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The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, December 04, 1936, Image 2

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I DEPUTY of the DEVIL I
• By Ben Ames Williams *
Copyright, Ben Ames Williams. WNU Service.
SYNOPSIS
Dr. Greeding, a wealthy and talented
middle aged surgeon, is possessed ol seem
ingly supernatural powers Occasionally he
can wish for something extraordinary to
happen and have the wish fulfilled. Greed
lng meets Ira Jerrell, a wealthy Business
friend of his own age. who tells him he
loves his daughter Nancy and would like to
marry her. Dr. Greedlng is pleased and
tells Jerrell he has a clear field. Kancy,
however, is In love with Dan Carlisle, an
assistant professor at the University who
has little means. They discuss marriage,
but decide to delay talking to her father
about it. Nancy, who has been playing ten
nis with Dan that afternoon, tells her lathe
she had been playing with a girl friend.
Greeding knows this is untrue and t- secret
ly enraged. Stepping into his wife's room
his eye falls on a marble statuette which
he dislikes. He nicks it up. wishing he
could smash it to bits. Suddenly it is
snatched from his grasp as by an In
visible force and burst asunder. Mrs.
Greeding is greatly disturbed over the
mysterious destruction of the statuette. The
doctor reveals that Ira Jerrell wants to
marry Nancy. On the way to a dinner
party a car cuts in front of Greeding’s. He
angrily expresses the wish that the driver
would break his neck. An Instant later an
accident occurs in which this very thing
happens. At the dinner the Greedings meet
Prof. Carlisle, Dan’s father, and his daugh
ter Mary Ann. Dr. Greeding is Intrigued
by Mary Ann, who is a surgical nurse. Mrs.
Greeding tells Pro*. Carlisle about the de
struction of the statuette and he Indicates
It might have been caused by a “polter
geist." a "racketing, mischievous spirit."
Greeding pretends to Nancy that he has no
objection to Dan More interested in Mary
Ann, Dr. Greeding induces her to take a
position in his office. Eventually he finds
he loves her. Jerrell continues to see Nan
cy, whose love for Dan is unchanged. The
Greedings invite the Carlisles to dinner. Dr.
Greeding discusses with Prof. Carlisle the
subject of "poltergeists,” the doctor tell
ing of some of his own experiences, but at
tributing them to a friend. Prof. Carlisle
comments: "He who eats with the Devil
will need a long spoon." The dinner party
is interrupted by a call for Dr. Greeding
from a neighboring town. He asks Mary
Ann to accompany him. On the ride to
see the patient. Greeding is extremely hap
py. He Invites Mary Ann to visit their
summer home, it is late when they finish
the call. Nancy is disquieted when he kisses
her hand on parting. Mrs. Greeding up
braids him when he returns home. Mary
Ann seeks to leave Greeding's employ
ment. He masks his real interest in her
and persuades her to stay. Mrs. Greed
ing and Nancy go to the lake to open the
summer house. Jerrell mentions Nancy’s
interest in Dan to Dr. Greeding, but he
assures him it is only superficial and he
invites Jerrell to visit their summer place
for a weekend. Dr. Greeding is annoyed
to find Dan there. Wher Dan leaves. Dr.
Greeding invites Nancy and Jerrell to do
some pistol shooting. Jerrell proves ex
tremely inexpert. Back in the city. Greed
ing maneuvers to be invited to dinner by
Mary Ann.
CHAPTER V—Continued
— 7—
So they rose; yet he said as a
reminder: “Thursday night, then.
It’s settled?”
“Of course," she agreed, and they
went out to the car.
Doctor Greeding found himself,
during the days that intervened, full
of a lively anticipation. When at
about seven o’clock on Thursday
evening he rang her bell. Mary
Ann herself opened the door; but
she did not at once bid him enter.
He saw that she was flushed and
warm, and he said, smiling:
“I can see you’ve been standing
over a hot stovel”
She said in a confused hesita
tion: “As a matter of fact, it isn’t
just that I’m—hot, Doctor Greed
ing. I’m a little embarrassed, too.
Hence these blushes.” And she
explained: “You see, I expected
Father to be at home tonight; but
there’s some distinguished foreign
er or other, visiting Professor Mid
dleton, and he called Father half
at. hour ago, and asked him over to
dinner. And Father went.”
She added honestly: “He told
me to telephone you and put off our
spaghetti till some other time.”
He said, shrewdly amused and
pleased: "But you didn’t!” And
he stepped past her uito the hall.
She confessed, slowly closing the
door: “Why, I had it started al
ready and it seemed a shame to
waste it!”
“Of course," he agreed. “And
now that I’m here. I’ve no notion of
not staying. It’s a long time since
I’ve been considered—dangerous.”
She could not well send him away.
To do so would only serve to lend
importance to the unimportant. So
she laughed and said: “Spaghetti
isn’t very romantic, I’m afraid!
Come on out to the kitchen, and I’ll
put an apron on you, and you can
help.”
The preparation of supper amused
them both; they laughed together
and were gay. While they sat at
table, they talked at random, and
afterward he helped her with the
dishes; but when the kitchen was
all put to rights, they stood at loose
ends, not quite certain what next to
do. \
“Now if 1 were a policeman, and
you were a cook, or even a second
maid,” he suggested, “we might
walk out together, or go to the mov
ies, or find a place to dance! 1
feel that something of the sort is
almost required of us.”
“1 think it woui i be much more
comfortable to just sit on the side
porch,” she decided. “It’s dark
enough now so you needn’t be afraid
of being compromised!”
“I don't feel in the least repre
hensible, or dangerous,” he said re
assuringly. “I'm too well ted. Just
sitting will suit me perfectly."
They did m tact nay an hour on
the veranda together, speaking of
commonplace things, but softly;
and sometimes silences enfolded
them. There were times when words
came tumbling to his lips and re
mained unspoken. They might, de
spite his effort at self-control, have
fouhd utterance in the end; but in
terruption came, a footstep on the
walk in front of the house.
“There’s Father,” said Mary Ann,
and rose to go toward the door.
Doctor Greeding followed her.
“I’ll say good night,” he decided
hurriedly. “Time to get along
home.”
“Not afraid of Father, are you?”
she asked, amused; but when they
came to the door together, it was
Jerrell, not Professor Carlisle, who
appeared.
Jerrell’s eyes met those of Doctor
Greeding, and the two men stared
at one another for a moment, equal
ly startled.
Why was Jerrell here? Something
like jealousy awoke in Greeding.
Then jerrell was saying awkward
ly: “Good evening, Miss Carlisle.
Hello, Ned.” And he asked: “Is
Dan at home?”
She shook het head. “No. No,
he’s in New Hampshire; won’t be
back till Sunday.” And then, quick
ly, to Doctor Greeding: “I’m sorry
our phone didn’t ring. Doctor. It
must be out of order. Too bad you
had to come way over here; but
r ’U be ready at six in the morn
• -
ing. v
Doctor Greeding, perceiving that
she wao protecting him, fe.t a quick
delight. They were thus brought in
alliance tc deceive Jerrell; and he
said readily:
“It’s quite all right. I needed the
walk. And I’ll have Thomas pick
you up at six.”
Greeding nodded, waiting, but
Jerrell made no movement tc leave
—and Doctor Greeding was by
Mary Ann’s deception left with no
pretext to stay.
His tone was calm as he bid the
two good night, but he walked away
from the house in a deep tur
moil of conflicting emotions. There
was a storm of passion in the man—
of anger at Mary Ann, for permit
ting Jerrell to stay thus alone with
her, in the empty house. He thought,
absurdly, of chiding her next day, of
uttering some admonition.
But she might remind him that if
his own presence there involved no
indiscretion, certainly she could re
ceive Jerrell This thought, that Jer
rell might freely pay Mary Ann
whatever attention he chose, swept
through Doctor Greedin; like a
storm; Mrs. Greeding, from that
moment became in his thoughts like
an iron chain that fettered him and
held him bound.
CHAPTER VI
Doctor Greeding did not sleep
that night at all. He was shaken
and trembling and perspiring; yet
he felt cold, and he pressed his
teeth together to prevent their chat
tering . . .
Man’s character is built ol many
leticences, of an infinite number of
self-restraints. He is molded and
determined not sc much by the
things he does as by the things he
refrains from doing. Doctor Greed
ing had so long held himself under
discipline that it had become auto
matic to do so; he had molded
himself into a proficient surgeon,
into a devoted husband, into a wise
and indulgent father. He had come
tc think of this individual, whom
he had created as himself, his es
sential self.
But tonight he recognized the fact
that this conventional and respecta
ble individual was not himself, but
a mask which he presented to the
world. Behind this counterfeit pre
sentment there lived another man,
bold and ruthless and passionate,
driven by appetite, drunk with de
sires so long restrained.
He lay sleepless ail that night,
twitching on his bed like one racked
by pain; and at work next day he
was somber-eyed and frowning. Ev
en Mary Ann remarked this; she
said to him when they were alone:
“I’m afraid my spaghetti didn’t
agree with you?”
“Oh, yes,” he assured her shortly.
She watched him. “I persuaded
Mr. Jerrell to stay and eat the rest
of it,” she explained.
“Ah,” he assented in a grim tone.
The girl was disturbed. “1 hope
you didn’t mind my—pietending you
were there on business,” she said.
“1 thought you might prefer it so.”
He said shortly: “1 wasn’t in the
least ashamed of having dined with
you, Mary Ann.”
“1 was afraid Mr. Jerrell wouldn’t
understand.”
“Was it tor my sake alone that
you—feared his ill opinion?” he
asked, in almost angry challenge.
She looked at him in quick sur
prise at his tone, on guard, yet also
amused. “Oh, of course I’ve my
own reputation to consider, too,”
she said—and turned quickly away
He found no further opportunity
tor speech alone with her that after
noon; and whpn he left the office,
the man was read, to risk any folly
MIDLAND JOURNAL, RISING SUN, MD.
in order to see her again, -o amend
the damage his last word might
have caused. Thomas, without or
ders, took the road to the Lake;
but the Doctor ordered him just to
stop at the Carlisles’.
Mary Ann was not at home, how
ever. Professor Carlisle himself
came to the door; and Doctor
Greeding asked for her, his
thoughts swift to seek a pretext fci
this call. Professor Carlisle said:
“I’m sorry; she’s dining with Mr.
Jerrell. Shall I give her some mes
sage?”
Dining with Jerrell? Doctor
Greeding shook at that word as
though a strong wind blew upon
him; but he managed to speak easi
ly “It’s not important,” he said.
“I was just starting for the Lake,
and stopped by on the way; but this
can wait till Monday.”
Mary Ann could dine tonight with
Jerrell, without provoking criticism;
and he and Jerrell were of a like
age, of an equal stature, both men I
The only difference between them
lay in the fact that—Jerrell’s wife
was dead, while Myra was alive!
While Myra was alive! . , . His
dark thoughts focused there.
At the last village before reaching
the lake, he bade Thomas telephone
the island so that a boat would
meet them at the landing. The
chauffeur pulled up opposite the
lights of a drug-store; and Doctor
Greeding also alighted, as much
because he could not bear inaction
as for any other reason. While
Thomas was at the phone, he bought
a box of candies. Myra liked candy.
“Mrs. Greeding will come to the
landing, sir,” the man reported.
Doctor Greeding nodded. “All
right,” he said, holding his tones un
der control.
The car turned into a gravel road,
tortuous and winding, and Thomas
drove more slowly now. There
1 8 lYvl s A
Doctor Greeding Did Not Sleep
That Nigbt at All.
were, a hundred yards short of the
landing, some public garages, one
of which Doctor Greeding kept un
der rental for the season. At this
point he said:
“Let me out here, Thomas. I’ll
walk down to the wharf. You can
put up the car, and we’ll wait for
you.”
So the chauffeur pulled up, and
Doctor Greeding alighted. With the
box of candy under his arm, he
went on down to the lake shore.
The boat approached, its bow
light shining red and green; Mrs.
Greeding swung it in to the land
ing.
“Hot in town?” she asked.
“Rotten,” he said harshly.
“Where’s Nancy?"
“At the Frisbies’," she said. “Dan
turned up this afternoon, on his
way back to Boston, and they’ve
all gone to picnic down the lake,
cook supper on the beach.”
At this mention of Dan’s name,
Doctor Greeding thrust the clutch
lever viciously forward, and the
boat leaped ahead. “Tired?” she
asked. “You seem tired.”
“I had a hard week," he agreed.
Then they cleared the point of the
high terrace built out into the lake
in front of the house, and saw the
boathouse lights.
He eased the throttle shut; the
boat slowed, the broad bow settled
down into the water, checking
their way. They drifted easily into
the slip He turned off the ignition,
and the engine died, and he stepped
out on the wharf. Thomas was
making the boat fast a bow and
stern. He said: “Good night, Thom
as.”
Mrs. Greeding climbed out of the
boat, and they went up the winding
path toward the house together.
Doctor Greeding and Mrs. Greed
ing came to the big empty house.
The living-room was lighted, and
the billiard-room. Their steps ech
oed hollowly. She kissed him.
“Would you like some supper—
crackers and milk or something,
Ned?”
He shook his head. “I’U swim,”
he said. “I’m still hot froir town.
How about you?” She never swam
at night, and he expected her re
fusal. She shook her head.
He went upstairs alone, while she
stayed below. Then: “Myra, will
you bring me my trunks?”
She said, amused: “You’re the
most helpless* thing!” He heard her
coming up the stairs, heard her go
out on the balcony and so return.
She appeared in the open doorway,
his swimming-trunks in her hand.
He took them.
“I brought you a box of candy,”
he said curtly. “There on the ta
ble.”
She was fond of sweets. She
loosed the wrappings, opened the
box. “Bless you,” she said. “You
never forget, do you Ned? I know
I shouldn’t eat them, but—”
She chose a caramel. He buttoned
the trunks. She put the piece of
candy in her mouth; and mumbling
the words, she asked casually:
“Who did you see, this week?”
This trick of hers speaking when
ner mouth was full, always exas
perated him; it acted now like a
detonator on his bottled anger.
“I had dinner with Mary Ann
last night,” he said, willing to an
noy her.
She protested: “Ned, was that
wise? It takes so little to start
talk.”
“Talk! Talk! Talk!” he explod
ed, his eyes red and wrathful. “I’m
sick to death of your talk! I wish
you’d—”
She seemed suddenly to choke,
as though on the candy in her
mouth. The Doctor stared at her in
swift dawning understanding. He
took one step toward ner; then, his
face pale, his lips white, while she
coughed, strangling, he went
abruptly out of the room, down to
the little beach where they were
accustomed to swim.
He burst into the water with a
sort of violence, like a man break
ing chains which bound him. He
dived and swam under water, far
out from the shore.
When he came to the surface,
he heard a motorboat approaching.
It rounded the point of the island,
its exhaust suddenly loud and near
at hand. Doctor Greeding swam
back toward the beach, to be clear
of its course; and a moment later
the boat slid past him into the emp
ty slip, and the engine died. As he
reached the beach, Nancy, a white
shadow in the darkness, came up
the path with Dan at her shoulder.
Doctor Greeding’s voice was calm
and steady as he called: “Hullo,
Nancy.”
She had not seen him. “Oh, you,
Father!” she cried, startled at this
apparition.
“Yes.” He kissed her, at arm’s
length, careful not to wet her. “Hel
lo, Dan,” he said, and grasped the
young man’s hand.
“Where’s Mother?” Nancy asked.
“She was just starting to devour
a box of candy when 1 came down
to swim,” he explained, and they
went up to the house together.
At once Doctor Greeding went up
stairs.
And an instant later he called,
from the door of their room up
there, in tones of terror and de
spair:
“Nancy! Nancyl Quick! Come
here!”
In the first shock of that desper
ate alarm, Nancy and Dan stood an
instant motionless. Then Nancy ran
through the billiard-room toward
the stairs, and Dan came running.
The door into the big south bed
room which Doctor and Mrs. Greed
ing shared was open; Nancy came
to the door and saw him bending
over her mother, who lay across
the bed.
The girl, in her terror, cried
meaningless words. Then Doctor
Greeding, even while he made au
tomatic efforts at resuscitation,
said harshly:
“She’s dead, Nancyl”
“Dead?” Her voice was a hollow
whisper.
“She must have choked on a piece
of candy,” he panted. “Open the
windows, quick!”
“They’re open. Doctor,” Dan told
him.
Nancy brought whisky in a glass,
and Doctor Greeding forceo it be
tween Mrs. Greeding s set teeth; it
spilled as though out of an over
flowing cup. When he saw this, he
stopped his efforts, and stood erect,
looking down at his wife’s body,
and then at his daughter. He put
his arms around the girl.
“Nancy, she’s gene.” he said
brokenly, ana held her close
“You’ll have to be the steady one,
Nancy. You’re all I’ve got left,
now.”
She stood erect in his arms, no
wavering in her; but after a mo
ment. releasing hersell she turned
to the bed. Her mother s garments
were disordered She straightened
them. ''Her father helping they laid
Mrs. Greeding's body decently
Then Doctor Greeding drew Nancy
away.
She saw that he was snaking,
and flushed and hot. There was
whisky remaining in the glass, and
she gave It to him. “Here,” she
said, and managed a wry smile.
“You need this, yourself.”
He drank the liquor, gagging over
the fiery draught. “She was ail
right not twenty minutes ago,” he
protested, as though dazed. Nancy
thought dispassionately that he
must be cold, in wet trunks and no
other garment.
“Dry yourself, Father," she
urged. “Get into some clothes.”
She went out of the room, and
Dan followed her, took her in his
arms. The door behind them closed.
She stood in his arms, rigid and
unyielding; and he said whisper
ingly:
“Sweet, sweet, I’m so sorry for
you!”
“It doesn’t seem real. So—quick
ly—” She cried: “It can’t bel
There must be something we can
do.”
“If there was, your father—” He
tried to lead her away. “Come
downstairs, sweet. Out of doors!”
His arm through hers, he com
pelled her gently coward the stairs;
but then her father’s door opened,
and Doctor Greeding appeared, al
ready dressed save for his coat and
tie. He said: “I can’t seem to
think what to do.”
Nancy went toward him; and Dan
said gravely: “I’ll wake the serv
ants—Thomas and the others." He
left them together, went down the
stairs and along the path.
Nancy made her father come
downstairs. They stood before the
hearth where—though the night was
warm enough—a small fire burned.
She came beside him, and his arm
encircled ner. They stooo thus for
a long time silent, side by side.
She felt herself outside a wall, felt
a harsh barrier between them. His
arm burned across her shoulders.
, Suddenly he said: “I m going
out, Nancy. Alone. I can t stay
here. Ask Dan to do—whatever is
necessary.”
He freed himself almost roughly,
and departed. This departure was
like flight. Doctor Greeding fled
like a man pursued, out of the
house and along the tortuous path
'through the dark woods. He barked
his shins against boulders without
knowing it, blundered into trees,
still stumbled on.
He went hall around the island
thus, heedless of anything except
the desire to be alone, to hide. Then
he came to where the path crossed
an open ledge, and paused there,
panting, peering furtively all about.
Shadows surrounded him on three
sides; the dark water slumbered at
his feet. The very shadows, and
the black water, seemed to his ter
ror-ridden fancy to hide ominous
shapes; yet he could brave them.
But when he looked up, he saw
the unwinking stars, and could not
support their steady scrutiny. He
shrank back into the covert of the
dark wood and crouched there, his
nead in his arms, trembling and
alone, waiting the stroke that must
Dt even now preparing his destruc
tion.
But by and by, since the human
soul can by use accustom itself to
any agony, he became calm again;
.eason, stifled at first by fear, lift
ed its head. He began to contem
plate in the clear light of normal
minds ms situation—and to take
hope therefrom.
For none need ever know the
truth—since to any sober sense,
tiuth it could not be! He pounced
exultantly upon this thought. Truth
it could not be! Coincidence, cer
tainly; a black and terrifying co
incidence. But nothing more. It
would be madness to think other
wise. His wife was dead; and grief
must be his portion. But not fearl
And suddenly—his fears thus as
suaged—he grieved because Myra
was dead, and wept for her, and
tears were his easement.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Natural Icebox in New
Mexico’s Lava Deposits
A lava bed whose surface is un
pleasantly warm to the touch does
not seem a likely setting for a de
posit of perpetual ice. Yet in just
such a locality, where the brazen
New Mexican sun beats down upon
a surface which once was molten
stone, a deposit of perpetual ice
does exist, says Natural History.
Signboards lead the traveler to a
volcanic sink, an abrupt depression
of an estimated depth of seventy
five feet. This was produced when a
natural tunnel in the lava bed
caved in. The tunnel was caused by
the flowing away of molten lava
from the lower part of the bed
after the upper surface had cooled
and hardened.
Its presence so near the hot sur
face of the ground depends pri
marily upon the fact that lava is
among Nature’s most efficient tem
perature insulators The lava con
tains an infinite number of minute
pores and cavities, and the dead
air in them hinders the transmis
sion of beat through the stone from
the sun.
UncLPhilQ,
That Is Perfection
Perfection does not consist in
doing singular things; but it does
consist in doing common things
singularly well.
Always be sure your friends can
grant the favor before you ask it;
then there won’t be the pain and
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We always feel great admiration
for those clever people who can
mend something when we break
it.
Everyone remembers what a
great man says. So much the
worse for his reputation for con
sistency.
Those That Tried
Failures are facts that prove a
man has at least actually tried to
be successful.
Poise is something that keeps
one from speaking too suddenly.
The sophisticated person finds
little to enjoy. Everything is old
to him.
If you want to make your friend
happy instead of seeking to have
him make you happy, that’s the
true gold.
A man who knows that his hard
ships made the best part of his
character may not want his son
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What this country needs is dirt
ier fingernails and cleaner minds.
—Will Rogers.
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NEARLY DROVE V
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