The Washington times., 1906-07-01
The House of a Thousand Candles

water yoice,-a woman's volce,
deep. musical and deliberate
Really. shouldn't be so angry III
were you" il said. with lingering
note o. tne word angry.
WI" are you? What are you doing
there?" I bawled.
Just enjoying a little tranquil
thought. vas the drawing, nockins
reply
Far cut upon the river I heard the
dip ana glide Of the canoe. and saw
family its outline for a moment. then
II VAS gone The lake, the surround
ing wood, were an unknown world
the canoe. a boat OF dreams Then
again came The voice:
Good night. merry gentlemen"
IT was a lady. sir" remarked
Bates. after We had waited silently fOr
Z fun minute.
How. clever you are" I snee--d
7 suppose ladies prowl about here at
night. shooting ducks OF into peoples
houses
1t would seem quite likely, sir
should have liked 20 cast him into
the lake, but he was already moving
away, the lantern swinging al ais
side followed him. back through
the woodland 70 the house.
Ny spirits quickly responded 70 the
cheering influence Of the great library.
! stirred the fire OF the hearth into
life and sat down before il, tired from
NY tramp I was 11ystifed and per-
picked BY the incident that had al
ready marked my coming. L was pos
s-ble. tc he sure. that the bullet which
narrowly missed my head IN the little
c4ning-rOOno had been a Wild shot that
carried no evil intent I dismissed at
once the idea that il might have been
fred from the lake: IL had crashed
through the glass with TOO much force
10 have come 50 far; and moreover.
I could hardly imagine even a rife
balls finding an unimpeced risilt Of
way through 50 dense q strip OF wood
J folnd IL iifAcult 70 get rid OF the
idea that some one had Jakel a pot
sh~T al ne
The woman's mocking voice from
the lake added 10 my perplexiry- Il was
not. I reflected. such a voice as one
might expect 70 hear from a country
girl, nor Coul- imagine any erraad
that would exc1-se a woman's presence
abroad on an October night whose cool
air inspired first condolences with IRE
and lamp There was something haunt
ing in that last cry across the water;
IL kept repeating itself over and over
in my ears II was voice OF quality,
OF breeding and charm
Good night. merry genr;euenf'
n Indiana. I reflected. ruseics. young
or Cd. men or women. were probably
rot greatly given to salutaJ!ons Of lust
Ihis temper
Bates now appeared.
Beg pardon. sir: but your rooms
ready whenever you wish 70 retire"
looked about in search OF q clock.
There are no timepieces in the
house. Mr. Glenarnn- Your grandf faith
e. was quite opposed TO them He had
a theory. sir thar they were cOndu-
Give. as he said. 10 idIeness. He con-
sidered that man should work by his
conscience. sir. and not By the clock
the one being more exacting than the
otke-"
I smiled as J drew out my watch
as much al Bates solemn tones and
grim lean vissge as az his quotauoa
from NY grandsire. But the fellow
puzzled and annoyed me. His unobtra-
siye black cloths his ly-brush-
ed hair. his shaven face. awakened an
aCcagonism in me
''Bates, II YOU didn't FIRE that shot
through the window. who dfd-win you
answer me that2''
Yes. sir; If ! didn't do II. It's quite
a large question who did. III grant you
that. sir"
I stared ar him. He met nv raze
directly without iinching. nor was
there ANYTHING InsOIent IN his tone or
attitude. He continued:
Il didn't do II. sir. I was in the
PANTRY when I heard the crash in the
refectory window. The bullet came
from out OF doors. as 1 should Judge.
sir
The facts and conclusions were IN
doUbtedly with Bates. and felt that
had not acquitted myself creditat,s-
in my effort TO FIX the crime on him.
Ny abuse OF him had been tacJIess.
10 SAY the least, and now tr1ed an
other line OF attack.
-Of course. Bates. ! was merely
joking What's your own theory OF
the matter7"
II have 10 theory. sir. Mr. Glenarm
always warned me against theories.
He said-if you Will pardon me-there
mind"
The mar spoke with q slight Irish
accent. which in itself puzzled me.
have always been attentive 10 the
peculiarities OF speech. and his was
not the oroSue of the Irish servant
class Larry Donovan. who was Eng
lish-oorn. used on occasions an exag-
gerated Irish dialect that was wholly
different from the smooth liquid tones
OF Bates. But more things than his
speech were 10 puzzle me in this man.
The person in the canoe2 How do
you account Tor herr I asked.
I haven't accounted for her. sir.
There's no women on these grounds.
or any sort Of person. except our
selves
Rn