The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-12-31
THE PRINCETON UN1oN THURSDAY, DEcEnBER q. 8aeoa.

some mystery in Anna Lamoine's
whereabouts, and her way of saying
that might ask Jim made it wholly
unnecessary that should do so. Either
he didn't know or he wouldn't tell
There was a pause, and then | said:
''That's a fine little house under the
apple tree. I wonder what your aunt
would charge me for it,"
"It's rented,' said the girl. There's
a Miss Jones living there
miss Jones?" I asked. ::Where did
she come from? What does she look
like?"
II don't know where she comes FROM"
was the reply. ''She looks we'll 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 Mr.. Witherspoon built the half
nearest to us last year."
What a pity"' exclaimed.
"Oh, it's just as priVate,' she said.
"There's partition of logs and no
door. You might fire a cannon in one
half and not wake a person in the 9TH
er. I don't believe Miss Jones and
Miss Scott ever meet. I carry their
meals out separate"
She sat back in her seat and demure-
~ folded her hands, which We're in
cased in mems gloves, much soiled. 1
Judged that she had been performing
some task appertaining to the kitchen
range.
81 want the whole of that little
house." said I.
Don't know how you're going to get
it, she replied. But you can speak
to Mrs. Witherspoon. Here she comes"
A large, motherly looking woman,
with pleasant face and a great album
dance of gray hair neatly arranged,
came around the corner of the house.
She was carrying a large pan of peas.
AS rose to speak to Mrs. Witherspoon
the niece slipped away into the house.
1t flashed across me that she might
have been too long away from her
work and that the landlady's DISPOSE
ton might not be so mild as her coun-
tenance would indicate.
lost no time in stating my business
to her. She shook her head slowly and
stirred the peas in the pan with med
1tative air
'There seems to be a 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 I'D stairs
in house. 1 might be able to arrange
matters with her, but couldn't bulge
Miss Jones. And that settles it. of
course, so far as you or the other
gentleman is concerned"
"The other gentleman?'
Yes" said she. Eve have a Mr..
Derringer from New York, who wants
to live in the orchard''
"Mr. Derringer" exclaimed. well,
upon my Wordn'
She looked at me with mild surprise.
Il seem to be meeting, or at least
nearing about, an extraordinary num-
Der of my acquaintance in this place.
I've met Mr.. Derringer in New York,
and as for Miss Jones-by the way, is
she a rather tall girl With very beauti-
full blond hair?''
REALLY, l hardly noticed" said Mrs.
W1therspoon. Il 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 Interestingly" said I.
Can you give me room in the house?
Here is my card. I am the son Of
Sumner Terry Of Chicago"
Certain" said Mrs. Witherspoon.
You can stay with u.s."
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.
lis that boy dumb?" l demanded.
NO." She replied, "but he's curious
Child, curious. He's a kind of mys-
terry, call him.
His sister is far from an ordinary
girl said l. land something of mys-
terry HERSELF
That's right" said Mrs Wither-
spoon. "She is.''
CHI PTER Y