The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-09-12
THE NEWS DEMOCRATS DAILY STORY
To be published In daily installments this page
The House of a
Thousand Candles
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright by
Tire Bobbs Merrill Company
CHAPTER VII

Morgan, the caretaker, has tried TO
Kill me twice since I came here. He fired
at me through the window the night 1
came. .-Bates"
waited for his eyes to meet mine
again. His hands opened and shut sever
al times, and alarm and fear convulsed
his face for a moment
Bates I'm trying my best to thirk
Wen or you; but ] want yo uto nder-
stand'-1 smote the table with my clench-
ed hand-"that IL these womon. or your
employer. Mr.. Pickering, or that damned
mound. Morgan. or you--damn you. don't
know who or what you are.-thinE you
can scare me away from here. you've
walked M tfTc wr0Hg man, and tell you
another thing--and you may repent IL to
your school teachers and 20 Mr.. Picker
ing, who pays you, and 10 Morgan. whom
somebody has hired 10 kill me,-that I'm
going TO keep faith with nv dead grand
rather and that when I've spent my year
here and done eshat that old man wished
me TO do. I'll give them this house and
every acre OF ground and every damned
dollar the estate carries with e. And
now one other thing ! suppose there's a
sherin or some kind OF a constable with
Jurisdiction over this place, and / could
have the whole lot OF you put into jail
for conspiracy, but I'm going to stand
out against you alone,-do you understand
me- you hypocrite. you stupid. sinking
spy? Answer me, quick, before l throw
you out OF the room!"
l had worked myself into a great pas
sion and fairly roared my challenge,
pounding the table In my rage
Yes. sir; l quite understand you, sir
But I'm afraid, sir"
"Of course you're afraid" I shouted
enraged anew by his halting speech. You
have every reason in the world To be
afraid. You've probably heard that I'm a
bad lot and a worthless adventurer; but
ye.= =caR=teil Sister Theresa or Pickering
or anybody you please that I'm ten times
as bad as I've ever been painted Now
clear out of herev'
He left the room without hooking MT me-
pgain. During the morning / strolled
Through the house several times to make
Sure he had not left IL TO communicate
with some of his fellow plotters but
was. admit, disappointed to find him In
every instance busy at some wholly
proper task. Once indeed, ] found him
cleaning my storm boots To find him
thus humbly devoted 20 my service after
he raklng l had given him dull the edge
pr my arger. i went back to the library
Ind planned a cathedral In seven styles
pr architecture. all unrelated and impos-
ADlt, ana Wnen tnlS DeRdn 10 pore me i
esigned a crypt in which the wicked
|hould be buried standing on th,r heads
Ind only the very good might lie and
lleep In peace. These diversions nd sew
raj black cigars won me to a more amia-
pie mood.
felt better on the whole. for having
nnounced myself TO the delectable Bates,
no gave me for luncheon n brace Of
uails done In a manner that stripped
rticism OF all weapons.
We did not exchange n word. and after
hooking about In the library for several
ours | went out for n tramp Winter
ad Indeed come and possessed the earth,
nd IL had given me new landscape.
he snow continued TO fall In great.
cavy fakes and the ground was whlten-
& fast
rabbits track caught my eve and |
)llowed IL, hardly conscious that I did
,. Then the clear print OF two small
hoes mingled with the rabbits trail A
w moments later I picked up an over
hoe. evidently lost In the chase by one
Sister Theresa's girls. / reflected.
membered that while az Tech | had
bllected diverse memorabilia from
hool-girl acquaintance, and here I was
ns4AH4Hs- s-a-Eax-series with n string OF
eads and an overshoe,
A rabbit is always an attractive quarry.
ew things besides riches are so elusive.
hd the little fellows have. I am sure. a
lrewd humor peculiar 90 themselves I
ther envied the schoolgirl who had
injured forth for a run in the first
how storm Of the season. I recalled