Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-09-07

II well sir, took the lib
erty OF advancing trlae, as you might
say TO the estate Your grandfather
would not have had you starve. sir"
I he LEFT hurriedly. as though to escape
from the consequences Of his words
and when l came to myself Larry was
gloomily invoking his strange Irish
gods.
Larry Donovan. I've been tempted
to Kill that fellow a dozen times, This
thing is too damned complicated for
me wish my lamented grandfather
mad beft me something easy. To think
OF it-that all the time I've been ours
ing and abusing Bates since came
mere I've been enjoying his bountv.-
/ ana hes been giving ms the fat of the
land, Just because OF his devotion 10
my grandfather's memory. Lord 7
can't face the fellow AGAIN."
LAS I have said before. vou'-e ratbar
lacking at times in perspicacity. Your
intelligence is married by large opaque
spots. Now that there seems to be a
woman In the case you're less sane
/ than ever. Bah. these womeni And
now we've got TO go TO work"
Bah, these women! Ny own heart
caught the words. I was enraged and
! bitter. No wonder she had been anx.
/ ious for me to avoid Pickering in Gin.
cinnau, after daring me TO follow her
! there
We called a council OF war for that
| night that We might view matters ia
! the light OF Pickerings letter. His
In
made prompt and decisive action
necessary on my part. summoned
Stoddard 20 our conference. feeling
confident OF his friendliness.
"Of course" said the broad-shoul-
/ dered chaplain. "if you could show that
/ your absence was on business OF very
grave importance, the courts might
construe Ia your favor"
Larry looked az the ceiling and blew
/ rings Of smoke languidly. I had not
/ disclosed 20 either Of them the cause
/ OF my absence. on such matter I
knew I should get precious little sym
/ pathy from Larry. and 1 had. more
/ over. feeling that I could not discuss
! Marian Devoreux with any one; 1 even
| shrank from mentioning her name.
: though it rang like the call OK bugles
/ in nay blood.
She was always before mo.-the
charmed spirit OF youth. linked TO
/ every foot OF the earth. every CLEAN Of
! the sun upon the ice-bound lake. every
] glory OF the winter sunset. All the
i good impulses I had ever stiaed were
! quickened 90 life by the thought OF her.
/ Amid the days perplcxities ] started
/ sometimes. thinking ] heard her voice.
/ her girlish laughter. or saw her again
/ coming toward me down the stairs. or
/ holding against the light her fan with
/ It's golden butterflies 7 really knew
] so little OF her; ! could associate her
! with no home. only with that last fing
I OF tho autumn upon the lake. the snow
/ driven woodland. that twilight hour at
/ the organ In the chapel. those stolen
/ moments at the Armstrong; re-
/ scented the pressure of the hours az.
! fairs. and chafed az the necessity for
! talking OF my perplexlties with the
! good friends who were there Co help.
! ! wished % bs alone. 90 yield 90 the
sweet mood that tho thought OF her
! brought me. The doubt that crept
| through my mind as TO any possibility
] NA ANlAAAlN tAAlAN WfAffN-ffl AN-l anu ANNf'A
| ing was as VAGUE and hecung as the
shadow OF "a swallows wing on "a
| sunny meadow.
you don't intend lighting the fact
OF your absence. do you?" demanded
| Larry. after a long silence.
"Of course not" I replied hcrceIy.
Pickering was right on my heels. and
my absence was known 90 his men
here. And IL would not De square TO
my grandfather.-who never harmed "A
flea. may his blessed soul rest in
/ pcacc,-to lie about &c. They might
! nail me for perjury besides"
Then the quicker we get ready for
a siege the better. AS 1 understand
your attitude, you don't intend 20
move out until you've found where the
| siller's hidden. Being a gallant gen
tleman and of forgiving nature. you
want TO be sure that the lady who IS
now entitled 20 il Gets all there is
coming 10 her. and as you don't trust
| the executor any further than a true
Irishman trusts a British prime minis
ter's promise. you're going 20 stand by
TO watch the bullion counted. is tina.
a correct analysis of your intentions"
That's as near one OF my ideas as
you're likely to get"
Spoken like a man OF spirit. And
now we'd better stock up at once, in
| case we should be shut or from our
source OF supplies This is a lonely
! place here; even the school is q re-
/ mote neighbor. Better let Bates raid
! the village shops tomorrow. I've
/ tried being hungry, and I don't care 20
! repeat the experience"
Il can't imagine. really cant be-
| lieve." began the chaplain, that Miss
| DevereuX viii want TO be brought
into this estate matter in any way. In
fact. l have heard Sister Theresa say
as much. l suppose there's no way o!
preventing q man from leaving his
property to young woman who has
no claim on him,-who doesn't want
anything from him"
Bah. these womeni People don't
throw legacies TO the birds these days.
OF course she'll take it." observed
Larry.
Then his eyes widened and met mine
in gaze that reflected the mystifca-
ton and wonder that struck both OF