a aoooltr's 7-//wE YouSTOPPED 77t/S R/O/CULOA-€A;/rc97-CHA.S;/NG, AND

DlD Solu/E QCaL--'-w6Ek,iDzlt'7 -/

s

*dft-L:i'.

{td""".4*

''h7 SUEE THEPE WAS OUCC AN

EEPLY EN6L/5H,9E77LEt'EA/THEeE, ANO |M SEACC/9/N6 ,/FoE PELlcs oF THE!/R L/FE-/ -L

- ---

-

Iffi36

m

z CA/v.4ALP YOZ/.',z KNOtil

a&/EE 77tEcure;E /s cdat/N6' TPUE! 'WHE lt 7HEskto&) l3gwrcH4tFno*r 7HE /J4OYSHaNO.7CE A.vOHaNO.7CE A.vO7EA|PC97.SHa/LaavaGiE 7H/S

THE OLO MAN PROOUCED A POULTICE

LO O'< S /T /S3 E /.U/P/EPE/'4EDY 7OKE4L TIfE

wo/./No oF4€t+oPo-EVavoF7Ha7 ,7Ha7 /gw&D,

JI

HI5 EYES CT-OUOED AAIO HE SEE,\^ED TO SHRINK INTOHIM!;ELF..,

BUTTHE GIRLS \^/EF'E A6TONISHED?O FIND THAT IT \ /A5 TRUE./

eE7 /7-',

Y PEPHaPS HE \44AOE r14E CAP.€i70p HEPE./ OA/,tt'/u, .5CAeEo, ,/l44PY uANe./LETS <ilar AAC/<,

.7E TIJE: U/LLAGE.'I

r/rE OlD /UAN WA.g R/ct/7-'aND HE'S F/Gr/7' .4AOA7 7A/eC/JR€E 7'OO/ WE ,U//gT .- PErZ/R/Y 7YE 9WOPO.' /

,a aYo! oH, -\-. .IULIE HONEY.I WHVcr/o t ttaa/e 7E F/ND7Ha7 WAtErcHEO S9jotu- zNO :S7tR UP ALL_- 7H/Ei O/Sz.grER !) /

38

r,,./,

l=S.'\> { a/'/T /F sHa|ffiF"o7#1.,4aPZ//ER M7H

naT FOOI/SHTZZE4AoU7a

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 WHEN7a/€ 6WOPO /S 9MaTCHEOFRO.|, 7H4 L.4AY'9| H4flO )FTPC zNO 7E/"|PE.57 5u4,4

\ PnU4oE rL//' LaND/-/

eE.t ao /Har f7lea2TENlNaaeme/7/o^/ 7Ha7 205eeeme/T'/o^/ 7Ha7 205eFPOoTHe WaTEC-iH-7try29 7H- 4AOY O2 ,\ 7HE ZaKE.' ,/

tryE F4/NO 7HE StWAg; ONCE PA"". 7I/E LEK€.

39

A'i 7HE STOFM RA6ED OUTSIDE, THE Grc€iT HUNTER6C.REPT INTO HENFTY'g ROOM f----------t"f.'_

/F HEH"AwaKEs-vuF'Pq/N TPOUALE -'

--,-.r s?a+' , .-)- -'. ! '':-i --::

40

ailo 7ua7 7PEE,. aLOCK/M 6,ENRv'-a PaTH :/ t aET tYrYaoTToat ootzaP 7r4z_/

- !43i1'.ii.'/n

rrre arroanexr PF|a'eO, ANO rHE F_RE -O!ED-FFgM.Lls EYES'ix-e -gFrcri oF aaicux HAo F.lrFllATao A6AIN -. .

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 AGIAST-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€, FlrtWAS ?PEPAR/,UO rO Gea/vr JU/ES WSH

THESE MARRIAGE CHESTS WERE MADEIN RENAISSANCE ITALY FOA, THE TROUSSEAUOFTHE BPIDES,SIGNOR. FEW HAVE

SURVIVED TO THIS DAY, AND NONESO SPLENDID AS'THIg/

,/ !,

...'A,-

A BEAUTY_JUST THE THINGFOR MY NIECE,

L///APY SPENCEP WAS filB/llED1S SHf /OV/NG.Y PIACED /r€BrpougsE,4u ,/N rHE Auc/tl/lc//Fsr

I WONDER WHAT fAEOIRt WAS LIKE WHOONCE OWNEO THISCHEST. SHE MUSII-IAVE

EELONOEO TO A RICH

38

,., HITARY'5 A SENSITIVE TVPE.SHE REAtLY EELIEVES SI.'1E SEESIHI€ GHOST. WEIRE DUE 1A 8E

MARRIED AT THE END OF THISWEEK, 8UT IF THIS GOES ON

SHEILL 8EA NERVOU9WRECK BY THEN

YOU'RE SCARED SLI€ILL HAVEA BPEA}<DOWN , AND THE\r\i EODING WItL 11AVE TO BECA LLED OFF 2 OVAY , MR. SIATER,

WEILLTRY TO I€L?I

I WAs KEEPING MYTROUSSEAU IN IT, BUT WHENI KEPT 3EEiN6 THAT 6HOSTI HAP IT SHIFTED FROM MY

ROOM - OH, MRS.MEREDITH /

J DONIT tIKETHAT GUY, JULIE .

HE HAS A SLV LOOKABOUT IlIM1

'l 'IA SWELL LOOKING

PLACE. AND OLO ENOUGHTO HAVE A GHOST OF ITS

OWN WITHOUT IMPORTINGONE FROM ITAtYl

THEREIS ONLYHILARYIg WORD FORIT THAT THE GHOST /S

ITALIAN. NO ONEcL>tr HA> >trtr t\ I | .'

IIM SO GI-AD YOU'VECOME. THIS IS MYMOIHER , MR€ .

6PE NCE R./

tfr6r,Tr"$rRPTHIS I5 ALL A DREADFULWASTE OF YOUR TIME,

MY OEARS, BUTGRAHAM WOULD

INSISTON IT/

I'M SURE IT'STO DO WtTH THE MARRIAGECHEST, YOU MUg] COME UPANO SEE IT BEFOREVOU CHANGE FOR

DINNER,./

39

s/./owED /HE 6lRlS 707HE/R ,QOOM

I DON'T THINK HILAPYISIMAGINING THAT GHOST,MARY JANE. YOU [<,NOW HOWSENSITIVE I AM TO CERTAINATMOSPHERES.AND I

FEEL THEREIS SOVETHIt.TOODD ABOUT THAT CHEST./

COULD TEIVIPT €OMEFOLK TO PINCH

I'VE SLEPT WITH HILARYSINCE THAT FIRST NIGHT.SHE STILL WAKES UPScREAM I NG , FOOR CHILD.

BUT IIVENOTSEEN

- NO, t'VE ONLYHAO IT A WEEK,

ANVWAY, SO WHOCOULO KNOW

ABOUT IT?

ANO HIS SPOUSE , WHOWAS DUSTINO WITHOUT A

DUSTER. ANVWAY, WEILLKEEP OPEN MINOS ABOUTIT. WE MUSTN'T 60dUMANG

'?"EPut?3i''"1*'u?'.i'i358o.,"ur

TRIED TO BUY-rHE CHEST,

/ FOR,GET IT, VOU'VEGOT'TO KEEP WATCH

ouTst0E HtrARy,9 eooM,AND I'LL BE INTHE ROOMWHEFE THE CHEST 15.SO GET CHANGED INTO

SOMETHING MOREPRACTICAL FOR THE

THAT AMERICANTRLIS NO FOOT,HARRYTHTNK SHE'g SUSPICIOUS,

SIO VOU'D BETTER WARNTHAT FELIOWl

ANO SCAREHIM OFF? NOT

LlkELy - dusTLEAVE IT TO ME,

MARIA !

40

IT'S NOT A COLD NIGHT BUTTHERE I5 GUITE A CHILL INTHIS ROOM. THE MOONTIGHTIS PICKING OUT THE DESIGNSOF TI.{E LID OF NTE CHEST I

WONDER IFTHEY HAVEANYSIGNIFICANT MEANING?

lHEN SHE SAW THE F/6UPE IEAV.NG THE HOUSE

\ wO - Dor'l'rIE7 HEP TOUCH /UE!

I'D BET MY LAST DOLLAR-IHATIS MEREDITH DOWNTHERE GOING TO MEET THE

GUY WHO'S SIGNALLING.-,

MAPY uANE RUS/IEDFRO/|4 7HE FOaM...

!rra#=.=

WHAT THEfHAT'3 HILARY/

DON'T CRV,MV OARLING.IT WAS ONTYA

IT - IT WASHEP AGAIN !fi wAs HEP/

I DASHED IN ASSOON AS I L.{EARD HER

SCREAM - BUT THEAEWAgABSOLUTELY NOTHING

HERE. TI.{ERE WAS NOO1HERWAYOUTOFTHEROOM ANONOTHING PASSEO MEl

/lFS gPENCEE CAI,MED H/IAPY AT/ASr ,4/vO rHE GHOsrHuNrEPs

. A GAOST COULD GOTFI ROUOH ANVTH INOJ MARYJANE.OR HILARY COU/D

FIAVE HAO A DREAM. ITCOULO BE A LL IN HER MINQHER MOTHER HAS NEVER

SEEN ANYTT-{ING /

---f/ t v

-OR I COUTD BE

RIGHT ABOUT THEMEREDITHS. IIM SUR.EI SAW THE MAN GOING

OUT INTO THEGROUNJUST BEFORE HILARV

S3R9AMEO -COME OtV./

SHE STOPPED USGOING DOWN THESTAIRS TOINVESTIGATE - ITIVASN'T COINCIDENCESHE WAS STOODJUST

THERE 'JULIE/ /

rHEY DO SUSPECTSOMETHINO. WHV A,AElHc/ >lrLLvKc>>Eva

WHV SI]OULD TI.{EYTHINK OF GOINGDOWNSTAI R5 T

I WsH YOU'D TELL ME WHATYOU'RE UP TO.MARYJANE.

WHAT O'VOU WANTWITH THAT SHEETz

MARY JANEDOES THE CRAZI ESTTHIN6S. I HOPE SHE,SALL RIGHT ... ]I.iOUGI.]TI HEARD NOI5E5 IN THATROOM,,. SHE IA/ICULDNITMOVE ABOUT SURELY ITWOULO 6IVETHEGAME

AWAY... MAvee ttoBETTER -IAKE A

LOOk .. iI'M HOPING TO SPRIN6A SURPRISE, HONEY.VOU KEEP WA1CH OUTSIDEHILARYIS DOOR AS

BEFOR.E.OKAY? THEY REAI.LVMADE THINGS INTHOSE

DAVs. ANYWAY. TIIE BTOKE'SBPINGIN6 HIS VAN UP THE

DRIVE NOW... HANGONA FEW SECONDS

IT.IT'S MUCHHEAVIER THAN I

THOUGHT, HARRY./

,t'w

\Y'#"'-.4 g*ffu.F

VEs_ BUTSHE,S ALt RIGHT

464{N NOW/

si*IT W45 A9OUT HERE THATt SAW THE SIGNALLINGLI6HT FLASHING -ANDLOOK, FOOTPRINTS -SOMEBODY WAg STANDING

HERE ]

MAYBE HITARY /.'IMAGININO ALLTIlISGI{OST BUgINESS, tsUTTHE MEREDITHS AREUP TO SOMETHING VERYFISH\I TONICHT MAYBE

IIL! FINO OUT WHATl

AA

u€PFD//H A,vO t//s MFE O/2A'7 SlAy rOhvv€sr/6A7E. THE SCREAMS SpOuOHr JUL/E OUr 70 <./OlN ltlARl JAI|E

wHo 70/.o HEP 9t/€ SUSqECTED 7t/E llEpEO/rHSWEPE OO.NO 70 STFAL .HE CHEST, gO CH€'O il/D/A/S/O€ /7...

I HEARD THEM SAY THEY WERESELLINO IT TO A DEALER... BUT

THEY COULDN'T HAVE KNOWNABOUT THIS SECRET PANEL

IN THE SOTTOM. ITSPRAN6 OPEN WHEN

THEY OEQPPED IT!

Tr.tAT,6PUT PAID TOTHEIR LITTLE

GAME !MUST BE WORTH

A FORTUNE-/

uNCt€ 6BEOOPV 400ED THA./7 W4S g4/O 7H47,//I///EIV€UEP 4 8P/O€ W49 6/uEN 7HE CHEST4F.EP 7H47, TH€ AHOST OF THE COA,/.€SSAAPPEAPED TOH€Q

IT WAS AS IF THE CONTESSA WASOETERMINEO THAT NO ONESHOULD HAVE THE HAPPI NESSSHE WAS OENIEO. SO SHE DIDALL SHE COUrD TO STOP EACH

WEODING BY APPEAPING.TO THE BRIDE-TO.BE./

-tdt41\r:\,\:Y:.

BUT NOW.THE JEWELS HAVE

BEEN FOUNO, HER SPIRITIS AT REST. SHE WILL NOT

STAND IN -THE WAYOF OURHAPPINESS ANY LONGER/WE CAN GO AHEAD WITH

OUR ARRANGEMENTS,/

FoP 7HE F/PSr fll4E 9/A/CE BECE/U/NO 7//E/rl4Pp/AOE CHEST H//.4pY gPENcEeSEPT P€4CEFUI,IY THAT /U/GH7. 77/E A/EXT OAY, HEP WFDO.NG EVE, H€PUtVClt OB€AOPY APP|UEO FBO/q /fAlV

THIS CHEST WAS OWNEDBY A YOUN6CONTESS/ WHO WAS.ON HEP:

WEODIN6 EVE,ACCI6TD OF STEALINGSOME JEWET€. THE WEDDIN6 WASCALLED OFF ANO SHE DIEO OF ABROKEN HEART WITHOUT EVER

CLEARING HER NAME. THEJEWEIS WERE NEVER FOUNO/

-1

AND AS THEYWERE HIDDEN IN THE

CHEgT" €HE COULDNIT HAVESTOLEN THEM OR gHEWOULONIT HAVE LEFTTHEM

THERE. WHOEVER IT WAsCOUTDN'T 6ET TO THEM

EITHER /

..., AND WILL YOUTAKE THIS MAN TOgE YOUR LAWFUL

WEODED HUSBAND

GIRL LOOKS. OOYOU THINK _

AFTEP THE CEPEMOr'/Y THE ST'EA/V€EG/Pt t/A,U/St/fD. JUL/E 70tO 7HEgB/OE WHAT SHE HAO S'EM 4/1/2DESC?/SED 7l/6 G/p/ /N DErA/l

YES, 'THAT WAS THE GHOST I SAW.DO VOU THINK THAT NOW SHE HASFOUND PEACE AT IASTSHE MADE

HER FINAL APPEARANCETOBLESS OUR MARRIACE?

THE JEWELS WERERETURNED TO THE

DESCENDANTS OF THENOBIEM4N WHO HAD LOST THEMFIVE HUNDREO VCARS AOO,..AND HILARY HASN'T SEEN

IHE 9NU5I UT IHECONTESSA AGAIN,ANOSI{E ig VERY HAPPY NOW!

43