Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-06-28

locked But this key is scarcely
lever turned"
There was light step on the stair,
and Cyril, who knew who it was.
looked round with the light that al
ways shone in his eyes when they
greeted her.
She stopped and bent over the bal
ustrade, and to Cyril 1t seemed as if
the hall had suddenly become flooded
with sunlight.
"Good-morning," she said, her must
cal voice floating down to him. What
is the matter?" and faint smile. al
most arch, played about her half
parted lips.
The butler disappeared, but Cyril
looked up at her, and with an un-
usual gravity in his tone, said:
The library door is locked, and
wanted some papers, Miss Dale"
Leola ran down stairs, laughing
softly.
yes" she said; Il locked it. l was
afraid" and slight color came into
her cheeks, that some one might go
in and disturb the papers; here is the
key"
| Cyril took it, and inserted it in the
lock, then he paused.
When did you lock it, Miss Dale
he asked.
"Oh, when, let me think Just be-
fore dinner. The other door is al
ways locked. I am sorry you have
been kept waiting
Just before dinner. Then unless
the midnight visitor possessed a dupli
cate key he had not gone further than
the library.
Cyril drew a long breath and
opened the door, pausing on the
threshold to look round. To all ap-
pearance the room looked exactly as
he had left it.
| He went to the table. There were
his papers, so far as he could remem-
Der, neither touched nor displaced. An
open book which he had been reading
lay just as he had laid it down. He
did not like to make a minute or
marked examination of the room, for
Leola stood at the door swinging her
garden-hat, and watching him, but he
walked to the door and opened it. If
he found the shutters fastened from
the inside he should conclude that he
had been dreaming, and that the mid
night visitor existed in the creation
of disordered brain. AS he opened
1.-THE window, the first thing he noticed
was the screw lying in the inside.
The shutters had been opened.
He threw them back and slipped on
to the terrace. and there was the gar.
dener picking up the fragments of the
magnolia flower-pot.
The man looked up and touched
his hat.
Morning, sir. These plaguey cats
a'been at their games last night.
There must a. been a regular meet
ing of them, for the shrubs be all
knocked down at the end of the ter
race"
Cyril walked down to the place over
which he had seen the man leap, and
stared at the displaced shrubs in ST.
lence. 1t was some comfort to find
that he had not been dreaming or
temporarily insane.
Then he came back to the library
Leola had passed through the room on
to the terrace. and with one hand
shading her eyes, was looking across
the wide expanse.
What beautiful morning." she
said, looking back at him. "Shall
you be able to give me lesson this
morning, Mr.. Kingsley"
For the first time Cyril answered
her absently.
Yes he said, mechanically. Then
he came on the terrace. Il am much
obliged to you for locking the door,
Miss Dale" he said. ut was care
less of me to leave the papers about,
and l should have been very sorry if
they had been disturbed. Should
presume if l asked you to be so gra-
cious as to have the door locked every
night?"
"Oh, no." said Leola. Il will lock
it myself, as l did yesterday. and
keep the key"
| Ssiti bOWSus ne udu LIS manu- Oh
kthe shutter.
These are very slight" he said,
carelessly, fearful of alarming her;
| they are the weakest shutters in the
house. Wouldn't it be advisable to
have a bar fixed inside"
IF you think so.'' said Leola, with
ready acquiescence. 1t was really
remarkable that every suggestion Mr..
Kingsley made was received by her
as il embodied the wisdom of Solo
mon.
Il will ask the butler to see to it."
81 will get one made at the forge, If
may?' said Cyril.
Thank you" said Leola, simply.
| And Cyril thought to himself.
"Pll have bar across those shut
ters before tonight If l have to make
it myself"
Leola leaned her arm on the balus-
trade and watched the gardener striv-
ing to repair the damage caused by
-