a aoooltr's 7-//wE You 77t/S R/O/CULOA-€ STOPPED A;/rc97-CHA.S;/NG, AND DlD Solu/E QCaL
--'-w6Ek,iDzlt'7 -/
s {td""
".4* SUEE THEPE WAS OUCC AN EEPLY EN6L/5H,9E77LEt'EA/T ''h7 HEeE, ANO |M SEACC/9/N6 ,/ FoE PELlcs oF THE!/R L/FE-/ -L
-
---
I
ffi 36
*dftL:i'.
m z CA/v YOZ/.', z KNOtil
.4ALP
THE OLO LO O'<
MAN S
PROOUCED
A
a&/EE 77tE /s cdat/N6 ' cure;E TPUE! 'WHE lt 7HE skto&) l3gwrcH4t
POULTICE
Fno*r
/S 3 /TE /.U/P/E
7HE /J4OYS
HaNO.7CE A.vO HaNO.7CE 7EA|PC97.SHa/L aavaGiE 7H/S
PE/'4EDY 7O KE4L TIfE
wo/./No oF4 €t+oPo-EVav
oF7Ha7 7Ha7 /, gw&D,
JI
HI5 EYES CT-OUOED AAIO HE SEE,\^ED TO SHRINK INTO
HIM!;ELF..,
BUTTHE GIRLS \^/EF'E A6TONISHED ?O FIND THAT IT \ /A5 TRUE./
Y PEPHaPS HE \
44AOE r14E CAP .€i70p HEPE./ OA/,t
eE7 /7-',
t'/u, .5CAeEo, , /l44PY uANe./ LETS <ilar AAC/<, TIJE: U/LLAGE.'I
.7E
r/rE OlD /UAN WA.g R/ct/7-' aND HE'S F/Gr/7' .4AOA7 7A/e C/JR€E 7'OO/ WE ,U//gT . - PErZ/R/Y 7YE 9WOPO.' /
-\oH, .,a.IULIE aYo! HONEY.I WHV cr/o t ttaa/e 7E F/ND 7Ha7 WAtErcHEO S9jotu - zNO :S7tR UP ALL_ - 7H/Ei O/Sz.grER !) /
38
r, ,./ ,
l= S.'
a/'/T /F sHa |ffiF"o7#1.
\>
{
M7H ,4aPZ//ER naT FOOI/SH TZZE4AoU7a cuPSE ON 7-/7E _ 6WOPO.' ^/
IN THE EAtrLY HOUC6 OF 7HE A OPNIN6,JULIE gTIFIREO
Tt/E SWOQO: 7HE XINA'S
, SwoPo! -uz/-.zal
_
oaEv A4E./ zu_a laoy 92'^ \ ruE LAKE SHALL KEEP -Y'i/./F/'Q./ ANA WHEN 7a/€ 6WOPO /S 9MaTCHEO FRO.|, 7H4 L.4AY'9| H4flO ) FTPC zNO 7E/"|PE.57 5u4,4 \ PnU4oE rL//' LaND/-/
tryE F4/NO 7HE St
WAg; ONCE PA"" 7I/E LEK€. .
eE.t ao /Har f7lea2TENlNa eeme/T'/o^/ 7Ha7 205e aeme/7/o^/ FPOoTHe WaTEC-iH-7 try29 7H- 4AOY O2 , 7HE ZaKE.' \ ,/
39
A'i
7HE STOFM RA6ED OUTSIDE, THE Grc€iT HUNTER6 C.REPT INTO HENFTY'g ROOM f----------t"f.'_
/F HEH"A waKEs-vuF'Pq /N TPOUALE -'
+' , .-)- -'. ! ' --::
':-i
40
--,-.r ?a s
6 ailo 7ua7 7PEE,. aLOCK/M ,ENRv'-a PaTH :/ t aET tYrY aoTToat ootzaP 7r4z_/
-
!43i1'.ii.'/n
ANO rHE F_RE -O!ED-FFgM.Lls EYES' rrre arroanexr -gFrcri oFPF|a'eO, A6AIN -. . aaicux HAo F.lrFllATao ix-e
41
t/48/ JAUE, OA U6HTFP OF 4/"/ AMEs/e4/.,/ llr/l UOilA/PE, A/Up HEQ aP/r/S// /P/FND, JU,//€, WEeE PUil/1//A6 A GIAST-HU 'r/M€ /Gl/ilCY Fe2tl 4it OF(/CE /N /O4/OON /.f
rnf
O/O fHEy K/V1W
fH4/ //v FAeOFF Flop.i/c€,
WAS ?PEPAR/,UO rO Gea/vr JU/ES WSH
Flrt
THESE MARRIAGE CHESTS WERE MADE RENAISSANCE ITALY FOA, THE TROUSSEAU
IN
OFTHE BPIDES,SIGNOR. FEW HAVE SURVIVED TO THIS DAY, AND NONE
SO SPLENDID AS'THIg/
,/
!,
...'A,-
A BEAUTY_ JUST THE THING FOR MY NIECE,
L///APY SPENCEP WAS filB/llED 1S SHf /OV/NG.Y PIACED /r€B
rpougsE,4u ,/N
rHE
c//Fsr
I
WONDER WHAT fAE
OIRt WAS LIKE WHO ONCE OWNEO THIS CHEST. SHE MUSII-IAVE EELONOEO TO A RICH
38
Auc/tl/l
,., HITARY'5 A SENSITIVE TVPE. SHE REAtLY EELIEVES SI.'1E SEES IHI€ GHOST. WEIRE DUE 1A 8E MARRIED AT THE END OF THIS WEEK, 8UT IF THIS GOES ON SHEILL 8EA NERVOU9 WRECK BY THEN
YOU'RE SCARED SLI€ILL HAVE
A BPEA}<DOWN , AND THE
\r\i EODING WItL 11AVE TO BE OVAY , MR. SIATER, CA LLED OFF
2
WEILLTRY TO
I€L?I
J
DONIT tIKE
THAT GUY, JULIE
HE HAS A SLV ABOUT
A SWELL LOOKING PLACE. AND OLO ENOUGH TO HAVE A GHOST OF ITS OWN WITHOUT IMPORTING
.
LOOK
IlIM1
'l 'I
ONE FROM ITAtYl
THEREIS ONLY
HILARYIg WORD
FOR
IT THAT THE GHOST /S
ITALIAN. NO ONE cL>tr HA> >trtr
t\
I|
MOIHER
,
MR€
.
6PE NCE R./
tfr6r,Tr"$rRP THIS I5 ALL A
DREADFUL WASTE OF YOUR TIME,
MY OEARS, BUT GRAHAM WOULD
.'
I WAs KEEPING MY TROUSSEAU IN IT, BUT WHEN I KEPT 3EEiN6 THAT 6HOST
IIM SO GI-AD YOU'VE COME. THIS IS MY
I'M SURE IT'S TO DO WtTH THE MARRIAGE
CHEST, YOU MUg] COME UP ANO SEE IT BEFORE VOU CHANGE FOR
DINNER,./
INSISTON IT/
39
I HAP IT SHIFTED FROM ROOM - OH, MRS. / MEREDITH
MY
s/./owED /HE 6lRlS 707HE/R ,QOOM
I
DON'T THINK HILAPYIS IMAGINING THAT GHOST, MARY JANE. YOU [<,NOW HOW SENSITIVE I AM TO CERTAIN
ATMOSPHERES.AND
I
FEEL THEREIS SOVETHIt.TO ODD ABOUT THAT CHEST./
COULD TEIVIPT €OME
FOLK TO PINCH
I'VE SLEPT WITH HILARY SINCE THAT FIRST NIGHT. SHE STILL WAKES UP ScREAM I NG , FOOR CHILD. BUT IIVENOTSEEN
-
ANO HIS SPOUSE , WHO WAS DUSTINO WITHOUT A
DUSTER. ANVWAY, WEILL
TRIED TO BUY -rHE CHEST,
KEEP OPEN MINOS ABOUT IT. WE MUSTN'T 60dUMANG
'?"EPut?3i''"1*'u?'.i'i358o.,"ur / THAT AMERICAN TRLIS NO FOOT,HARRY
THTNK SHE'g SUSPICIOUS, SIO VOU'D BETTER WARN
THAT FELIOWl
FOR,GET
IT,
VOU'VE
GOT'TO KEEP WATCH
ouTst0E HtrARy,9 eooM, AND
I'LL BE INTHE ROOM WHEFE THE CHEST 15. SO GET CHANGED INTO SOMETHING MORE PRACTICAL FOR THE
ANO SCARE
HIM OFF? NOT LlkELy - dusT
LEAVE IT TO ME, MARIA !
40
NO, t'VE ONLY HAO IT A WEEK, ANVWAY, SO WHO COULO KNOW ABOUT IT?
IT'S NOT A COLD NIGHT BUT THERE I5 GUITE A CHILL IN THIS ROOM. THE MOONTIGHT
IS PICKING OUT THE DESIGNS
OF TI.{E LID OF NTE CHEST I WONDER IFTHEY HAVEANY SIGNIFICANT MEANING?
lHEN
SHE
SAW THE F/6UPE IEAV.NG THE HOUSE MAPY uANE RUS/IED
DOLLAR I'D BET MY -IHATIS MEREDITH DOWN THERE GOING TO MEET THE GUY WHO'S SIGNALLING.-, LAST
FRO/|4 7HE FOaM...
\ wO - Dor'l'r TOUCH /UE! IE7 HEP
!rra #=.= WHAT THE
fHAT'3 HILARY/
DON'T CRV,
IT - IT WAS
MV OARLING. IT WAS ONTYA
HEP AGAIN ! fi wAs HEP/
/lFS
/ASr . TFI
gPENCEE CAI,MED
H/IAPY AT
,4/vO rHE GHOsrHuNrEPs
A GAOST COULD GO ROUOH ANVTH INOJ MARY
JANE.OR HILARY COU/D FIAVE HAO A DREAM. IT
COULO BE A LL IN HER MINQ HER MOTHER HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTT-{ING /
I
DASHED IN AS I L.{EARD HER SCREAM - BUT THEAEWAg ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HERE. TI.{ERE WAS NOO1HER
SOON AS
WAYOUTOFTHEROOM ANO NOTHING PASSEO MEl
t v ---f/
-
OR I COUTD BE RIGHT ABOUT THE
MEREDITHS. IIM SUR.E I SAW THE MAN GOING
OUT INTO THEGROUN JUST BEFORE HILARV S3R9AMEO -COME OtV./
SHE STOPPED US GOING DOWN THE
STAIRS
IT W45 A9OUT HERE THAT SAW THE SIGNALLING
TO
t
INVESTIGATE - IT IVASN'T COINCIDENCE
SHE WAS STOODJUST
THERE
rHEY DO SUSPECT SOMETHINO. WHV lHc/
MAYBE HITARY
/.'
THE MEREDITHS ARE UP TO SOMETHING VERY
'JULIE/ /
LOOK, FOOTPRINTS SOMEBODY WAg STANDING HERE ]
A,AE
>lrLLvKc>>Eva
WHV SI]OULD TI.{EY
VEs_ BUT SHE,S ALt RIGHT 464{N NOW/
IMAGININO ALLTIlIS GI{OST BUgINESS, tsUT
si*
LI6HT FLASHING -AND
THINK OF GOING DOWNSTAI R5 T
I
WsH YOU'D TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE UP TO.MARYJANE. WHAT O'VOU WANT WITH THAT SHEETz
FISH\I TONICHT MAYBE IIL! FINO OUT WHATl
MARY JANE DOES THE CRAZI EST HOPE SHE,S ALL RIGHT ... ]I.iOUGI.]T HEARD NOI5E5 IN THAT
THIN6S.
I
I
ROOM,,.
SHE IA/ICULDNIT MOVE ABOUT SURELY IT
WOULO 6IVETHEGAME AWAY... MAvee -IAKE BETTER A LOOk ..
I'M HOPING TO SPRIN6 SURPRISE, HONEY.
tto
i
A
VOU KEEP WA1CH OUTSIDE HILARYIS DOOR AS
THEY REAI.LV MADE THINGS INTHOSE DAVs. ANYWAY. TIIE BTOKE'S BPINGIN6 HIS VAN UP THE
BEFOR.E.OKAY?
DRIVE NOW... HANGON A FEW SECONDS
IT.IT'S
MUCH
HEAVIER THAN
I
THOUGHT, HARRY./
,t'w "'-.4 ffu.F
AA
g*
\Y'#
u€PFD//H A,vO t//s MFE O/2A'7 SlAy rO
hvv€sr/6A7E.
THE SCREAMS SpOuOHr JUL/E
wHo 70/.o HEP 9t/€
OUr
70 <./OlN
SUSqECTED 7t/E
ltlARl JAI|E
llEpEO/rHS
WEPE OO.NO 70 STFAL .HE CHEST, gO CH€'O /A/S/O€ /7...
I
il/D
HEARD THEM SAY THEY WERE
SELLINO IT TO A DEALER... BUT THEY COULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS SECRET PANEL IN THE SOTTOM. IT SPRAN6 OPEN WHEN THEY OEQPPED IT!
Tr.tAT,6
PUT PAID TO THEIR LITTLE
GAME
MUST BE WORTH A FORTUNE-/
!
FoP 7HE F/PSr fll4E 9/A/CE BECE/U/NO 7//E/rl4Pp/AOE CHEST H//.4pY gPENcEe SEPT P€4CEFUI,IY THAT /U/GH7. 77/E A/EXT OAY, HEP WFDO.NG EVE, H€P UtVClt OB€AOPY APP|UEO FBO/q /fAlV
THIS CHEST WAS OWNEDBY A YOUN6 CONTESS/ WHO WAS.ON HEP:
uNCt€ 6BEOOPV 400ED THA./7 W4S g4/O 7H47, //I///EIV€UEP 4 8P/O€ W49 6/uEN 7HE CHEST 4F.EP 7H47, TH€ AHOST OF THE COA,/.€SSA APPEAPED TOH€Q IT WAS AS IF THE CONTESSA WAS
OETERMINEO THAT NO ONE
WEODIN6 EVE,ACCI6TD OF STEALING SOME JEWET€. THE WEDDIN6 WAS
SHOULD HAVE THE HAPPI NESS SHE WAS OENIEO. SO SHE DID ALL SHE COUrD TO STOP EACH BY APPEAPING WEODING .TO THE BRIDE-TO.BE./
CALLED OFF ANO SHE DIEO OF A
BROKEN HEART WITHOUT EVER CLEARING HER NAME. THE JEWEIS WERE NEVER FOUNO/ -1
-td
t41 \r:\, \:Y:. AND AS THEY WERE HIDDEN IN THE CHEgT" €HE COULDNIT HAVE STOLEN THEM OR gHE WOULONIT HAVE LEFTTHEM THERE. WHOEVER IT WAs COUTDN'T 6ET TO THEM EITHER / ...,
AND WILL YOU TAKE THIS MAN TO
gE YOUR LAWFUL WEODED HUSBAND
AFTEP THE CEPEMOr'/Y THE ST'EA/V€E
G/Pt t/A,U/St/fD. JUL/E 70tO 7HE gB/OE WHAT SHE HAO S'EM 4/1/2 DESC?/SED 7l/6 G/p/ /N DErA/l
YES, 'THAT WAS THE GHOST I SAW. DO VOU THINK THAT NOW SHE HAS FOUND PEACE AT IASTSHE MADE HER FINAL APPEARANCETO BLESS OUR MARRIACE?
GIRL LOOKS. OO YOU THINK _
43
.THE
BUT NOW JEWELS HAVE
BEEN FOUNO, HER SPIRIT
IS AT REST. SHE WILL NOT STAND IN -THE WAYOF OUR HAPPINESS ANY LONGER/ WE CAN GO AHEAD WITH OUR ARRANGEMENTS,/
THE JEWELS WERE RETURNED TO THE DESCENDANTS OF THE NOBIEM4N WHO HAD LOST THEM FIVE HUNDREO VCARS AOO,.. AND HILARY HASN'T SEEN IHE 9NU5I UT IHE
CONTESSA AGAIN,ANO SI{E ig VERY HAPPY NOW!