Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-04-06

| leave the spot until we had found what
| lay behind the Door Of Bewilderment.
You didn't tell the callers where
you expected to find me, did you?" |
asked Bates, as be brushed me OF in
the kitchen.
NO sir Mr.. Stoddard received the
| gentlemen. He rang the bell for me
and when ] went into the library he
was saying. Mr.. Glenarm is at his
studies Bates, The says-'kindly tell
Mr. Glenarm that I'm sorry to inter
rupt him, but won't he please come
DOWN. / thought it rather neat, sir,
considering his clerical Office. I knew
you were below somewhere, sir; the
trap doer was open and / found you
easily enough"
Bates eyes were brighter than ] had
ever seen them A certain buoyaat
note gave an entirely new tone TO bis
voice lie walked ahead Of me to the
library door, threw it open and stood
aside
All here you are, Glenarm," said
Stoddard. Pickering and stranger
stood near the fireplace in their over
coats.
Pickering advanced and offered his
hand, but | turned away from HIM with
out taking it. His COMPANION, a burlv
oountryman, stood
his hand.
The sheriff" Pickering explained,
and our business is rather personal"
He glanced at Stoddard, who looked
at me
Mr. Stoddard will do me the kind.
ness to remain" | said and took my
stand beside the chaplain.
Obi" Pickering calculated scorn-
fully Il didn't understand that your
relations with the neighboring clergy
were so intimate Your taste is inn
proving, Glenarm."
Mr. Glenarm is friend Of mine,
remarked Stoddard quietly. "A very
particular friend he added.
q congratulate you-both."
/ laughed. Pickering was surveying
the room as ne spoke,--and Stoddard
suddenly stepped toward him, merely
| think, to draw up chair for the
sheriff: but Pickering, not hearing
stoddard's step on the soft rug until
the clergyman was close beside him,
started perceptibly and redeemed.
It was certainly ludicrous, and when
stoddard faced me again he was biting
his lib. e'sess--ss'a..G- i-,,ssa'-. .-a'''''@'-
Pardon met" he murmured
Now gentlemen. will you kindly
state your business? My own affairs
press me-"
Pickering was studying the cartridge
boxes on the library table. The sheriff,
too, was viewing these effects with in
terest not, think, unmixed with awe.
"Glenarm, don't like to invoke the
law to eject you from this property
but | am left with no alternative.
can't stay out here indefinitely and |
want to know what's I'm to expect"
That is a fair question" | replied
IF it were merely matter of follow
ing the terms of the will | should not
hesitate or be here now. But it isn't
the will, or my grandfather that keeps
me, it's the determination to give you
all the annoyance possible,-to make
it hard and mighty hard for you to get
hold of this house until l have found
why you are so much interested In 1t.
You always had a grand way in
money matters. AS | told you before
you came out here, it's a poor stake
The assets consist wholly of this land
and this house, whose quality you have
had an excellent opportunity to test
You have doubtless heard that the
country people believe there is money
concealed here,-but | dare say you
have exhausted the possibilities. This
, is not the first time a rich man has
died. leaving precious little behind
| him." -. ,sl-s.s..,,- 49, ---,.
/ "Eou seem very anxious to get pos
! session of a property that you call a
poor stake" | said "A few acres of
! land, half.fnished house aud an un,
| certain claim upon a school teacher
Il had no Idea you would understand
my position he replied The seri-
ousness of mans oath to perform the
solemn duties imposed upon him by
law would hardly appeal to you. But
| I haven't come here to debate this
question. When am | to have posses
sion?"
Not till I'm ready-thanks!"
Mr.. Sheriff, will you serve yom
write" he said, and | looked to Stod-
dard for any hint from him as to what
| should do.
Il believe Mr. Glenarm is quite will
ing to hear whatever the sheriff has to
say to him" said Stoddard, He stepped
nearer to me, as though to emphasize
the fact that he belonged to my side
of the controversy, and the sheriff read
an order of the Wabana county circuit
court directing me, Immediately, to de
liver the house and grounds into the
keeping of the executor of the will OF
the estate of John Marshall Glenarm.
The sheriff rather enjoyed holding
the center of the stage, and listened
quietly to the unfamiliar phraseology
Before he had quite finished heard q