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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1939-08-03, Page 6THVBSUAY, AUGUST 3, 1930 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE I ‘Murder at Pirates Head’ j By Isabel Waitt The Guest ListStarting this Week CHAPTER 1 PIRATE’S HEAD always reminds me of a Summer squash. It's long neck juts out of Rockville, Mass., into the wild Atlantic. Onve accord­ ing to legend, this rocky promontory was the lockout for buccaneers, who hid their treasure in a deer fissure called the Pirate’s Mouth. Just tne mention of that slippery shelf in the foamy sea makes my flesh creep. It began to creep the day I re­ ceived a queer fat letter, the first week of my visit at the inn. How would you feel to receive a missive from an unknown, containing forty old twenty-dollar bills. Postmark Boston. Date blurred. Penmanship, sprawly, as if an at­ tempt had been made to disguise it. Spelling, excellent. Astonished, I read: The old Quaker church should go for a song at the auction. Please bid for one who doesn’t wish to be known in the trans- ' (action. Sentimental reason. In return, you may use it for tearoom, or lending library, rent free. Please don’t tell a soul, but buy . a.t any cost. If not enough, will . reimburse. If too much, keep the difference and oblige. A FRIEND .You could have knocked me over With a butterfly’s antenna. Nobody knew' I was Summering at the inn. As for the auction of the homely little Quaker church, scheduled for July 3rd, the following day, I’d plan­ ned to go just for fun. Everybody at the Head would be there to take a whack at buying that desolate, long- unused place of worship, standing like a wart on the bluff. But wmuld the early Quakers if they knew what I know now! That odd letter, though I didn’t realize it at the time, -was my first clue in the series of dreadful things which were to occur. Thrilled to death at the mystery, and speculat­ ing as to my unguessed correspond­ ent, I pinned the bills into a girl’s first national bank and tucked the missive itself under the lining of my top bureau drawer. Maybe this vacation wasn’t going to be so dull, after all! I’d visiteo my Aunt Nellie before, and found it deadly. But then she’d never had any murders to offer. I’ll say this for murder — it’s never dull. The Inn. Aunt Nella runs the inn at Pir­ ate’s Head, the only one there, in a way it was a comedown for her to open her lovely old Colonial home to paying guests. For more than 150 years it had sheltered the Gerry fam­ ily in decent privacy. They might have been comfortably off, except for the failure of the Lane bank. This crippled Uncle Hydie, Aunt Nella’s husband worse than his rheumatism. Old man Lane put a bullet through his head when his pet went into re­ ceivership, dragging down all his neighbors, but Aunt Nella went to making bueberry pies. • That’s where I came in. She wheedled me into being hostess and general factotum, greeting the tour­ ists and answering the phone -while her hands were in the dough as she put it, “You’ll have a nice change,’' she said. “The Head is always so qiti'et and peaceful.” Lordy. Well, a girl has to think of her cheese-on-rye. Here I’d graduated! from Teachers College to find two I schoolmarms waiting for every pupil. My funds were minus X. and I’m without near relatives, my parents both having died in a plane crash. Even Aunt Nella was only a play aunt, who has been my mother’s dear friend. So I grabbed at the chance to rest at the inn. The suggestive skull- and-cross-bones pennant flying from a staff over the, front door was my idea. Little did I dream it would soon fly over the front page of every newspaper in the country! Diarrhoea Dysentery If you are suddenly attacked with diarrhoea, dysentery, colic, cramps or pains in the stomach or bowels, or any looseness of the bowels do not waste valuable time, but at once pro­ cure a bottle of Dr. Fowler’s Ex­ tract of Wild Strawberry and see how quickly it will give you relief. When you use nDr, Fowler’s” you are not experimenting with some new and untried remedy, but one that has stood the test of time; one that has been oh the market for the past 94 years. Beware of substi­ tutes; They may he dangerous to your health. Get <£Dr. Fowler’s” and feel safe. tTha T. Milburn Od., Ltd.. Toronto, Ont. We had only a few guests the first of July. Nice people, all of them, a; patently, hut merely names to me. The Rev. James De Witt, Miss Lily Kendall, Hugh Norcross and his sis­ ter, Bessie; Mr. Thaddeus Quincy and Mr. Potter. Just names and toothy good mornings. The house staff con­ sisted of Uncle Wylie, Aunt Nella and myself, A town girl came in to wash dishes, but she lived out and had nothing to do with the things that happened, You can wager I didn’t mention my letter to a soul, as per instruc­ tions. Visions of tearooms danced in my head. I’m going to skip the auction here, except to say that I bid for the old church and got it for $300. I still had $500 of somebody’s mpney! It seemed to me everybody from Rockville, let alone the Head, was there. Certainly the entire inn was present. I listened hard to see -who didn’t bid. Blessed if every one or our guests didn’t! I mean, did. Along with the squat old building came sturdy, hard benches for seat­ ing 125 people, a few dilapidated hymn books, and down in the base­ ment the most wonderful sea chest you ever saw. Cedar. “There’s my hope chest,” I gloated. “A little pol­ ish and a lot of elbow grease—!” The thing -was locked -when I exam­ ined it after the sale. I was prying it with a bobby pin when Uncle Wyile and Aunt Nella wanted me right away back at the inn. All she real­ ly wanted, I soon found out, was to learn how' and why I’d bought the church. Difficult afternoon. I’m no good at evading questions and she w'as bursting with curiosity. Not until evening did I escape. Then I discovered Mr. Quincy out on the porch sitting patiently in his wheel-chair as usual. I liked Thad­ deus Quincy, perhaps because he re­ fused to use his infirmity as a topic of conversation. Though about 66, w'izened and always alone, still when­ ever he was included he was the life of the party. Just then he looked dejected enough, amusing himself by strumming on the piazza rails w'Itn the Nalacca cane he always had handy. “Want me to take you for a ride?” I asked. “My. the fog is creeping in.” “Woud you, Judy? Just dowm the ramp Then I can manage for my­ self.” He called me' Judy since the first day, and I liked it, from him. To the others I wras Miss Jason. “How-’d you like to see the inside of a church?” I asked. I held my breath while we made the planks Uncle Wylie had put over the steps of the porch for this wheel-chair. “Saw’ all I wanted to this after­ noon at the auction,” he answered. “Yes. From the outside. Shouted your bid through the door. Only made one bid. Why?” I asked. “Wanted to get it cheap. Think I’d bid against you? 'What do you w'ant of that old eyesore?” “WTait till I get it fixed up. Tea and crumpets. My, it’s getting fog­ gy! Left my handbag down In the basement. Taking you down while I get it. Guess how much money 1 have left?” I queried. He eluded my little trap, but ap­ peared grateful for the companion­ shir. “How’ shoud I know' what scads you make at the inn? Tell me something about the Lane castle.- He pointed at the great stone man­ sion that loomed up1 ahead of us, be­ yond the inn but tortile left of the Quaker church, knowm to Pirate Headers as the castle. Hideously ornate it was, by daylight, with too many turrets. It had been vacant for years. “Not much to tell.” I replied. “Been closed since Mr. Lane com­ mitted suicide three years ago. There was a nasty scandal hushed up, im­ plicating son Roddy—Roddy Jr..— whom you saw at the inn last night. He lives out west and never’s came back here since. His mother went bats on account of his escapades, they say, and leaped into the ocean from one of those towers. No wonder the old man shot himself.i Fleeting Shadow “Nice family,” Mr. Quincy said. “Who’s that?” A figure scuttled • ahead of us, across our path to the 5 Lane driveway. Believing it to be one I of our guests, I called good evening. ! There was no response. I had thought ! the shadow a woman until Mr, Q. said: "Sociable fellow’ ,” He received the bump from the hubbed path un­ complainingly. “Somebody’s in an awful hurry. Suppose it was Lane? No light in the castle.” Oh, I doubt if it was Roddy. Af­ ter the reception he got last night? Bet he. left town. Didn't show Up l'or breakfast at the inn, as ordered. We were passing the old fich hut, from the cracks of whose single win­ dow a feeble light shone, Mr. Quin­ cy was all curiosity. Had I seen the old man who was staying there, he wanted to know. “No and nobody else.,” I said. "Only Uncle Wylie, and he at a dis- tam-e. when Mr. Brown was fishing aft the rocks earlier in the season. Sort of a recluse, I guess. Stone deaf. Uses an ear trumpet, funny old-fash­ ioned kind, Uncle Wylie says. Some fishermen used to dry their cod in this shed, but they say it was used for other purposes during prohibi­ tion. All Aunt Nella could find out w’as that the man was old and bent, and his name was Brown. Uncle Wy­ lie say the shack spoils the view’ from the inn. Every day he threat­ ens to burn it down.” Not a star to guide us. It was all I could do to keep on the path, but finally we reached the church, which faced the ocean. “Got a match? I won’t be a jif. Left my bag at the auction and have got to get a key out—•” “That you, Judy Mason?” Up rose a behemoth of darkness. As w'e rec­ ognized the voice of Miss Kendall, one of guests, she became conscious of the wheelchair. “Why, if it ain’t Mr. Quincy!” She gave the C and S sound instead of the correct Z. ‘Been w’atching the sunset. Must of drop­ ped off. Leinrne push you back? Oh, I get it! Two’s company.” For once the kittenish Lily w’asn’t going to butt in. As she moved away chuckling. I heard Mr. Quincy breathe, “Te Deum Laudamus!” Poor Lily Kendall— corpulent, gabby, good natured, lov­ able, 40-odd, forever tw'isting her countless string of pearls till tney spilled all over the house,and heav­ ens-—what a pest. She’s seen mighty little of a sunset in all that gather­ ing mist. The Church Basement Once the door w’as open, I struck one of two matches Mr. Q. had given me and hurried dowm the aisle of the musty auditorium. Wrong word for this little meeting place, but never mind. The flame went out, anG for a moment I stood hesitant, lis­ tening to the ghostly lashing of the waves on the rocks. But I’d promis­ ed Bessie Norcross, our fussiest guest, a key for her door, having swiped key from Albian Potter, out artist boarder. His key fitted Bes­ sie’s room, too, and he never both­ ered to close his door, let alone lock it. He’d probably never miss it. I’d stuck it in my handbag, having in­ tended to go to Rockville and have a duplicate made. The bag must have been left in the basement near my new’ hope chest when Uncle Wylie called me away. I wish some one would invent a handbag that a wo­ man couldn’t lose! The basement stairs, very narrow’ and steep, led from a door at the side of the front platform, the church be­ ing built back-to, in a way. I didn’t want any more complaints. I had' promised Bessie she’d have her key. I didn’t want to break my neck ei­ ther. I groped down a step or two, clinging to the stone wall. Then I decided it wras too precarious. The other match should last until I snat­ ched the bag and started back, so I struck it. The damp chill of that black little cellar penetrated by thin blue voile. Shivering, I hurried as best I could There w'eren’t many steps. The church had literally been built on a rock, so the floor was uneven, one end having a patch of dirt floor. A strong breeze come from some­ where. I remembered the chest was against the wall abutting the sea. I could reach it more easily by taking the he path around the cliff to the tiny basement door, but I knew’ that would be locked from the inside. I had told Uncle Wylie to lock up when he’d summoned me. He’d said he had and hung the entrance key where 1 had just found it. He was absent­ minded. but in emergency could be relied upon. Yet holding that tiny flame I could see that the basement door was open a crack and was wider—wider! Would the match last till I closed the door, locked it and found my bag? I measured the distance with my eye, approaching the while, and kicking at the door as I passed. From the darkness something twinkled at me. Was it a firefly? Another step. I held the flickering match closer. It couldn’t be! I was seeing things. A final spurt and the glow faded, burning my fingers. Automatically I dropped the match. The pain brought action. “You mustn’t faint! You mustn’t faint!” I kept telling myself. In utter darkness, with the moan of the sea and the creak of the door that would not stay closed unless locked, I stag­ gered for the stairs. Nothing on earth would have made me take the cliff path. It’s mighty lucky I didn’t as things eventuated. Finally I found the stairs, missed a. step and stumbled. Down, down, down I rolled to the bottom. Every second I expected some one to reach out and grab me. I scrambled to my feet, more careful this time, but sobbing till I made the main floor. Now the room seemed enormous. Was whoever was responible for what I’d seen beolw hiding behind one of those high wooden pews? What She Saw My skin prickled. The middle aisle —the door! I stumbled ahead, strain­ ing my eyes at the shadows. It was­ n’t a firefly I’d seen by the flickering match. From beneath the cover of the sea chest a dead white hand had protruded, and on it a huge square­ cut diamond had winked at me. I'd admired it—was it only yesterday Somebody was screaming terribly. Below a door banged. Blindly 1 bumped into a human being near the entrance, “Judy! Stop screaming! What’s the matter, child?” Thaddeus Quincy! In relief I grab­ bed at and nearly threw him. Not till afterwards, in the safety of my own room, did I pause to wonder how he’d ever managed to reach the spot where he stood unaided. “Quick!” I cried. “He’s after us!” ‘Who’s after who. What are you talking about?” I yanked at his arm, my one thought to get out of the church into the open. I’m ashamed to say I rac­ ed past him and let him find his way alone. It took him some time, to reach me, cowering by the outer door, while he sidled and minced and clung to the building for* sup­ port. I helped him into his chair. “Now then,” he yanted. “Who’s after us?” “The murderer. I—I heard it squeak.” “Are you crazy?” “The door, I mean. When he ran out of the cellar. After he killed Roddy Lane!” CHAPTER TWO We headed toward the inn, and all the while Mr. Qunicy was trying to get a coherent story out of me. “Are you sure the hand was Rod­ dy Lane’s!” “Positively. Who else wears such a big square diamond? Noticed it yes­ terday. The sun made it wink just as it did tonight.” “He had it coming to him!” You’d’ have thought Roddy was Public En­ emy No. 1 from Mr. Q. stone. We were abreast of the old fish­ er. house, where the light still gleam­ ed dimly. I stopped, panting. “He wouldn’t have a telephone, would he, Judy?” His cane pointed toward Brown’s. “Doubt it. Deaf the way he is. We’d better keep on to the inn.” It was uphill work and I was all out of breath from fright and hurrying so. “Well, take it easy. Rest a bit,” Mr. Q. said. Or maybe you’d better run along alone. Leave me here.” “Nothing doing!” I began to push again. Later I was to wish we’d stopped to break the news to Old Man Brown. But now we struggled on without speaking, though Mr. Q. reiterated. “Lane certainly had it coming to him." And I knew we were both thinking of the same thing — the scene at the inn the ev­ ening before. In a flash I could see our guests seated at the tables. I was helping our little high schooler serve, and wondering which, if one of them, had sent me the $800. “Cold Iamb or broiled mackerel?” (To be Continued) Kippen East W. I. The Kippen East W. I. met at the home of Mrs. Wm. Bell on Thursday evening, July Both, with a good at­ tendance. With the president presid­ ing, the meeting was opened by all singing the Institute Ode and re­ peating the Lord’s Prayer. The Bible reading by Mrs. I). Chappell was fol­ lowed by the story of the farm, read by Mrs. Bell, and Mrs. Wm. McLean read the story of the Wm. McGregor farm. Misses Iva Leary and Laura Dinnen sang and played a guitar ac­ companiment. Mr.’S. Whitmore, Reeve of Tucker­ smith, was the speaker for the even­ ing and gave a good description of the past and present work of the township council. The report of the meeting of the District Annual held at Kippen on June 6th, was given by the district representative, Mrs. H. Caldwell. Mrs. Jas. Smillie then' read a short poem entitled. “Just a Married Wo­ man.” The motto. “Patriotism is not Enough,” given by Mrs. H. 'Caldwell was very interesting and ably dealt with. Current events by Miss Laura Tremeer and a salad demonstration by Mrs. Glen McLean were both in­ teresting items o fthe program. Miss­ es Leary and Dinnen gave another musical number which was much en­ joyed. The roll call was well re­ sponded to by the name of a former Reeve. • A vote of thanks to Mrs. Bell and Mr. Whitmore and others taking part in the program and the singing of the National Anthem closed the, meeting. A splendid lunch was j served by the committee and a social r time was spent. I “Mrs. Jones,” said the annoyed woman to her neighbor, “I make no | complaint about your Alf copying my Percy’s sums at school, but I do think it’s time to say something when your boy starts ’Itting my boy when the answers ain’t right,” A, B, C’s of Advertising Authoritatively analyzed appeal, ably and appropriately arranged, at­ tracts attention. Bombastic blarney, boastful brag­ gadocio, bizarre blandishments, bab­ bling banter, bespeak banality. Bril­ liant brevity, becomingly beautified, begets belief, brings better business, builds bigger bank balances. Careless construction causes cal­ amity. Cautious craftsmen create carefully composed copy. Color characteristically conceived, captures casual crowds. Candoi’ carries con­ viction, conveys clear conception creates confidence, commands co-ef- ficient co-ordination - CLOSES. Dependable dealer distribution de­ mands distinctively dominant display Decorative detail, denoting dignity, develops desideratum. Extravagant embellishment, exag­ gerated expression, excessive exploi­ tation, engenders enmity, Education­ al evidence, earnestly expressed, es-' tablishes esteem. Fluent, fluffy folderol, flagrantly fallacious, foretells failure. Feasible facts, fascinatingdy featured, foster familiarity, further fidelity, fashion favorabe friendships. Glittering generalities grief. Genuine genius, garbed, generates good-will. .Hackneyed harangue hinders. Hon­ esty hastens habit. We will print further “A B C’s of Advetrising” in our next issue. Re­ read the foregoing eight paragrapns. Doctor : “You must avoid all forms of excitement." Male patient: “But doctor—can’t I even look at them on the street?” —Log o—o—o “What do you think is the trouble with farming?” “Well,” replied Farmer Bentover, “in my day when we talked about what we could raise on sixty acres, we meant corn — not loans. its agin the law to use a gun . . ... The best way to HUNT CUSTOMERS is to use THE TIMES-ADVOCATE It wouldn’t do to take a gun to go out for customers. Hunting customers requires a clever technique, but some business men are blind in their search for more business. They arc blind to the fact that advertising is good business. The investment in space in the columns of The Times-Advocate is an investment which will return quickly and many times over in an increased sales vol­ ume. Form the habit of keeping the news of your business befor the public through The Times-Advocate. Our readers are quick to take advantage of shopping oppor­ tunities. Your business will increase and more trading will be done at home by the shoppers. It is more convenient to trade at home - - - Readers of the home-town paper patronize our advertisers. You don’t need a license to adver­ tise. Just phone us. We’ll be glad to help you solve your advertising problems. Exeter Times-Advocate EXETER PHONE 31w Quidnunc There are 30,386,643 non-Chris- tian people in North America; also, 75,000,000 Protestants; 40,000,000 Roman Catholics and 1,000,000 Or­ thodox Catholics — a total of 11G,- 000,000 Christians. Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, is one of the most beautiful cities in South America. The popuation of the city proped is more than 150,- Oou. It is connected with La Quail's the nearest seaport (just sevn miles distant by air line) by a railroad 23 miles long and one of the finest motor roads in the world, 25 miles long. Caracas is slightly more than 2,500 feet above sea level. The alti­ tude gives the city a more tempor- ate climate than found at sea level. While the Negro vote in the Unit­ ed States is traditionally Republican it is estimated that 60 per cent, of the negro vote was democratic in 1932 1936. this grew to 80 percent, in Forecasters predict that n a national election were held in 193 9 the percentage would be Demoncra- 1 tic, 62 percent.; Republican 31 per- ■ eent.; Socialist, 7 percent. . | The combined hospital facilities of germinate ■ the City of New York is 20,000 beds, gaudlessly i In one year, there were 340,168 pa- 1 tients. Two of the speediest passenger (elevators (lifts) in the world are in the RCA building, New York City. They travel at the rate of 1,400 ft. a minute. The average family has their radio turned on about five hours a day — according to a nation survey .cover­ ing more than twenty million indi­ viduals and more than four million different radios. It has been estimated that one In every four persons divorced in the United States marry again in less than one year, nearly one-third are married again in two years and four out of five marry in five years. Alaska, Hawaii, Philippine Islands and Puerto Rico are each represented in the Congress of the United States by one Delegate or Resident Com­ missioner. We join the many Zurich friends of Mr. and Mrs. John Gallman, of Pigeon, Mich., an.d former residents of Zurich. On July 20th Mr. Gallman celebrated his 90tli birthady and on July 27th they will celebrate their 65 th wedding anniversary. This grand old couple are enjoying mar­ velous good health for their age, and have good facilities, read the paper daily and fully enjoy the blessings bestowed on them by Providence.— Zurich Herald. W Exeter Qffmra-Abiijjcatr Established 1873 and 1887 at Exeter, Ontario Published every Thursday moraim? SUBSCRIPTION-—$2.00 per year in advanceRATES-—Farm or Real Estate for sale 50c. each insertion for tlrBt 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. Card of Thanks 50c. Legal ad­ vertising 12 and 8c. per line. Ii Memoriain, with one verse 50c. extra verses 25c. each. Member of The Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Professional Cards GLADMAN & STANBURY (F. W. Glad in an) BARRISTER, SOLICITOR, &c Money to Loan, Investments Made * Insurance Safe-deposit Vaults for use of our Clients without charge EXETER and HE NS ALL CARLING & MORLEY ‘ BARRISTERS, SOLICITORS, LOANS, INVESTMENTS, . INSURANCE Office; Carling Block, Mjain Stree\ EXETER, ONT. Dr. G. F. Roulston, L.D.S.,D.D.S. DENTIST Office; Carling Block EXETER, ONT. dosed Wednesday Afternoon* Dr. H. H. COWEN, L.D.S.,D.DS. DENTAL SURGEON Office opposite the Post Office, Main Street, Exeter Office 36w Telephones Res. 38j Closed Wednesday Afternoons ARTHUR WEBER LICENSED AUCTIONEER > For Huron and Middlesex FARM SALES A SPPiGT AT/py 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 138 USBORNE & HIBBERT MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY Head Office, Exeter, Ont. President ........... JOHN HACKNEY Kirkton, R. R. 1 Vice-President .... JOHN McGRATH Dublin, Ont. DIRECTORS W.. H.. COATES .................. Exeter ANGUS SINCLAIR ... Mifbhell, R. 1 WM. HAMILTON ... Cromarty, R. 1 T. BALLANTYNE ... Woodham, R. 1 AGENTS JOHN ESSERY ------------ Centralia ALVIN L. HARRIS ... Mitchell R. 1 THOS. SCOTT .................. Cromarty SECRETARY-TREASURER B. W. F. BEAVERS .............. Exeter GLADMAN & STANBURY Solicitors, Exeter Lumber Shingles Our Prices are the Lowest they have been for several years. If you ate building it will pay you to call and get prices. Just think Matched Lumber at $35.00 per M. feet - A. J. CLATWORTHY Phone 12 Granton We Deliver DEAD LIVESTOCK 'R&'toOVtd Phone Exeter 235, Collect DAY OR NIGHT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK Our drivers are equipped to shoot Old or cripplod animals DARLING and Cd. of Canada, Ltd. CHATHAM, ONT.