Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-05-30

II suppose you all knew my grand
father hereabouts"
We'll, yes you might say as
did, or you might say as we didn't, He
wasn't just the sort that you got next
to in q hurry. He kept pretty mucA
to himself lie built wall there to
keep us out. but he needn't have trou.
bled himself We're not the kind
around here to NEEDLE, and you may
be sure the summer people never both
cred him"
There was a tone OF resentment in
his voice, and I fastened to say:
I'm sure you're mistaken about the
purposes Of that-wall. My grandfather
was student of architecture 1t was
a hobby of his. The house and wall
were in the line of his experiments,
and to please his whims. | hope the
people of the village won't hold any
hard feelings against his memory or
against me. Why, the labor there
must have been good thing for the
people hereabouts"
1T ought to have been" said the
man grufily: but that's whore the
trouble comes in. He brought lot of
queer fellows here under contract to
work for him,-Ttalians, or Greeks, or
some sort of foreigners They built
the wall, and he had EN- at work in
side for half a year. He didn't even
let en- out for air; and when they
finished his job he loaded EN- on to
train ono day and hauled EN- away"
THAT was quite like him. I'm sure"
] said, remembering with amusement
my grandfather's secretive ways.
~ guess he was "A crank all right"
said the man conclusively.
1t was evident that he did not care
to establish friendly relations with the
resident of Glenarm. He was about 40,
light, with yellow beard and pale
blue eyes lie was dressed roughly
and wore shabby soft hat.
We'll, ! suppose I'll have to assume
responsibility for him and his acts"
remarked, piqued by the fellows surli.
ness.
We had reached the center Of tho vii
1age, and he left me abruptly, cross
ing the street to ore Of the shops
continued on to the railway station,
where | wrote and paid for my mes
sage. Tho station master inspected
me carefully as searched my pockets
for change
"You want Your kilograms delivered
at the house," he asked.
Yes, please" I answered. and he
turned away TO his desk of clicking in
struments without looking al mo again
1t seemed wise 70 establish relations
with the postoffice. so | made myself
known to the girl who stood at the de-
livery window.
You already have box" she ad-
vised me There's boy carries the
mail to your house; Mr.. Bates hires
him"
Bates had himself given me this in
formation. but the girl seemed to find
pleasure in impartng it with Ger
tain severity. then bought a cake of
soap at the principal drug store and
purchased a package of smoking to-
bacco, which | did not need. at a
grocery.
News of my arrival had evidently
reached the villagers: was ccnceted
enough to imagine that my presence
was probably of interest TO them; but
the station master the girl at the post
office and the clerks in the shops
treated me with an unmistakable cold
reserve. There was a certain even
ness Of the chill with which they Wis
tied me. as though a particular degree
Df frigidity had been agreed on in ad
vance.
I shrugged my shoulders and turned
toward Glenarm. Ny grandfather had
left me a cheerful legacy of distrust
among my neighbors. the result. prob
hbly. of importing foreign labor to
work on his house. The surly Morgan
had intlmated as much: but II did not
greatly matter. ! had not come to
Glenarm to cultivate the rustics, but
10 fulfill certain obligations laid down
1n my grandfather's will | was. so to
speak, on duty. and much preferred
that the villagers should let me alone
Comforting myself with these refiec-
tions | reached The wharf, where | saw
Morgan sitting with his feet dangling
over the water smoking a pipe.
I nodded in his direction. but he
9eigned not to see me A moment later
he Jumped into his boat and rowed out
upon the lake
When | returned to the house Bates
was at work In the kitchen. This was
large square room with heavy tim
bers showing in the walls and low
ceiling There was great fireplace
in an enormous chimney, fitted with
crane and hobs, but for practical pur-
poses small range was provided.
Bates received me placidly.
YES; it's an unusual room, sir. Mr.
Glenarm copied it from an old kitchen
IN England. He took quite a pride in
II. It's a pleasant place to sit in the
evening, sir"
He showed me the way below. where
found that the cellar extended under
every part Of the house, and was di-
yded into large chambers The door
of one Of them was of heavy oak,
bound in iron, with a barred opening
at the top. A great iron hasp with a
heavy paddock and grilled area win
dows gave further the impression of
q cell, and I fear that al this, as at
many other things in the curious
house, ! swore--if ! did not laugh