The Princeton union., 1900-02-22

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quest I has asscnted. without attempt
to hide my pleasure.
ut is ready now, and on the table,"
she weat on, ushering me into the next
room, which proved to be tiny room
even Tor three persOns--so small, in
fact, that every time Mrs. Virgins ap-
peared from the Kitchen Miss Ellen had
to rise and move her chair to let her in.
'"This room often reminds me-" said
Miss Robertson, "of the lady who closed
her first visit to Il New York fiat with
the remark: Well, now that l have
seen all the closets, where are the
roOms? She must have come from Nir
yinia, our old home; we have big houses
there. But if it is 4 closet or no better,
its our own. With Mrs. Wiggins''-
here the same curious sound of pump
in distress made itself heard-"that's
Mrs. Wiggins now" and Miss Ellen
jumped up to allow that singular old
woman to come in with dish of roasted
rabbit.
When the door closed after her, Mrs.
Wiggins has her peculiarities, as you
may observe" said Miss Robertson,
laughing. "That peculiar snort of hers
IS something l can't understand, eN-
tcpt as a signal to open the door. You
see, have to get up every time the door
is opened; and, as Mrs. Wiggins usually
has her hands full of plates or carries
a tray, she cannot knock.'
"And to kick she is ashamed; or per-
Io that If xvnn1G ha nnII
nitied,' added Mr.. Robertson, with a
smile.
so she saorts," said Miss Ellen.
"And she can also cook,' said l, for
the rabbit was excellent and cooked to
perfection. Roast rabbit was some
thing | had not tasted since | came
from the country.
Il really don't know what we should
Go without her, papa, dear 1ou see,'
turning to me, ''she stays in the room
with my father a great deal of the time
while J. am away, so that she can get
him whatever he requires-'
And so we chatted throughout the
meal, with but one shadow upon the
feast. felt that was traitor. Here
was eating and enjoying the bread of
these good people and meanwhile plot
ing their ruin. Another weeks ac-
uuaintance with the Robertson family,
and I should be ready to throw the Ga
lette overheard and help the criminals
TO escape. After the meal was over and
Mrs. Wiggins had snorted at the kitch-
en- door for the last time and gone
home, we sat down by the fire, and
while Mr.. Robertson gave me some
what rambling account Of his re-
searches upon the Spanish lnquisition
at least it seemed rambling to me-
perhaps because of a disturbing vision
upon the other side of the fireplace
Miss Ellen worked deftly at one of the
famous umbrellas, and l talked as clev-
crly as knew how, trying to divide my
remarks between the Spanish 1nquisi-
ton and the patent umbrella. Very
much too soon those deft and dainty
fingers had finished their task.
There" exclaimed Miss Robertson,
with an accent Of triumph, interrupt
ing her fathers graphic description Of
the persuasive effects of thumbscrcws
as manipulated by the Spanish In
Iuisitors, II do believe practice makes
perfect. If that cye-glass falls out, /
shall be surprised. Nevertheless, Mr..
seymour, you can tell your friend that
this is the work of a beginner. BY the
way, it's my old school umbrella
tested the work and shook the UNI
hrella up and down. 1t had been so
long since had had taste of anything
like home life, and this little glimpse
Of n home had been SO grateful to me,
that I was sorry to find that the glass
held in place. 1t might be a long time
before l was invited to sit before that
fire again. Half-past eight rang out
from the little clock on the mantel-
shelf. I had no further excuse for
staying.
"Whether or not succeed in convinc-
ing my friend of the value of this great
invcntion,' I said, getting up, II must
thank you both for a pleasant EVENING"
And l told them something of my
boarding house life, the only one open
to young man who comes from the
country to make his way in the great
city. In return they told me some
thing of their old home in Virginia.
Come again as soon as you can and
let us know the result" said the old
man, rising to bid me good-by. Miss
Robertson said nothing, but her dark
eyes beamed kindly.
II suppose that you are in business
here" continued the father, ''although
You are neither publisher nor an UNI
brella-maker.'
Hc paused, and during the pause an
idea came to me. Suppose I told them
that [ was upon the staff Of the Ca
zctte. If they had any guilty knowl-
edge of 'Daisy's Quest" surely some
thing of the guilt would show. It was
an idea worth acting upon, but even as
determined to carry it out I also re-
solved that rather than bring trouble
into that home would throw the whole
business up and report that the man
who stole "Daisy's Quest" had gone to
Australia.