The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-09-19
THE HOUSE OF
A THOUSAND
CANDLES
BY MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Author Of TIE MAIN CHANCE" ZELDA
DAhER0N." Etc.

CHAPTER XxV.-continued.

2
"Ah, to be sure! You we're away
Christmas eve, when those vandals
broke in. Bates merely mentioned il
in the last report l got from him in
New York. That was all right. / as
sumed. of course, that you had gone
of somewhere 10 get little Christ
mas cheer; don't care anything
about it,"
But | had followed her-I went to
Cincinnati to see her-dont you UNI
derstand? She dared me to comet
was a trick. a part of the conspiracy
10 steal your property"
The old gentleman smiled Il was
an old trick of his to grow calm as
other people waxed angry.
she dared you to come. did she,
That is quite like Marian; but you
didn't have to go. did you. Jack?"
"Of course not; of course l didn't
have to go. but
| stammered, faltered and ceased.
Memory threw open her portals with
a challenge. i saw Marian on the
stairway at the Armstrong;; 1 heard
her low, soft laughter; felt the mock
cry of her voice and eyes; l knew
again the exquisite delight of being
near her. My heart told me well
enough why l had followed her!
Jack. I'm glad I'm not buried up
there in that Vermont graveyard with
nobody to exercise the right of guar
dianship over you. I've had my mis-
svlr rfr k..tr 4 - nj
were a born tramp; and you disap-
pointed me in turning your back on
architecture,-the noblest of all pro
LESSONS; but this performance Of
yours really beats them all Don't
you know that a girl like Marian De
vereuX isn't likely to become the agent
Of any rascal? Do you really believe
for a minute that she tempted you to
follow her so you might forfeit your
rights to my property"
But why was she trying to find
those notes of his? Why did she
come back from Cincinnati with his
party? II you could answer me those
things. maybe I'd admit that I'm a
fool Pickering, I imagine, is a pretty
plausible fellow where women are con
cerned."
For Gods sake, Jack. don't speak
Of that girl as women! l put her in
that will of mine just to pique your
curiosity, knowing that If there was a
penalty on your marrying her you
would be wholly likely to do it,-for
that's the way human beings are
made But you've mixed It all up now
and insulted her in the grOssest way
possible for a fellow who is really a
gentleman And l don't want to lose
you; I want you here with met These
rich Americans. who go TO England to
live. don't appreciate the beauty Of
their own country. This landscape Is
worthy of the best that man can do.
And ! didn't undertake to build a
crazy house out here but one that
should have some dignity and charac-
ter. That passage around the chin
ney is an indulgence, Jack,-Ill admit
It's a little bizarre,-you see that
chimney isn't so big outside as II is
ini"-and he laughed and rubbed his
knees.-"and my bringing foreign
laborers here was really to make it
easier TO get things done my way.
Wait till you have seen the May-apples
blossom and heard the robin sing in
the summer twilight,-help me to
finish the hOuse.-then If you want
20 leave I'll bid you GOdspeed."
The feeling in his tone, the display
Of sentiment so at variance with my
Did notion of him, touched me in spite
Of myself. There was a characteristic
nobility and dignity in his plan; it
was worthy OF him. And had never
loved him as now. when he finished
this appeal. and turned away to the
window, gazing out upon the somber
woodland
Mr.. Donovan Is ready to go. sir.
announced Bates at the door. and we
went into the library. where Larry and
5toddard we're waiting.