Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-11-03

unnecessary that should do So. Errnef he didn't know or he wouldn't tell.
 There was pause, and then I said:
 That's a fine little house under the apple tree. wonder what your aunt would charge me for it.''
 "It's rented" said the girl. "There's Miss Jones living there."
 Miss Jones?" I asked. Where did she come from? What does she look like?"
 "I don't know where she comes from" was the reply. "she looks well enough for all that I've seen of her."
 You don't mean to tell me that she lives out there all alone?"
 There's an old lady in this side," re- piled Miss Witherspoon. "The house is in two parts; used to be only one. but MT. Witherspoon built the half nearest to us last year."
 What pityv' exclaimed.
 "Oh, it's just as private" she said. ''There's a partition of logs and no door, You might fire cannon In one CT. don't believe Miss Jones and Miss Scott ever meet. I carry their meals out separate
 She sat back in her seat and demure- ly folded her hands, which were in- cased in mems gloves, much soiled. I judged that she had been performing some task appertaining to the kitchen range.
 'T want the whole of that little house." said I.
 Don't know how you're going ro get it," she replied. "But you can speak to Mrs. Witherspoon. Here she comes"
 A large, motherly looking woman, with 8 pleasant face and great abun- dance of gray hair neatly arranged, came around the corner of the house. She was carrying a large pan of peas. As I rose to speak to Mrs. Witherspoon the niece slipped away into the house. It flashed across me that she might have been too long away from her work and that the landlady's disposi- ton might not be so mild as her coun- tenance would indicate.
 I lost no time in stating my business to her. She shook her head slowly and stirred the peas in the pan with med itative air.
 "There seems to be great demand for our apple tree house this year." said she. Miss Scott takes to it, though you'd think an old maid would be scared out there in the orchard at night But it appears that she's afraid of fires and don't like to live up stairs in house. I might be able to arrange matters with her, but couldn't budge Miss Jones. And that settles it, of course, so far as you or the n4her gentleman is concerned"
 '"The other gentlemanT'
 "Yes," said she. "We have a MT. Derringer from New York, who wants to live in the orchard"
 "Mr. Derringer.' exclaimed. "Well, upon my wordr'
 She looked at me with mild surprise.
 T seem to be meeting, or at least hearing about, an extraordinary num- Der of my acquaintances in this place. I'ves met MT. Derringer in New York, and as for Miss Jones--by the way, is she rather tall girl with very beauti- full blond hair2'
 Really, hardly noticed" said Mrs. Witherspoon. "I couldn't tell you what she looks like. She keeps good deal to herself; never comes to the house, but goes down to the lake with her painting things and sits there all day."
 This is very interesting" said I. Gan you give me room in the house? Here is my card. am the son of Sumner Terry of Chicago"
 Certain" said Mrs. Witherspoon. "You can stay with us."
 She rose as if to show me the way and looked about for place to set down the pan of peas. At that mo- ment Jimmy Lamoine appeared as if through the ground and without a word took the pan from the old lady's hand and carried it into the house.
 'Is that boy dumb?" I demanded.
 "No," she replied, "but he's curious child, curious. He's a kind of a mys- tery, I call him."
 'His sister is far from an ordinary girl" said I, land something of mys- tery herself"
 That's right" said Mrs. Wither- spoon. "She is."