The Carter Express. (Carter, Okla.), Vol. 11, No. 34, Ed. 1 Friday, November 12, 1920 Page: 3 of 8
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THE CARTER EXPRESS
Mystery of
Hartley
House
By CLIFFORD S. RAYMOND
Dluitrated by Irwin Myen
CopfiijKt bjr Ceorif H. Doran Co.
THAT’S DOBSON.
Bynopats. - Dr. John Mlchelson,
Just beginning his career, becomes
resident pbyslalun and companion
of Homer Kidney at Hartley hoaae.
Mr. Sidney is an American, a semi-
Invalid, old and rich and very do-,
elroua to Uvo. Mr*. Sidney la a
Spanish woman, dignified and reti-
cent. Jed, the butler, acts like a
privileged ‘member of the family.
Hartley houae la a fine old Isolated
country place, with a murder story,
a "haunted pool,” and many watch-
dogs, and an atmosplisre of mys-
tery, The "haunted pool" le where
Richard Dobson, son of a former
owner ef Hartley house, had killed
his brother, Arthur Dobeon, Jed
begins operations by locking the
doctor In his room the very first
night. Doctor John fixes his door
no lie can't be locked In. He meets
Isobci, daughter of the house and
falls In love at first sight. In the
night he finds the butter drunk and
holding Mrs. Sidney by the wrist.
He Interferes. Mrs. 8ldney mokes
light of It. John buys a revolver.
John overhears Jed telling Mrs.
Sidney he will have his way. In
reply she saya she will not hesitate
to kill him. Mrs. Sidney asks John
to consent to the announcement of
his engagement to Ieobel. The
young people consent to the make-
believe engagement. Later they
find It Is to head off Jed, who
would marry Iaobel. Jed tries to
kill John, but the matter Is
smoothed over, John, though "en-
gaged" to Ieobel, conceals his love.
CHAPTER IV—Continued.
—5—
Our charming old gentleman could
not go through the entire Institution,
and the warden led him to the most
accessible parts of the Interesting
plnce. We saw the rattan-chair works
and the honor men In the gardens. We
also took one glance at a tier of cell-
houses and peeped Into the dining-hall
and Into the chapel,
The warden would hare had us stay
to dinner.
1 hud to forbid this. It would have
been too much of a physical strain
upon Mr. Sidney, I knew that the lit-
tle diversion was Interesting him, and
I was glad to have him Interested, but
J did not wartt to tax his strength.
“I’m the doctor’s servant," he said.
*TU look Into the library If you don’t
mind, warden, and then we’ll obey the
physician."
Warden Williams led us to the li-
brary, which contained a large col-
lection of books. An elderly convict
wps engaged in cataloguing some new
volumes which hod Just been taken
out of boxes. He was Interested and
paid no attention to us.
Mr. Sidney looked at bltn for a few
minutes.
"What did you say was his crimef
he asked of the warden.
“That’s Dobson," said Mr. Williams.
"You must know his story. He Is the
man who killed his bfother. You are
living In the Dobson house."
I looked at the frail, white-haired
man with a sudden shock of Interest
This w„s the man who had created the
ghost story at Hartley house. He was
fumbling registry cards and writing on
them. He was frail and Insignificant
He had been once, by legend, a sturdy,
muscular, cruel brute. He was now
feeble and Interested tn cataloguing.
Mr. Sidney looked about the room.
•Thls-ddoes not seem to be so well
protected as the other parts of the
prison," he said. • •
“It Is not thought necessary,” said
the warden. “Escape from here might
not be Impossible for an agile man. It
Is not Impossible from any part of the
prison. It can only be made Improb-
able. It would* be easier from here,
but still dlflleult But this old man
would be in a harder prison of depri-
vation and friendlessness outside than
he Is luslde."
“Do you mean that be is the man
who made the ghost story I bought
with my house?” Mr. Sidney asked.
“That's all there Is human of your
ghost story," said the warden.
"It is more than most ghost stories
.luive," said Mr. Sidney.
CHAPTER V.
1 could not believe the slightest par-
ticle In the ghost story. I am ration-
alistic. But as the legend of the pond
took shape, my Imagination began to
give substance to Its shadows.
Vet the place was genial and cordial.
Mr. Sidney’s Joviality wns the dom-
inant note In the house. An aging sick
man might mi rurally have been testy.
ll<- might have been Impatient, have
!, <i whims n;id crochets. Ho might
luma I nisei hie In his demands
upon and acceptance of service. But
Mr. Kidney wns always cordial and
considerate. A grAit deul of the time
he spent In bed. When he wns not in
bed, he sal In a great cliulr, and very
often a yellow Persian cat rested on
his knees. It was a difficult If not
dangerous mutter for noy one else than
Mr. Sidney to touch the cut, named,
Algol. .
"The Winking Demon." said Mr.
Sidney, fingering the cat’s ru(P as IF
lay or. bin lap, and purred. I knew Just
enough of the star Algol and Its vari-
ability to understand the whimsicality
of an old iiitin’s naming a cat for the
winking sun, Algol In Mr. Sidney’s
lap blinked at me, and the old man's
genius for understanding und classi-
fication seemed uncanny.
Mr, Sidney’s roam whs of great else.
It had two fireplaces Mid a liirge cove
of windows bulging toward Ihe west.
At the smaller of the two fireplaces
he had Ids brenkfast, Either at the
lafge fireplace or In the outward bulge
of windows, he had his dinner.
In spile of Ihu Persian cat, Mr. Sid-
ney had three cunnrles In the room.
Algol respected them after u fashion
that 1 thought uncertain. I have seen
u canary sitting on (he cat’s head, but
I thought It wns a decided case of mis-
placed confidence. Algol wanted that
canary and would continue to want It.
He was deterred from natural action
In the rnntter by his affection for the
strauge hut kindly master who want-
ed cats and canaries (o live together In
amity
I know 1 never fully grasped Mr.
Sidney’s scheme of life, bat I thought
that he found existence Ironic. His
gruclousness and his cheerfulness, I
thought, represented the garlands of
his conquest of morbidity. His per-
sonal charm was extraordinary. Every
one In the house felt It. But on aston-
ishing thing about Mr. Sidney was an
occasional emotion which, as It mani-
fested Itself In his expressions—and
that wns the only fashion I saw it for
a long time—was one of savage hnte.
It was only by coming on him when
he was not expecting me that I saw
this. 1 remember that the first time
I aaw the expression on his face I was
dumfounded. That I was not expected
In his room was entirely without Inten-
tion on my part. People who were ac-
customed to being with him walked
Into the room without ceremony. His
bedroom aud bath were to one side.
His living-room he Insisted should be
open without formality.
On the occasion I speak of I had come
in quietly, but It was without Intention
to surprise iny pattern. He was sitting
In his large chair with Algol on his
knees. His eyes were closed, and on
his fare was an expression of malevol-
ence that was almost demoniac. It
was so startling that the sight of if
stopped me in my step and made me
feel mdre than uneasy, almost afraid.
Mr. Sidney was quiet, except that with
one hand he stroked Algol about the
head nnd ears. The caress was al-
most Imperceptible In motion, but Al-
gol wns purring so loudly that the
sound filled the otherwise quiet room.
The malevolence—the malignancy,
hatred, concentrated essence of feroc-
ity—In Mr. Sidney’s face would have
stopped anyone. To one who had af-
fection for him as I had, It was ab-
horrent to see him so. It was a con-
fession of something I did not want
fo know.
1 was In fear that he might hear me
and, opening his eyes, find that I had
discovered him. I was embarrassed
Rnd uncertain what to do. It was a
silly predicament, as I saw afterward.
My part was quite simple. I should
have paid no attention to any such
phenomenon as the expression on a
man’s face and have acted perfectly
naturally.
The common-sense thing—and I con-
sider myself fairly sensible—was ap-
parent afterward. It Indicates the as-
tonishing shock of the thing that I was
unable to act sensibly. What was the
expression In an amiable, charming
man’s face, to knock a sensible person
out of all his senses? Here was a
dozing man merely toying with a cat’s
ears, nnd the very sight of whaf was
expressed In his face, made me numb.
I cannot understand It now, the ter-
rifying sensation being one which dis-
appeared as the recollection of the
emotions faded. What I did was to
batk toward the door, open It as quiet-
ly as I could, back out. and then re-
enter the room noisily,
Mr. Sidney was looking at me smil-
ingly. His charm of manner never
seemed more positive and active.
"Hello, doctor 1” he said. "I needed
company and Just your company. If
yon would only drink wine I"
A broken pipe In the Inundry made
It necessary to call a plumber from
Hartley, nnd to get quick service, It
was agreed that we should send a car
for the man and his helper.
The day wns pleasant, nnd for the
sake of the drive I went with the
driver. The plumber was a fat man
of the comic type. I thought he must
he the embodiment of all the plumbers'
Jokes. They seemed to have created
him; he was the product of the comics.
I even asked him If he were sure he
had all his tools. I thought he would
be sure to send us back for a wrench.
He was amiaole, laughed at anything
or nothing and was saved from being
s nuisance only by an abounding ani-
mal optimism which was Infectious.
Driving through the Hartley house
grounds, we came to the pool, and the
plumber—nanyal Horktna—chuckled.
Thus far, whgpevcr he or something
else unused hliu, he had laughed. Now
he chudkled aa If In recollection of aa
experience richer or deeper than any
he had been talking of.
"Tlitft plnce Is‘going fo lie reniem-
berod by me," ho wild. "I have Iwet)
out hare.only bore Since the night I
mnde a bet 1 was not afraid to alt on
the bank here °fo» on hour. They've
got u good many atorlea of this place
In town. 1 had been drinking a little.
I don't do It steady, but once In a while
I get out. You’ve got to do It to keep
the house going happy. Give the wife
something to talk about. My wife
would rather scold mo than eat, und
she Icvea her food.
"We were at the White Pigeon, hav-
ing a good time but thinking of going
home, when some one started on this
Hartley house story. Everybody had
something to sny, nnd I said thut there
wns no ghost that could scare me, at
least no ghost that ever was within a
hundred miles of Hartley. That's
where I made a fool of myself. I’ve
got to admit that’s where I made a
fool of myself.
"I bet five dollars I would sit an
hour on the bnnk at this place. I for-
got nil about Ihe dogs, or Td not have
made the bet. Anyway, they didn't
bother me. We got an automobile and
drove out here. The fellows left me
st the pool nnd went a mile back.
They were going to take my word for
tt. I was to stay an hour and then
start walking back. At the end of an
hour they would start toward me and
pick me up. They had beer and sand-
wiches, 1 had a couple of bottles aud
some cheese nnd crackers.
"I wasn't afraid of that place. I’m
not afraid of any place unless I get
to thinking about this one. It wua
along lu October. A hoot-owl wtbJ
somewhere back of me, and there was
a whippoorwill up toward the house.
"I'm used to hoot-owls and whip-
poorwills, but I hadn't drunk wore
than half a bottle of beer before even
these things began to sound dlffe -ent.
"The current of the river kept •mock-
ing at' the big rock at the up end of
the pool, and you began to think that
things were reaching for you out of
the dark. I'd have given ten dollars to
quit, but I got so that I didn’t \»ant to
move. I felt safer sitting still.
"Then 1 began to hear things that I
don’t suppose were making a noise at
all. It may be It was rabbits In the
bush. I nearly died when I heard a
cry about fifty feet back of me. I did
hear ihat. I guess a ferret had got a
rabbit. You know how a rabbit cries
—like a baby.
“I was sitting In the open, and I
thought Td feel better If I got my back
up against something. So I crawled
over to some bashes and sat down be-
hind them.
“Maybe 1 had been there a half an
hour, feeling scary and uncomfortable,
when I heard a regular yell. There
wasn’t' any fooling about that It
sounded like some one being hurt hut
yelling not so much because of the
hurt os because he was mad.
"You've heard fellows talking about
their hair standing on end. I never
knew what It really meant' before, but
my hair Just stood right up. I felt
like some one wns trying to scalp me,
and I was gooseflesh all over,
"It had been dark on account of
clouds, but Just then the moon came
out and lighted up the place. There
was a man standing on the edge of the
pool, just about where I had been sit-
ting. He was leaning with both hands
on a cane and standing perfectly still.
He didn’t seem like a man. He looked
like one, but you had a feeling that he
wasn't one.
"I don't want ever to be so scared
again. I didn't know who had yelled,
but I thought this man had, and I
didn't think he wns a man. I thought
he was a ghost. I’m not saying what
I think now, but If I bad to, I’d say
that I saw the ghost of this place—
and anybody that wants to laugh can
laugh. Re can come down here at
night and get cured of laughing.
"I couldn’t move for a while. The
man stood still, leaning on his cane.
I watched him until I began to feel
that I could use my legs again. I
don’t know why I was so scared, but I
was. I crawled nway through the
brush for a hundred feet or so, Then
1 got up and ran.
“I heard that yell behind me again
I’ll bet nobody around here ever ran a
mile as fast as I did. I scared the
fellows who, werf waiting for me. They
didn’t poke any fun at me. They
looked at me and got that automobile
started. I paid the bet, but they didn’t
have any laugh on me. There Isn’t
one of them would come down here at
night now."
“When was this?" I asked.
“Four or five years ago," said the
plumber. "Some time In October."
We came to the house, and he went
Into the laundry to fix the pipes.
“It doesn't look haunted around
here." he said as he perceived the
tangible Joviality of the place, “but
you’ve got to get me out before dark."
That was virtually the complete sub-
stance of the Hartley house ghost—
the picture of a man leaning on a cane
by the edge of the river. Roreancf
hud to be content with It.
• ♦ « • • * •
One evening In late October, which
had turned chill nnd brought up a high
wind, Mr, Sidney produced a new
phenomenon. He had a strange flash
of strength. When 1 went to his room
after dinner I found hliu walking about
without help. Ordinarily, If he walked
at all, Jed was his strength.
"Occasionally I can do It, doctor,” he
said. “The strength comes. I usual-
ly pay for It next day, however." *
"I'd l>e very careful, then," I sug-
gested.
"Yes, hut you do not know how
grateful It Is to feel vigor once lu a
while," he said, continuing to walk
forth and back In the room.
I sat down nnd watched him without
remonstrating. It was astonishing to
see him so agile nnd strong hut 1 hnd
learned that timid prudence was very
Ineffective. 1 hud confessed my Inabil-
ity to understand hlin.
He did not seem to want to contluue
life for the purpose of preserving Its
sensations but for the punio.se of some
accomplishment. His conditions were
so pleasant that tt might he reasonable
to desire n prolonging of them, Evt-
dently he wns not set upon that, He was
not trying to accomplish anything. He
did nothing. He had no unfinished
work. And yet Ills will to live, I knew,
was a will to see the fruit of some-
thing. He seemed to have a spiritual
Incentive; something that had other
than a physical Impulse controlled him
and gave him resolution.
I was marveling at his strange ac-
tivity when Isobel nnd Mrs. Sidney
came In. Mr. Sidney proposed whist,
and we began h game. The wind In-
creased In violence, and the log fire
grew In comfort. We had a pleasant
game, disturbed for me only by specu-
lations as to the cause of Mr. Sidney’s
strange animation aud strength.
Shortly after ten o’clock the ladles
said good night, and Jed came In with
a fresh log for the fire. The wind had
been Increasing in volume, sound and
power. I was thinking of bed.
“Sit a while longer, doctor," Mr. Sid-
ney urged. "Jed and I shall he the
better for some other company. This
Is the sort of night we like to sit up to
enjoy. Esthetlcally one ought to make
the most of such a night.”
Jed went out and presently cume in
again with two bottles of wine.
“Wbat are we drinking tonight
Jed?" Mr. Sidney asked.
"I thought the evening suggested a
warm sherry," said Jed.
"I think It does,” said Mr. Sidney,
“There Is body and a live soul In
sherry."
"But certainly," I suggested in
alarm, "you will not drink sherry."
“Indeed not," said Mr. Sidney. "Jed
drinks It for me, and I watch him. You
must have a glass with him—Just one.
He’ll have a dozen—I don’t ask you to
follow him—but Just one."
Jed opened a bottle, and when he
offered me a glass I yielded. 1 wanted
to Increase the sense of protective
comforts against that shrill wind out-
side.
Jed drew a comfortable chair close
to the fire and took his wine In large
but appreciative gulps. I took mine
In small but appreciative sips. The
fire roared, and the wind howled.
Jed, drinking by gulps, soon was ex-
hilarated. Mr. Sidney and I had been
rational. We hud been talking, I re-
call, of the substitution of a Syrian
Idea of Immortality, concerned chiefly
with precious metals and stones, for
the north European Idea of Valhalla,
when Jed began to sing, and with
gusto Hnd affection opened another
bottle of wine. The wind grew In vio-
lence.
“It Is a night for any of the living
dead about a place," I said.
“I like a wind that has many voices,"
said Mr. Sidney. “It produces certain
sensations or emotions chat are primi-
tive. It suggests a threat and Increases
the sense of shelter and comfort. We
sit like peasants about the fireplace
and are Inclined to legends."
“Only One Thing
Breaks My Gild”
“Thut'i Dr. Kind’s New DU-
corery, for Fifty Years
a Cold-Breaker”
'TMME-TRIED for fifty ytitg and
1 never more popular than today.
Nothing but the relief it givei from
stubborn old colda, and on-rushlng
new one*, grippe tnd throat-torturing
cough* could nave nude Dr. Klnga
New Dlicovery the standard remedy It
b today, No harmful drugi.
Always reliable, and good for the
whole family. Haa s convincing, heat-
ing taste with all iti good medicinal
qualities. At all druggists, 60 cents,
11.20 a bottle.
Far coldsandcccght
DtKing’S
New Discovery
1 Le Results of Constipation
are aick headaches, biliousness, aallow
akin, waste matter in the intestinal
system. Correct this health-under-
mining condition by taking Dr. King1*
Pills. Feel good every day. Keep
the system dean and virile. Samel
old price, 25 cents. All druggists.
f \ prompt/ Wont Griti
UrKtofrsPilb
r
Slo'd
Linimenti
is always ready to
ease rheumatism
« A T the very first twinge, down
** comes my bottle of 81oan’s;
then quick relief, without rubbini,
for it's stimulating and scatters
congestion. The hoys use it for
stiff muscles, and it helps Sally's
backaches, too.’’ 85c, 70c, $1.40.
CELEBMTE IMIS THE BR1ZEL WIT
OilyM"’-45-"
CetthUAuortmant
of FIREW0RK8
. Within theUw
igf*
f I
: I
K!
mr Christina* t
B0Y8! thl* ootat It
prepared MpeolellyUta-
- _-3lf you to celebrtte anal
Ohrlitmat this Mar. Thtt
esiwis
ll nle of firework*. Oonfl.t* of I
■ DACRl firMra/ikan 9 laroe 4-ft.
Bomb; Mi J»p lorpedoea; 1 colored Star
Bpleoe*of lunof a aun; Upleoaaof ruby »
tleceaof pennrfaakef; 12 onuy oraoker rtioif aa!
1 bundle ol punk. All complete la a neat wood box.
A da/t fun for the whole family. You oaa't beat It
tor variety, quantity, quality and prloe. Eipretf la
alow theee day* so better order now—don't wait. Oar
booklet of celebration good* free, tend tor U
BRAZEL NOVELTY MFC. CO.
IN* Ella Street Cincinnati. OhJa
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Happiness Not Found In Crowds.
Contact with great crowds Is no
guarantee of happiness. Almost every
man nt some time or another gets the
fever for the great city. If he could
only mingle with the crowds that
throng the streets nnd rub shoulders
with multitudes striving for success
or unlimited pleasures he would be
sure to revel In happiness. How rude
the awakening must be when he tries
IL The great city doesn’t know you
have entered It. You may be the
oracle of your own town but you may
stand on the street of the city and
watch the passers-by for hours at a
time and no one will Say n word to
you. There Is no more lonesome feel-
ing lu the world than that of feeling
yourself alone In the midst of people.
It’s as bad as being thirsty In the mid-
dle of the ocean. Crowds do not give
happiness.—Exchange.
The Spanish government will permit
experiments In tobeccr cultivation and
will Inspect the seeds and plants and
supervise the disposal of the crop.
Millions of people-grown folks and
ohlldrsn ailke—are bothered with ovsr-
sctlvs kldnoys either during the day or
st night
If you or your child are among those
affected with kidneys acting too fros-
ty or too often don't wait until some
serious kidney trouble develops but get
a bottle of Liquid Shu Make from the
drug store today and stop this disorder.
Druggists carry Liquid Shu Make or
will get tt tor you In small or largo else
bottles, so why not give this medlclus a
chance to relieve that ovaractlvs kldnev
eoadltlonl-Adv.
16799
DIED
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Cain, George W. The Carter Express. (Carter, Okla.), Vol. 11, No. 34, Ed. 1 Friday, November 12, 1920, newspaper, November 12, 1920; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc956280/m1/3/: accessed March 29, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.