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SYNOPSIS. ila Vance, with a hobby for solving oi becomes interested in the murders when District Attorney ham and Sgt. Heath are called he ar the fatal shooting of Julia and the wounding of her younger sister, Ada. Old Tobias Greene's widow, together with five children, Julia, Ches- ter. Sibella, Rex and Ada (adopted) live In the old Greene mansion, Police inves- 'tigations reveal nothing: then Chester B found shot dead seated in a chair in his room. Again footsteps are found to from the entrance of the mansion. Ada goes to Markham's office and in- forms him that Rex has not told all he knows. Five minutes later worl comes hat Rex has been ghot. A few hours later Dr.. Von Blon reports the theft of poison from his satchel. Vance examines the old Greene library. CHAPTER XXVII.-- (Cont'd.) Vance struck match after match as he carefully inspected the tops of the books, beginning at the highest shelf and systematically: scrutinizing the volumes of each row. He had reached the second shelf from the floor when he bent over curiously and gave a sec- ond long look at two thick gray vol- umes. Then, putting out the match, he took the volumes to the window. "The thing is quite mad," he re- marked, after a brief examination. "These are the only books within arm's reach of the chair that have been handled recently. And what do you think-they are? An old two- volume edition of Prof. Hans Gross' Handbuch fur Untersuchungsrichter se System der Kriminalistik,' or--lo slaw the title loosely into the vulgate 'A Handbook on the Criminal Beiences for Examining Magistrates'." He gave Markham a look of face- fous reproach. "I say, you haven't, by any chance, been spending your pights in this library learning how to nallyrag suspects?" Markham ignored his levity. He ACHES and Pains easily . relieved Aspirin will relieve your suffering harmlessly -and in a hurry Swallow a tablet in a little water. The pain is gone. It's as easy #3 that to be rid of the pain from an aching tooth; of head- ache from any cause. Muscular aches lue to rheumatism, lumbago; to colds or strains, are easily overcome. Those mexplained pains of women are soothed away in an instant, The modern way to relieve pain is with Aspirin. That is the way that podern medical men approve. They know Aspirin is safe--can do no harm. It does not depress the heart. You will always flud Aspirin in any frugstore, and if you read the proven firections and follow them you will Mways get relief, You will avoid lots ot suffering if yon just remember \bout Aspirin tablets. - Be sure you yet Aspirin and not a substitute. 'Aspirin" is a trade-mark registered im Canada. BY 8. S. VAN DINE. recognized the outward sign of Vance's inner uneasiness. "The apparently irrelevafit theme of the book," he returned, "might in- dicate a mere coincidence between the visits of some person to this room and the crimes committed in the house." Vance made no answer. He thought- fully returned the books to their place and ran his eye over the remaining volumes of the bottom shelf. Sudden- ly he knelt down and struck another match. "Here are several books out of place." 1 detected a subdued note of eagerness in his voice. "They be- long in other sections; and they've been crowded in here a little out of alignment." "Moreover, they're innocent of dust.|: +. + +» "Pon my soul, Markham, here's a coincidence for your skeptical legal mind! Lend an ear to these titles: 'Poisons: Their Effects and Detec- tion,' by Alexander Wynter Blyth, and 'Textbood of Medical Jurispru- dence, Toxicology, and Public Health,' by John Glaister, professor of forensic medicine at the University of Glas- gow. And here we have Friedrich Brugelmann's 'Uber hysteriche. Dam- merzustande," and Schwarzwald's 'Uber Hystero--Paralyse and Som- nambulismus.'--I say! That's deuced He rose and walkeC up and down agitatedly. "No--no; absolutely not," he mut- tered. "It simply can't be. ... Why should Von Blon lie to us about her?" We all knew what was in his mind. Even Heath sensed it at once, for, though he did not speak German, the titles of the two German books-- especially the lalter--needed no translation to be understood. Hys- teria and twilight sleep. Hysterical paralysis and somnambulism! The gruesome and terrible implication in these two titles, and their possible re- lation to the sinister tragedies of the Greene mansion, sent a chill of hor- ror over me. Vance stopped his restless pacing and fixed a grave gaze on Markham. "This thing gets deeper and deeper. Something unthinkable is going on here. Come let us get out of this pol- luted room. It has told us its gib- bering, nightmarish story. 'And now we will have to interpret it--find some glimmer of sanity in its black sugges- tions. Sergeant, will you draw the curtains while I straighten these books? We'd best leave no evidence of our visit," CHAPTER XXVIII, ( Wed., Dec. 1, 4.30 p.m.) When we returned to Mrs, Greene's room the old lady. was apparently sleeping peacefully and we did not disturb her. Heath gave the key to Nurse O'Brien with instructions to replace it in the jewel case, and we went downstairs. Although it was but a little past 4 o'clock, the early winter twilight had already descended. Sproot had not yet lighted the lamps, and the lower hall was in semi-darkness, A ghostly atmosphere pervaded the house Even the silence was oppressive, and seemed fraught with the spirit of commination. We went straight to the hall table where we had thrown our coats, eager to get out into the open air. But we were not to shake the de- pressing inuence of the old mansion so quickly, We had scarcely reached the table when there came a slight in Give ie Old Folks the best t by goin, Bg them Sor kis yaar. oar. Bojoy the by Soin § Jour or Shrjsumas sho Regular sailings throughout the Winter, the ®ly Country 'possible pping in London, G! Shopping rates still in ago | Brien the opposite to the drawing 'and a tense, whispered voice | "Mr. Vance--please!" + |. We turned, startled. There, just in- side of the reception room, hiding be- hind the heavy draperies, stood Ada, "her face a patch of ghastly white in| the gathering gloom. With one finger placed on her lips for silence, she beckoned to us; and we stepped softly into the chill, unused room. "There's something I must tell you," she said, in a half Whisper, "something terrible! I was going to telephone you today, but I was afraid. ++. A fit of trembling seized her. "Don't be frightened, Ada," Vance encouraged her soothingly. "Ina few days all these awful things will pe over, What have you to tell us?" She made an effort to draw herself | together, and when the tremor had' passed she went on hesitantly. "Last night--it was long ier mid- night--I woke, and felt hungry. So I got up, slipped on a wrap and stole downstairs. Cook always leaves some- thing in the pantry for me. . ." Again she stopped, and her haunted eyes searched our faces. "But when I reached the lower landing of the stairs 1 heard a soft, shuffling sound in the hall--far back, near the library decor. My heart was in my mouth, bat I made myself lcok over the banister: And just then--some one struck a match, . . J Her trembling began afresh, and she clutched Vance's arm with both hands. I was afraid the girl was go- ing to faint, and I moved closer to her; but Vance's voice seemed to steady her. "Who was it, Ada?" She caught her breath and looked about her, her face the picture of deadly fear. Then she leaned forward. "It was Mother! . . And she was walking!" The dread significance of this reve- lation chilled us all into silence, After a moment a choked whistle escaped Heath; and Markham threw back his head like a man shaking himself out of an. encroaching spell of hypnosis. It was Vance who first recovered him- self sufficiently to speak. "Your mother was near the library door?" "Yes; and it seemed as though she held a key in her hand." "Was she carrying anything else?" Vance's effort at calmness was only half suecessful. "I didn't notice--I was too terri- fied." "Could she, for instance, have been carrying a pair of goloshes?" he per- sisted. "She might have been. 1 don't know. She had on her long Oriental shawl, and it fell down about her in folds. Maybe under the shawl. . might have put them down when she struck the match. I only know I saw her--moving slowly. . . there in the darkness." The memory of that unbelievable vi- sion completely took possession of the girl, Her eyes stared, trance-like, into the deepening shadows. Markham cleared his throat nerv- ously. "You say yourself it was dark in the hall last night, Miss Greene. Per- haps your fears got the better of you. Are you sure it might not have been Hemming or the cook?" She brought her eyes back to Mark- ham with sudden resentment. "No!" Then her voice took on its | former note of terror. It was mother. The match was burning close to her face, and there was a terrible look in her eyes. I was only a few feet from her--Ilooking straight down on her." Her hold on Vance's arm tightened, and once more her agonized gaze turn- ed to him. "Oh, what does it mean? I thought mother could never walk again." Vance ignored her anguished ap- peal. "Tell me this, for it's very import- ant; did your mother see you?" "I--don't know." Her words were scarcely audible. "I drew back and ran softly up the stairs. Then I lock- ed myself in my room." Vance df not. speak at once. He regarded the girl for a moment, and then gave her a slow, comforting smile. "And I think your room is the best place for you now," he said. "Don't worry over what you saw; and keép what you have told us to yourself. There's nothing to be afraid of. Cer- tain types of paralytics have been known to walk in their sleep under the stress of shock or excitement. Anyway, we'll arrange for the new nurse to sleep in your room tonight." And with a friendly pat on the arm, he sent her upstairs, : After Heath had given Miss 0- instructions, we left the house and walked toward First Avenue. "Vance!" said Markham huskily. "We've got to move quickly, That Sen opens up new and fright- . Or sha! y iy. wits 5st T. eau " lite when dinner-tabie con: cross-examination of a reluctan| 'ness by "opposing counsel. 'average it takes four courteous in. quires," plus two maternal pleadings and one stern paternal admonition, information about some Inconsequen- Hal happening of the day. ¥ While I must confess that this "none of your business" attitude to- 'ward a natural interest in the do- ings of our offspring sometimes Ir- ritales me, it does not worry me at all; for I realize that the unneces- sary secretivenss of adolescence, and even fits deliberately provocative challenges to parental authority, are by-products of an entirely whole- some ins.inct, the absence of which in any of my children would serious- ly disturb my peace of mind. If the adult years are to be suc- cessful and happy, the adolescent period must be marked by the attain- ment of an.emotional independence, a new sense of individualism, an en- tity of existence which is self-con- scious and self-sustaining and not any longer rooted in the parental home. Therefore all normal young peoplé are egotistical; for the fuller realization of the I in them is a vitally necessary accomplishment of tLe transition stage between child- hood and maturity. That annoying son of mins fis too busy to analyze his present attitude, beyond concluding that he is old en- ough now to live his own life, make his own decisions, have his own pri- vate thoughts, and in general be treated like a man; but what he is really trying to do is to teach his individuality from us, so that instead of being "our son, William" he will be -- himself. "When the time comes, thou shalt let thy children g.." We children growing away from their dependence on us. Yet there comes a time when parents must do just that--for their children's sake. there is, of course, a chance 'that the children--wh», after all, are not nearly so competent to deal with life's problems as they think they are--may come to harm Thero is always the chance that any splendid adven'ure, like growing up, may go wrong. But if parental discipline is carried to the point where 'it stunts the new individualism of the teen age, then there is no question as to what will happen. The children will certainly coae to harm, So this is at on:e the hardest task and thy crucial tes: of parent- hood: not merely to let the chil dren go when we are forced to do so, but to face bravely and cheer- fully the fact that the time of their emancipatior. is at hand, and actual ly to help them break away from us. In a far greater number of In- stances, however, than is generally realized, parents never come to the point where they are willing to abdicate their authority. A daughter of 36 must telephone home if a thop- ping expedition takes a half-hour longer than was expected. A man of 50 is referred to by his father as "only a thoughtless boy." There are parents who would be very indign- ant if their love for their children were questioned, and yet are not wili- ing to sacrifice their own possessive pride and sense of power, so that their children may live their own lives in their own way. Conflicts between fathers and sons over matters of family - discipline have, in the aggregate, been respon- sible for a vast amount of sorrow, There are several ways in which such a struggle may issue. The ideal solution, of course, is for the two parties to talk the whole situation over, and, with mutual concessions, come to a satisfactory working agree- ient for the future. Sometimes the (son wins a victory which is too pre- 'mature and complete to be entirely safe for him. Sometimes the father wins a decisive victory, at the prob- able cost of a serious warping of his son's personality, More often, the son renders a submission which is only apparent; for the intinctive de- mand for independence is so ingist- ent that, if _denied recognition "at home, it will almost certainly seek clandestine forms of self-expression. The not uncommon type of adoles- cent love affair, at bottom, is often only a hastily and perhaps ously chosen device for escaping from parental control. Many a girl, es- pecially, rushes into" order to free Dome from what she in passing through that difficult Jorn of family to drag out of him a sketchy bit on % With any relaxing of . discipline, 'wedded lite, Marriage : ivi of of the Se i oands life from the parent to the Dates A man whose father or mother a success of the difficult business being a husband, and a comes to marriageable age sl stands very little chance of being able to adjust herself to living Te a man, And the tragedy of it les In. the most was to become free from their parents so that they might live their own lives, This is what my troublesome son wants at the present moment. What am I going to do about him? It would be foolish for a father to lose any sleep because a son in his teens dqes not always spring to at- tention when he is spoken to, or to suspect him of being hellbent be- cause he no longer tells everything that he does and thinks, or to let his own temper be ruined by the chronic all the clumsy, exaggerated and ir ritating manifestations of the revolt of youth, the worst thing that could happen would be for the revolt to tail, -So if this boy wants to follow his biggest brother on the varsity foot- ball team, I shall again take the chance of having son crippled in body, rather than risk crippling his spirit, If he wants to go to sea, he will not have to run away; for I shall try to find him as good a berth as i I did for his brother who shipped he- | fore the mast at the mature age of 16. If he falls in love with any girl whom I do not positively. know to be a moron or a jailbrid, I shall take a chance on her being as wonderful as he thinks she is, or if not, on his finding that out without my assis- tance. And whenever he shows that I am somewhat off the center of his cosmos, I shall take a chance or my new position being the ideal one for me to occupy. For, if he is ever going to make 'anything out of his life, he must learn how to solve his own problems; he must take his own risks and suf- fer for his own mistakes; he must pick his own chums, choose his own Job, marry his own wife, and livs in his own home In a word, "my son" must change into a man; and, be cause no one becomes a man over night, I agree with Lim that the best time for him to start trying to be one is right mow." mente coi a O, sir, the truth, the truth! is't in the skies, Or in the grass, or in this heart 0f "ours? But O the truth, the truth! the many eyes That look on it! the diverse things they see, According to their thirst for fruit or flowers. --Meredith, om fe em cm " A man may justify his existence by doing a great deed, writing a fact that what these people wanted | grouching of adolescence; for, with | holds the central place in his on ght and affection {8 not a to make 5 ul teel-| ing a childish need of her parents] ve ssessing a patriot's worth; Since even a Socialist's often inspired By a love for the land of his birth; "And it doesn't seem true that ons party alone To the flag of its count y pays' de- ference?" ¢ "But the depth of their love," said the Tory, "is 8' wn By its solid cash value in prefer ence." "We display," cried the Nazis, love for the State By our flagrant soutempt} for. its laws; For the use of revolvers to silence de- bate } Is the mark of the patriop cause," "A patrict's one," came a voice from Japan, "Who 18_willing to steal for the na- tion, And by flouting the League, to_en- = gender a plan For a country's complet. {sclation." "To distinguish," quoth Winston, "the eat from the chaff, I can give you an excellent test: He will ham-string a peace for the sake of a laugh And -""angef Lis land for a jest." "Alas!" sobbed the child, "I must for- feit my claim To a 1 triot's rank, though a dur one; For it seems that I value my cou: fair fame A great deal too much to become one." Hospital By Wilfred J. Funk A little lad to-day will keep A quiet tryst: he soon wll sle.p In dreams: I pray he may not feel The sharp bite of the searchi.g steel: He is so very young: ho knows The mystery of death: he goes With level eyes. Guard him to-day, This hour, aéar God, I 'meel, 1 pray. --_-- Be Proud of your i Yo 3 get a great thrill out ot preparing new, delicious, econ- omicaldishes. Thebig, han Sole Doon i contains ested family recipes, cach with « simple step-by-, =Step method which assures Success. home gookery=--bx meats, salads, Opens flat at any = grease proof cover, Took two 'ears to complete, Very popular ev eiywhere, thousands have already been sold, Well worth . Sent Yy cakes, esserts -- every thing] , easily rép type, 2.00 a copy. Address: great book, or delivering a great Wate ern 4 a Flour Postpaid speech Mills Co, himited, D pt. for 50c DP . 207, Toronto, Ontari . -- CROWN COWARDS EB CORN SYRUP BRAND' grapes ant dn ;| the Emperor Vitellius, le es wing: " Et i wi "almond production close gecond. animals and fowls of settlement, Hederah has' and 1,022 beehives. = 400 KINDS OF FRUIT, Four hundred varieties of frit are exhibited at the first Palestine UF Fruit Show, held recently in Jaffa. Gen. Sir Arthur Wauchope, the High Commissioner, in his opening address, commented on the improvement, dur- ing the last ten years, of the quality of fruit produced and marketed in Palestine. He announced the inaug- uration, in the near future, of an agric.:ltural station at Majdal, in the Gaza district, for the south of Pales- tine. He statd also that he had pre- sented funds'fo* the establishment of a horticultural station in the north, to be situated at Farradiya, near Safad, and financial help to the Di- rectors of ~ -ation and Agricultura to assist tu Jlishment of village school gardens. At the F.rradiya station, special efforts will be made to revive the grapegrowing industry of Safad. ANCIENT ART TREASURES. Many ancient art treasures have been excavated in Palestine lately. A head cut in rock crystal by an un- known master, and said to represent has been brought from Cemsarea to the Jeru- salem Museum. Other finds refforted by the Dept. of Antiquities are an an cient well and mosaic-floored chapel which once stood near the spring of "Ein al Fawwar" one of the sources of Jerusalem's meager water supply. POWER PLAN FOR IRAK. Following the successful completion of the Jordan hydroelectric project in Palestine, suggestions have recently been advanced for harnessing the power resources of the mountainous districts extending from Zakho to Sulaimania, in Irak. Rivers flow mn many places through narrow rocky gorges where concrete dams of con- siderable height could, it is stated, be erected at compartively low cost. In addition to the production of cheap electricity, a part of the river could, it is held, be deflected for irrigation. By damming the Greatér Zab and Lesser Zab and other rivers and tributaries wherever possible, the total dry wea- ther power to be produced from all hydroelectric sources (exeluding the Tigris and Euphrates) is estimated at 500,000 horsepower. ELECTRICITY IN NAZARETH. Electricity ig expected 'to light the homes of Nazareth before the end of 1982. A proposal made by the Cor poration requiring a loan repayable within three years free of interest, in return for which current will be sup- plied at the rate of 30 mils (nomin- ally 16 cents) per kilowatt hour for light and correspondingly less for power, has been accepted by the Municipal Council of Nazareth,--Tha Christian Science Monitor. . te ee "The Shoppers Along the crowded street they come and go ® Under the holly boughs and cedar 'wreaths; Surely ig mighty truth has made 80 And wrought this season When the tired world breathes A Hicker air, and human hearts are oved Beyond the Toys. and riets. of every day To ola familiar (th the. long be. = loved