The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-09-08
THE NEWS DEMOCRATS DAILY STORY
To be published in daily installmcnts on this page
The House of a
Thousand Candles
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright by
The Bobbs Merrill Company
CHAPTER VII.

These reflections carried me 20 the bor-
ders OF st Agatha's and l followed the
wall TO the gate. climbed up and sat
down in the shadow or the pillar farthest
from the lake. Lights shone scatteringly
In the buildings Of st. Agatha's. but the
place was wholly silent l drew out a
cigarette and was about 10 light IL when
i heard sound as Of a tread on stone.
There was. / knew, no stone pavement
at hand, but peering toward the lake /
saw man walking boldly along the top
OF the wall toward me. The moonlight
threw his figure into clear relief. Several
times he paused. bent down and raped
upon the wall with an object he carried
in his hand
Only a few hours before | had heard a
similar sound rising from the wainscoting
OF my own room In Glenarm house. Evil
IDENTIFY the stone wall, too was under
suspicion.
Tap. tap, tap! The man with the ham
mer was examining the farther side OF
the gate. and very likely he would carry
his Investigations beyond H. I drew up
my legs and crouched in the shadow OF
the pillar. revolver in hand l was not
anxious for an encounter; / much pre-
ferred TO wait for a disclosure OF the pur-
pose that lay behind this mysterious tap
ping upon walls on my grandfather's es-
tate.
But the matter was taken out Of my
hands before / had a chance to debate IL.
The man dropped TO tffe ground, sounded
the stone base under the gate, likewise
the pillars, evidently without results,
struck a spiteful crack upon the iron
bars. then stood up abruptly and looked
me straight In the eyes II was Morgan
the caretaker OF the summer colony
"Gaod-exeH4Hs- -AF-M Morgan" ! said
| settling the revolver into my hand
There was no doubt about his SURPRISE:
he fell back. staring at me hard, and in
stinctively drawing the hammer over his
shoulder as though TO fling 1t at me.
Just stay where you are moment,
Morgan" / said pleasantly and dropped
10 sitting position on the wall for great
er ease I'm talking TO him.
He stood suleny, the hammer dang
ling at arms length. while my revolver
covered his head
Now. II you please, I'd like TO kpow
what you mean by prowlng about here
and rummagng my house!'
"Oh. it's you. Is It, Mr.. Glenarm? Wen,
you certainly gave me a bad scare.
His air was one of relief and his teeth
shoved pleasantly through his beard.
eft certainly is l. But you haven't
answered my question What were you
Doing I'm my house today?'
He smiled againg. shaking his head.
you're really fooling, Mr.. Glenarm.
wasn't III your IouSt AoNoS' HNNN'
was In IL In my life!
uis white teeth CLEANED in his light
heard. his hat was pushed back from his
rorehead so that l. saw his eyes, ana ne
,,ora unmistakably the air OF man
whose conscience is perfectly clear
I was confident that he lied but with
but appealing to Bates was not pre-
barei- to prove H. -------,--- -
-rounds now. can your" I had dropped
a,e revolver to my knee, but l raised IL
gain. , 70 o,,,u
low me TO explain
That's precisely what want you 10
TO-" ,,
aughed. and | felt the least bit foolish
bo notnting pistol at the head OF
ellow of so amiable spirit
Hurry" ! commanded.
"Weu as I was saying 1t may seem
trange; but | was Just examining the
,alI 10 determine the character OF the
.ork One OF the cottagers on the lake
~ me with the Job OF building renee
his place. and I've been expecting to
me over 10 look at this all falL You
90 Mr.. Glenarm, your honored grand
hther was a master In such matters as
on NAV know, and didn't see any harm
getting the beneft-to put II so-ot MS
NperleuCe
1 laughed. He had denied having en-
red the house with so much assurance
hat I had been prepared for some really
ausible explanation OF his interest IN
10 wall
''Morgan--you said II was Morgan,
int you?-you are undoubtedly scoun-
rel OF the first water. ! make the re-
ark with pleasure
Men have been killed for saying less.
said
"And for doing less than firing through
ndows at n mans head IL wasn't
endly OF you
II don't see why you centre all your
spicions on me You eNaggerate my
hportance. Mr. Glenarm. I'm only the
an of all-work AZ a summer resort
= wouldn't believe you. Morgan. II you
rore on n stack OF Bibles as high as this
all"
Thanks" he calculated mockingly
ike a fash he swung the hammer over
head and drove IL at me. and at the
me moment ] fired The hammer-head
rpck the pillar near the outer edge
IN such n manner that the handle
" around and smote me smarty In the
ce By the time I reached the ground