The Irish standard., 1907-03-16
CHAPTER XII.
] Receive a Call.


Receive Call.
Going to bed at three o'clock on s
winter morning in house whose
ways are disquietins, after duel ir
which you escaped whole only by
| sheer good luck, does not fit one fol
sleep. When | finally drew the covers
over me it was to lie and speculate
upon the events of the night in con
nection with the history of the few
weeks | had spent at Glenarm. Larry
had suggested in New York that Pick
ering was playing some deep game
and I, myself. could not accent Pick
ering's statement that my grandfath
er's large fortune had proved to be a
myth. 1t Pickering had not stolen OF
dissipated it, where was it concealed?
Morgan was undoubtedly looking for
something of value or he would not
risk his life in the business; and il
was quite possible that he was EN-.
ployed by Pickering to search for hid
den property. This idea took strons
hold of me, the more readily, I fear
since I had alwaye been axous to see
evil in Pickering. There was, to be
sure, the unknown alternative heir.
but neither she nor Sister Theresa
was, I imagined, a person capable of
hiring an assassin to kill me.
On reflection I dismissed the idea
of appealing to the county authorities
and I never regretted that resolution.
The seat of Wabana county was 20
miles away, the processes of law were
unfamiliar, and wished to avoid pub
licity. Morgan might, of course, have
been easily disposed of by an appeal
to the Anmandale constable. but now
that 7 suspected Pickering of treach-
cry the caretaker's Importance dwin-
died. | had wanted all my life for a
chance at Arthur Pickering, and in
this affair hoped to draw him into
the open and settle with him.
! slept presently but woke at nv
usual hour. and after tub felt ready
for another day. Bates served me.
as usual. breakfaat that gave fair
aspect to the morning. was alert
for any sign of perturbation in him;
but had already decided that I
might as well look for emotion in a
stone wall as in this placid, colorless
serving man. I had no reason to sus-
pect him OF completely in the nights
affair, but | had no faith in him. and
merely waited until he should show
his hand.
BY my plate next morning found
this note. written in a clear, bold.
womans hand:
THE Sisters of ST. Agatha trust
that the intrusion upon his grounds
by Miss Armstrong, one of their stu
dents, has caused Mr.. Glenarm no an
noyance. The Sisters beg that this
infraction of their discipline will be
overlooked, and they assure Mr.. Glen
arm that 1t will not recur."
An unnecessary apology! The note
paper was of the best quality. AT
the head of the page "St. Agatha's
Annandale" was embossed in purple
One Of the sisters | had seen beyond
the wall undoubtedly wrote it-poss
bly, Sister Theresa herself. clever
woman, that! Thoroughly capable OF
plucking money from guileless old
gentlemen! Poor Olivia! born for
| freedom, but doomed to a pent-up ex
istence with a lot of nuns! resolved
to send her box of candy sometime
just to annoy her guardians. Then
my own affairs claimed attention.
Bates" asked. do you know
what Mr.. Glenarm did with the plans
for this house?"
He started slightly. should moi
keen for his answer
mo, sir. can't put my hand upon
them. sir"
That's all very we'll. Bates, but 70,
didn't answer my question. Do yo,
know where they are? I'll put my
hand on them If you will kindly tel
me where they're kept"
Il fear very much, Mr.. Glenarm
! that they have been destroyed. tried
to find them before you came, to tel
you the whole truth. sir; but they
must have been put out of the way.
That's very interesting. Bates. Will
you kindly tell me whom you suspect
of destroying them? The toast again
please"
His hand shook as he passed the
plate.
II hardly like to say, sir. when it's
only a suspicion"
"Of course shouldn't ask you to
incriminate yourself, but I'll have tc
insist on my question. 1t may have