Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1919 — GREEN FANCY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GREEN FANCY

By GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON

AMtr “GRAUSTARK." “THE HOLLOW OF HER HAND,—THE PRINCE OF GRAUSTARK.” ETC.

C-nii/~h- D»M lUJwlCwmt. Im. SYNOPSIS CHAPTER I-Thomw K- _ B * r ”** wealthy New Yorker, on a walking trip through New England, la caught m » storm miles from his destination. At a crossroads point he meets a girt in the same plight While they discuss the situation an automobile, sent to meet tne girl, arrives and Barnes Is given a lift to Hart’s tavern, while the girl is t**®" on to her destination, which she tells Barnes is a place called Green Fancy. CHAPTER n-At the tavern Barnes falls In with a stranded troupe of “barnstorming" actors, headed by Lyndon Rulhcroft, and becomes interested in them. CHAPTF*R TH—As the storm grows, Barnes finds himself worrying over the safety of the girl, traveling over the mountain roads at what he considers danRrous speed. He learns tnat Green tncy is something of a house of mystery. Two mounted men leave the tavern tn a manner which arouses Barnes curiosity. CHAPTER TV—He meets “Miss Thackeray,” leading lady of the stranded theatrical troupe, who Is acting as chambermaid. That night he Is aroused by the bringing of a dying man to the tavern, one of the two who had ridden away a short time before. They tell of finding the dead body of the other man. Both had been shot. CHAPTER V—The wounded man, registered at the tavern as Andrew Paul, dies, and Barnes is Informed he must not leave until after the inquest. O’Dowd and De Soto, guests at Green Fancy, visit the tavern, apparently much mystified over the affair. CHAPTER VT—Barnes advances Rushcroft money sufficient to release the company from its embarrassing position, thereby becoming Its official backer. 'He vlslft Green Fancy, and In the grounds meets his acquaintance of the night before, finding her a girl of surprising beauty. CHAPTER VTl—She seems not to be desirous of recognizing him, and turns away. ‘O'Dowd appears and In apparently friendly fashion escorts Barnes (who feels he is unwelcome) from the grounds. CHAPTER VlH—Miss Thackeray warns Barnes that a man stopping at the tavern, ostensibly a book agent, had searched his baggage in his absence. O’Dowd comes to and with Barnes and others goes over the scene of the previous night’s shooting. Barnes is invited to dinner at Green Fancy. CHAPTER DC—His acquaintance of the storm is introduced as Miss Cameron. The makeup of the house party, particularly a man introduced to him as ’Loeb,’ and the number of manservants about the place, Somewhat astonishes Barties. “So fer as I know. He left three little kids. They was all here with their mother jest after the house was finished.” “They will probably come into this property when Mr. Curtis dies,” said

Barnes, keeping the excitement out of his voice. “More’n likely.” “Was he very feeble when you saw him last?”

"I aYn’t seen him in more’n six months. He was failin’ then. That’s why he went to the city.” “Oh. I see. You did not see him when he arrived the last of March F* “I was visit in’ my sister up in Hornvllle when he come back unexpectedlike. This ijiot Loeb says he wrote me to meet 'em at Spanish Falls but I never got the letter. Like as not the durn fool got the address wrong. I didn’t know Mr. Curtis was home till I come back from my sister's three days later. I wouldn't ’a’ had it happen fer fifty dollars.” Peter’s tone was convincingly doleful. “And he has been confined to his room ever since? Poor old fellow! It’s hard, Isn’t It?” ‘lt sure Is. Seems like he’ll never be able to walk ag’ln. I was talkin’ to his nurse only the other day. He says it’s a hopeless case.” “Fortunately bis sister can be here with him.” “By gosh, she ain’t nothin’ like him,” confided Peter. “She’s all fuss an’ feathers an’ he is jest as simple as you er me. Nothin’ fluffy about him, I c’n tell ye.” He sighed deeply. "I'm jest as well pleased to go as not,” he went on. “Mrs. Collier’s got a lot o’ money of her own, an’ she’s got highfalutin* New York Ideas that don’t seem to Jibe with mine.” Long before they came to the turnpike, Barnes had reduced his hundred and one suppositions to the following concrete conclusion: Green Fancy was no longer in the bands of its original owner for the good and sufficient reason that Mr. Curtis was dead. The real master of the house was the man known as Loeb. Through O’Dowd he had leased the property from the widowed daughter-in-law, and had established himself there, surrounded by trustworthy henchmen, for the purpose of carrying out some dark and sinister project. “I suppose Mrs. Collier has spent a great deal of time up here with her brother.” “First time she was ever here, so far as I know,” said Peter, and Barnes promptly took up his weaving once more. With one exception, he decided, the entire company at Green Fancy was Involved In the conspiracy. The exception was Miss Cameron. It was quite clear to him that she had been misled or betrayed into her present position; that a.trap had been set for her and she had walked Into It blindly, trustingly. This would seem to establish, beyond question, that her capture and detention was vital to the interests of the plotters; otherwise she would not have been lured to Green Fancy under the Impression that she was to find herself among friends and supporters. Supporters 1 That word started a new train es thought He could hardly wait for the story that was to fall from her Ups. “By the way, Peter, It has Just occurred to me that I may be able to give you a Job In case you are let out by Mr. Curtis. I can’t say definitely until I have communicated with my sister, who has a summer home In the Berkshlres.” “I’ll be much obliged, sir. Course I won’t say a word. Will I find you at the tavern If I get my walkin’ papers soon?” “Yes. Stop in to see me tomorrow If you happen to be passing.” Barnes said good nlfrht to the man and entered the tavern a few minutes later. Putnam Jones was behind the desk and facing him was the little book agent. “Hello, stranger,” greeted the landlord. “Been sashaying in society, hey? Meet my friend Mr. Sprouse, Mr. Barnes. Sic-em, Sprouse! Give him the Dickens I” Mr. Jones laughed loudly at his own jest Sprouse shook hands with his victim. “I was just saying to our friend Jones here, Mr. Barnes, that you look Uke a more than ordinarily intelligent man and that if I had a chance to buzz with you for a quarter of an hour I could present a proposition —” “Sorry, Mr. Sprouse, but it Is halfpast eleven o’clock, and I am dog-tired. You will have to excuse me.” “Tomorrow morning will suit me,” said Sprouse cheerfully, “if it suits you.”

CHAPTER XI. Mr. Sprouse Abandons Literature at an Early Hour In the Morning. After thrashing about in his bed for seven sleepless hours, Barnes arose and gloomily breakfasted alone. He was not discouraged over his failure to arrive at anything tangible in the shape of a plan of action. It was inconceivable that he should not be able in very short order to bring about the release of the fair guest of Green Fancy. Therb was not the slightest doubt in his mind that international affairs of considerable Importance were Involved and that the agents operating at Green Fancy were under definite orders. Mr. Sprouse came into the dining room as he was taking his last swallow of coffee. “Ah, good morning,” was the bland little man’s greeting. “Up with the lark, I see. Mind if I sit down here and have my eggs?” He pulled out a chair opposite Barnes and coolly sat down at the table. “You can’t sell me a set of Dickens at this hour of the day,” said Barnes sourly. “Besides, I’ve finished my breakfast Keep your seat.” He started to rise. “Sit down,” said Sprouse quietly. Something in the man's voice and manner struck Barnes as oddly compelljpg. .He hesitated a second and then resumed his seat. “I’ve been investigating you, Mr. Barnes.” said the little

man. unsmlllngly. “Don’t get sore. There are a lot of things that you don’t know, and one of them is that I don’t ■ell books for a living. It’s something of a aide line with »«." He leaned forward. "I shall be quite frank with you, sir. I am a secret service man. Yesterday I went through your effects upstairs, and last night I took the liberty of spying upon you, so to speak, while you were a guest at Green Fancy.” “The deuce you Bay!" cried Rarnee. “We will get right down to tacks.* said Sprouse. “My government—which Isn’t yours, by the way—sent me up here five weeks ago on a certain undertaking. I am supposed to find out what Is hatching up at Green Fancy. Having satisfied myself that you are not connected with the gang up there I cheerfully place myself in your hands, Mr. Barnes. You were at Green Fancy last night. So was I. You had an advantage over me, however, for you were on the inside and I was not.” - “Confound your Impudence! I —" “One of my purposes In revealing myself to you, Mr. Barnes, Is to warn you to steer clear of that crowd. You may find yourself In exceedingly hot water later on If you don’t. Another purpose, and the real one. Is to secure, if possible, your co-operation In beating the game up there. You can help me, and In helping me you may be Instrumental In righting one of the gravest wrongs the world has ever known.” “Will you be good enough, Mr. Sprouse, to tell me just what you are trying to get at? I know nothing whatever against Mr. Curtis and his friends. You assume a great deal—” “Excuse me, Mr. Barnes. Hl admit that you don’t know anything against them, but you suspect a whole lot. To begin with, you suspect that two men were shot to death because they were In wrong with someone at Green Fancy. Now I could tell you who these two men really were and why they were shot. But I sha’n’t do anything of the sort —at least not at present.”, Barnes was Impressed. “Perhaps you will condescend to tell me who you are, Mr. Sprouse. lam very much In the dark.” “I am a special agent—but not a spy, sir—of a government that Is friendly to yours. I am known is Washington. My credentials are not to be questioned. At present it would be unwise for me to reveal the name of my government. I dare say if I can afford to trust you, Mr. Barnes, you can afford to trust me. There is too much at stake for me to take the slightest chance with any man. I am ready to chance you, sir, if you will do the same by me.” “Well,” began Barnes deliberately, “I guess you will have to take a chance with me, Mr. Sprouse, for I refuse to commit myself until I know exactly what you are up to.” "In the first place, Mr. Barnes,” said Sprouse, salting, his eggs, “you have been thinking that I was sent down from Green Fancy to spy on you. Isn’t that so?” “I am answering no questions, Mr. Sprouse.” (TO BE CONTINUED.)

"She’s a Widder Now. Her Husband Was Killed In the War."