pillow until her fingers touched the edges of Mr. Hendringham’s letters, the soft damp swathings of her own handkerchiefs about his pocket book. She lay until half-past six, listen­ ing, but there wasn’t a sound except the natural ones from outside, and as she lay she was untangling her brain anew with the implications of last night’s adventures which would in no way make sense for her. By this time she was assured that Mr. Cope couldn’t possibly be arriv­ ing after all. He’d probably let Mr, Hendringham down. Her secre­ tarial conscience writhed at the thought. In all her career, she could conscientiously boast, she had never let anyone down like that. But it was only what one might expect from a man with Mr. Cope’s flippant mode of address, his airy, inconse­ quential nonchalance. It was shortly after six when, re­ calling the state in which she had left Geoffrey's room, she felt an urge to wade in and put that right before the maid brought up that breakfast which Mr. Cope had so child­ ishly insisted on, insisted as if it had been a more truly important thing than the plight of the man who was supposed to be his friend. She had by now achieved a com­ plete disgust for men of the type of Mr. Cope. At this stage a sudden concern lest Mr, Hendringham should have became seriously ill, have died even, brought her agitat­ edly out of bed, to resume her neg­ ligee of blue pyjamas about which, as the morning air was cold, she drew a light wrap. For some inex­ plicable feminine reason she fresh­ ened her face hastily before the mirror too, and ran a comb through the hair which, curling naturally, seldom demanded more trouble than that. Thus prepared, she made her way in barefoot silence, to the door of the floor front. Presently she was turning the latch silently and the door moving gradually under her cautious pressure. The thickset man with the pale face and precise fair hair in which the regular marks of the comb were stickily preserved, who was sitting with a book before the open win­ dow, unobtrusively slipped a revol­ ver into his pocket. But since her first glance was towards thq> hump­ ed figure under blankets she did not notice that. Her mind just va­ guely noted that he -was there as she tip-toed across the room, her bare feet showing pinkly under the wide blue hem of her pyjama trous­ ers, until she could just catch the labored sound of Hendringham’s breathing. It was steady now, tho’ a trifle stertorous, and, her primary anxiety reassured, she now turned to 'Observe the man in the window bay prepared from the start to dis­ like him. Man in the Room Smoke was wreathing lazily from a cigarette between his heavy lips. Over the edges of a book, from be­ hind gold-rimmed pince-nez, his pale eyes regarded her coolly, apprecia­ tively. Almost. Her first thought was that he was preposterously un­ like the mind portrait she had firm­ ly formed from the sound of his voice over the telephone, but the paleness of him, the sensual lips, and above all the stickily perfect hair confirmed her in herlater com- minations. Her mouth parted to speak, but he raised his free hand in a gesture enforcing silence. A second gesture instructed her to close the door and third invited her nearer. As she ap­ proached he laid his book aside ana reached to draw a chair near his own. Obediently she seated her­ self, but she drew her wrap closer. There was something about this Mr. Cope that made her wish she had stayed to dress fully. He clearly wasn’t the sort of man one would choose to wear negligees before. So far their interview had been entire­ ly pantomine, but she did not need to hear his voice unmuffled by a hundred and eighty miles of tele­ phone wires to confirm that she would never very much like Mr. Cope. It one was to judge a man by his friends she felt she would have to revise her estimates of Mr. Hendringham. “Sleep all right?” he asked her quietly at last, his manner and the tone of his voice easy, like those of an old acquaintance. “Quite well, thank you.” She wasn't going to boast to this man about her “sleepless night.” She wasn’t even going to admit it. “I might have guessed that. You look dewy, positively dewy.” She stirred with annoyance. It was bad enough that he should see fit to start paying compliments without his being so obtuse as not to see that she very obviously had not slept a wink. But he had not waited for her answer. His hand had been search­ ing in his pocket. “What .made you leave me your latchkey?” he asked. “I’d better return it now before I forget.” " Taking the key, she answered: “I couldn’t find Mr, Hendringham’s ! for you. He hadn’t got it on him.” He seemed to cling to the key for a moment as site was speaking, and she noticed that his hands were fleshy and well-cared for. “How did you know it was mine?” she asked. He ignored the question, merely raising his thin fair eyebrows over the gilt rims of his pincenez. “it was in his trouser pocket all right this morning,” he assured her. “It certainly wasn’t last night. I emptied al.l his pockets to make sure there weren’t any papers in them, just as you told me to.” “So!” he said, and nodded, as lr to someone considering with him­ self, “Well, it was. I’m sure of that,” she insisted. Now he raised a conciliatory hand. He seemed addicted to man­ ual gestures. “I’m not questioning that, I’m wondering who brought him home, and I’m not answering that question not very satisfactory by telling myself that it must have been the same person that searched this room between the hours of one and three this morning.” “Searched this room!” She re­ membered the creak and the scratching of the ivy. “How do you know that?” His smile seemed to her some­ what fatuous. “iBy the same logical process that told me the key I found under the scraper was a wo­ man’s. In the latter case there were traces of powder, Dumesnil from the scent of it, embedded in the grooves. The searching was even more obvious before I had toured the place, and anyway I ex­ pected that.” She was telling herself that he was trying to impress her with his cleverness, that of course when he found the key in Mr, Hendringham’s pocket he knew the one she had left for him must have been her own, but she said nothing. He had not paused for her to say anything. He was still talking. “There wasn’t much point in . dop­ ing old Geoff if they didn’t want to search the room,” lie was saying, and then abruptly, “I suppose you locked your door last night?” “As a matter of fact I did, pretty thoroughly, felt it would be sarer with all these things hidden, some­ how.” She glanced apprehensively at the figure on the bed. “You think he’s all right, don’t you?” she asked. “One thing at a time," he told her tantalisingly. “You’re quite sure then, they did not search your room too?” Her mouth drooped a little open, a startled look came into her eyes. “Oh no, they couldn’t” she gasped, reassuring herself. Somehow the thought that strangers might have been in her room while she slept alarmed her retrospectively. “I should have heard them," she went on emphatically. “I was awake prac­ tically all night.” He mused. '“IFirst thing you as­ sured me that you’d slept well." He waved his hand again, quelling her explanation. “I’m afraid the ques­ tion wasn’t all politeness, you see.” he said. ’“One hasn’t much call for politeness as a rule on these oc-> casions. Anyway you locked your door thoroughly, and, I presume, you have reassured yourself that the articles are still there.” t no pe continued) GREENWAY (Intended for last week) A Christmas party for the chil­ dren will be held in the United Church on Monday evening, Decem­ ber 28th. Everybody welcome. Mrs. A. McIntosh returned home on Sunday after visiting for a week wi.ii friends in Port Huron. Mr. Raymond Pollock and sons, of Kerwood, and Mrs. W. J. Pollock of Corbett, visited on Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Pollock. Mr. and Mrs. Russell Brown visit­ ed a few days with friends in De­ troit. Mrs. Robt, Pollock spent the week-end with Mr. and Mrs. J. Paxman in London. Mrs. Emerson Woodburn spent a few days last week with her parents Mr. and Mrs. E. Harris, Brinsley. The annual meeting of the Unit­ ed church Sunday School was held on December 13th at the home of Mrs. W. T, Ulens. The following officers were elected: Sr. Supers., S. W> Webb and Elton Curts; Jr. Supers., Mrs. Elton Curts and Nath­ alie Hutchinson; Secretary, Fred Steeper; Assistant Secretary, Clar- Brophey; Treasurer, Roy Whiting; Sr. pianists, Iola Whiting, Mrs. H. Turner, Sadie Horner and Mrs. Is­ aac; Jr. pianists, Ula Ulens, Eunice Curts; Chorister, Wm. .Hicks; audi­ tors, J. H. McGregor, Milton Pol­ lock; Missionary Supt., Mrs. Roy Whiting; Cradle'Roll Supt., Mrs. R. Hutchinson; Home Dept. Supt., Mrs. Horner; Temperance Supt., D. Shep­ herd; Teachers: Beginners, Miss S. Young, Mrs. A. Bhophey; Primary, Mrs. W. Hicks, Nola Isaac; Jr. A., Mrs. Milton Pollock, Mrs. H. Turn­ er; Jr. B., Mrs. W. T. Ulens, Mrs. L. Brophey; Intermediate Girls; Mrs. W. Young, Mrs. E. Eggert; In­ termediate boys, Manuel Curts, J. H. McGregor; young men, D. Shep­ pard, Rev. Mr. Beacom; young la­ dies, Mrs. J. H. McGregor; Mrs. F. Steeper; Harmony, Mrs. Mclntosn, Mrs. .Fran Steeper; Bible, Mrs. Sherritt, W. Young; Literature Se­ cretary, Roy Whiting, Elton Curts. The January meeting is to be held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Whiting. Renew Now! Query and Reply By Page Turner (All Radio and Reprint Rights Reserved Query: What kind of wood is used by natives of Africa in building their signal drums? Reply: Corkwood. It is said that in some instances, the sound of the drums can be heard 18 to 22 miles. Query: Why is it physically im­ possible to build a perpetual mo­ tion machine. Reply: the first and most impor­ tant reason is friction. Second, can be said to be magnetic gravity, Query: Do the members of the House of Commons in England wear their headgear when in ses­ sion. iReply: The members of the House of Commons, London, must remove their hats when coming in, going out, or when making a speech. In short, whenever they .are on then- feet. But when seated, it is the custom to wear their hats. Query: What is the oldest form of money in the world? Reply: What is considered the oldest form of money was small yel­ lowish shells called ‘Cowies’ based on the value of Cattle and in use about the same time in India or Africa. The first recorded coins were minted by the authority of King Croesus of Lydia about 600 B.C. He was said to be the world's richest man. About the same time: 600 B. C. coins were cast (not mint­ ed) in China. ....Query: Of the simple inventions . . . the kind that you or I might have thought of - which one made the most money for the inventor. Reply: The inventor of the shoe string is said to have earned more than two million, five hundred thousand dollars from royalties paid on his patent rights. Query: Were Postage Stamps ever used as ‘paper money’? Reply: During a shortage period ed metal coin in the U. S. in 1862, Postage stamps' encased in cellu­ loid were used for small transac­ tions . . . and even today, stamps are sometimes used instead of coins Pat (pointing towards his heart) —“Sure it was here where I was struck by the enemy’c bullets.” Mike (looking dubiously at him)— “Ay, man, sure and if ye had been shot through the heart ye’d have been killed.” Pat (shaking his head: “Ye’re wrong, Mike. At the time I was shot me heart was in me mouth.” Exeter QJimeH-Ahwicate Established 1873 and 1$87 at Exeter, Ontario Published every Thursday Miornlng SUBSCRIPTION— 12.00 per year in advance RATES—Farm or Real Estate for sale 50c, each insertion for first four insertions. 25c. each subse­ quent insertion. Miscellaneous ar­ticles. To Rent, Wanted, Lost, or Found 10c, per line of six words. Reading notices 10c. per line. Caid of Thanks 50c. Legal ad­ vertising 12 apd 8-!. peT line. Ia Memoriam, with one verse 50c. extra verses 25c. each. Member of The Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Professional Cards GLADMAN & STANBURY (F. W. Gladman) BARRISTER, SOLICITOR, &c Money to Loan, Investments Mad® Insurance Safe-deposit Vaults for use of our Clients without charge EXETER and HENSALL CARLING & MORLEY BARRISTERS, SOLICITORS, LOAN3, INVESTMENTS, INSURANCE Office; Carling Block, Mjain Str^e\ EXETER, ONT. Dr. G. F. Roulston, L.D.S.,D.D.S. DENTIST Office: Carling Block EXETER, ONT. Closed Wednesday Afternoon* Dr. H. H. COWEN, L.D.S.,D.DS DENTAL SURGEON Office opposite the Post Office. Main Street, Exeter Office 3 6w Telephones Res. 34j Closed Wednesday Afternoons ARTHUR WEBER LICENSED AUCTIONEER For Huron and Middlesex FARM SALES A SPECIALTY PRICES REASONABLE SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Phone 57-13 Dashwood R. R. No. 1, DASHWOOD FRANK TAYLOR LICENSED AUCTIONEER For Huron and Middlesex FARM SALES A SPECIALTY Prices Reasonable and Satisfaction Guaranteed EXETER P. O. or RING 188 .a&ggSi sSSSffifl Ufazincs for s? 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