Newport daily independent., 1903-04-09

some woman, of course" remarked Gordon, speeding down a shell road, which led into the country.
 T thought you said at Mrs. Gather woods that she ought to live in q ball gown for that very reason" Alice reminded him.
 "You certainly were stunning that night. Absolutely perfect" Gordon asserted, entirely unabashed, while guiding his machine in and out among the increasing holes and hol- 1 lows of the road.
 They were running past scattered houses, florists farms, pastures and cattle, and merging into the country along a solitary winding road. Alice drew her straight brows into a slight frown and bit her lips.
 "A case of lost identity. You mean Fan, of course? Please look out for that cow!"
 Why, Miss Broughton?" Gordon asked sllllfully avoiding the cow, which was ambling along from one side of the road to the other in an affrighted and dangerous manner.
 "Wouldn't it be rather strange if you did not think Fan the prettiest girl in the world?" Alice asked rather scornfully.
 T don't see why. Miss Fan is the best little thing going. But she her self acknowledges she is no beauty"
 Gordon was beginning to find that the inequalities of the road, cut up by wagons after the recent rains, re- quired him to fix his attention more on his driving, and much less on his beautiful companion.
 How hateful men are. Are they ever true to anyone, themselves in- cluded?" Alice thought with a feel ing of bitter indignation, while ad- miring the straight cut bold profile of the man by her side, and his next deXterous management of the auto, as they spun along the edge of the wood and a grass-grown ditch. whose proportions of depth and width were uncertain qualities, owing to a thick growth of water weeds, clogging it. A country wagon came rumbling and crealing along, and the team pulling it shied violently at sight of the horseless vehicle. Of course Alice gave vent to little scream, Gordon thought it musical.
 The winter afternoon was paling rapidly and Alice declared they must turn round and go back.
 Must have more room and a dry CT road. At the next cross road" Gordon said respectfully, showing Alice the gorgeous glow of the west ern sky, the setting sun behind a dark rim of trees, and the tall chim- neys of house set back in clump of trees, short distance off.
 "That used to be the old de Courcy place. The house is crumbling to decay. It used to be beautiful. If you. say so, we'll get out and I'll pick some roses for you: It's haunted now, you know"
 Alice gave d cry of delighted as sent. Running up to where a wide gate had once stood, Gordon stopped and they got out.
 Just one little glimpse" Alice de- clared as they pushed through tan gled bushes and vines, and followed once broad path up to the imposing and beautiful ruins.
 Tall colonial pillars ran up to the roof and the marble flooring of the porch was stained and cracked The hall door, partly open, sagged on its broken hinges, and the red glow from the west falling through the skylight of the roof showed the noble proportions of a great winding stairway and graceful galleries run ming around the upper stories.
 In fire place, whose marble man tie lowered far up the wall in medic val fashion, there were burnt logs and traces of ashes, and standing in the melancholy, deserted and still magni- fcent old house, Alice felt shiver of delight and apprehension.
 What has become of them all? Are they dead and gone? Are there no heirs to inherit this splendid old place, and live in it?" Alice asked. struck by the paneling of the hall and it's splendid ornamentation.
 "Some of them are in France. The people who lived here-wen, they must have been a queer lot. Bernard de Courcy. the last of 'em, killed his young wife and then blew out his brains very properly. No one knew | anything about it for several days, nor was the cause discovered. At least it never got into the papers, which was doing better than we can manage these modern times. To- | day, the when, how and wherefore is found out before the thing happens; murder or what not, neighbors know much more about our doings and in tentions than we do ourselves"
 (Which means?" Alice queried.
 "Nothing special. Of course l don't believe the report of your engage, mcnt to that cad Barkdale People have to talk, you know" Gordon said, looking squarely at Alice.
 Alice who StOpDed short laughed