Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-12-18

Philip obeyed in silence. He passed
through the. curtains. 1t was, SO dark
that he imagined he must be in a
passage with a door at the other end.
Cant slave a light?" he asked,
partly turning toward the room he had
Just quilted.
In the neglected garden at the land
ward front of the Grange House the
horse stood patiently on three legs.
Illuminating no doubt on the steepness
of hills and the excellence of pastures.
Nearly an hour passed thus in solemn
quietude. Then a boy on a bicycle.
red faced with exertion, pedaled man.
fully up the hill and through the gate.
II hope he's here" lie thought. TIA
Il long way to COON for nothin'."
Around his waist was n strap with q
pouch bearing the kings monogram.
He ran up to the door and gave n cou.
pie of thunderous knocks. the privileg.
ed rattat of Il telegraph messenger.
There was a long delay. Then q
heavy step approached and man
opened the door-a big, heavy faced
man, with eyes that stared dreadfully
and nose damaged in llfe's transit.
"Philip Arson, ESQ.," said the boy
brisllly, producing buff colored en-.
velope.
The man seemed to swallow some
thing.
Yes; he's here. Is that for him?'
Eyes, sir. Any reply?"
The man took the telegram, closed
the door, and the boy heard his retreat
retrrued.
Its too late to reply tonight, isn't
it?' he inquired.
"Yes, sir. 1t coom'd after hours, but
they'd paid t. porterage Y Lunnon SO t.
postmistress said ye'd mebbe like to
hev it at vance I've ridden all t. way
frae Scarsdale."
Late that evening, when the pro-
tracted cleaning of the north was fast
yielding to the shadows Of cloudy
night, the big man from the Grange
House drove into Scarsdale: He pulled
| W. ~ liC l'o-N >thtt llOuiuS puUliC
house. He wanted Mr.. Green.
Anson's valet came.
| Your master says you are to bring
his portmanteau to the Grange House
tonight. He intends remaining there.
You must get the landlord to sit up
until you return. 1t will take you an
hour and a half to drive both ways"
Green was ready in five minutes
He learned that stable boy must
crouch at their feet to bring the dog
cart back. 1t was the property of the
Fox and Hounds proprietor
Very unwillingly the horse swung
off again toward the moor. There was
little conversation. The driver was
taciturn, the Londoner somewhat scar
ed by the dark loneliness.
AT the Grange House they We're me
by Philip Arson. lie stood in the opel
doorway. He held a handkerchief tt
his lips and spoke in a husky voice, the
voice of one under the stress of grea
lagitation.
THAT you, Green? Just give my ba:
to the driver and return to the village
Here is a five pound note. Pay you
bill and go back to London by the frs
train tomorrow. l stop here some few
days"
The astonished servant took the note
Before he could reply his master turn
ed, crossed q room feebly lighted by ;
dull lamp and passed through a cur
tanned doorway.
Green was staring perplexedly at the
house, the Kitchen, his i'll favored com
panion carrying Philips portmantea,
within, when he heard his masters
voice again and saw him standing be
tween the partly drawn curtains, witt
his face quite visible III the dim rays
Of the lamp.
"Green?'
Eyes, sir"
Here are my keys. Unlock the bag
and take the keys with you. You re
member the small portmanteau in IN.
safe at Park lane?"
yes, SIR"
"Open the safe, get that bag an,
send it to me tomorrow night by trail
to the Station hotel, York"
Tomorrow night, sir?"
YES"
The keys were thrown with rattl
on to broad kitchen table. EVIDENT
Mr.. Arson would not brook question
as to Lis movements, though his fe,
words sounded contradictory Gree
got down, unfastened the portmantea
and went back to the dogcart.
They're queer folk + t. Grange,
said the stable boy as, they drove wa,
There's barrow night and a lady a
nobody ever sees, an doclltor, an
man-him as ken for ye."
Surely they are well known here?'
Not a bit of it. Only bin here abou
a week. " doctor chaps very chirpy
but yon luther is rum 'un."
Green was certainly puzzled yer
greatly by the unexpected develop
ments of the last few minutes, but Ii
was discreet and well trained.
He liked his young master and woul
do anything to serve his interest.
Moreover, the ways Of millionaire
We're not the ways of other men. A
he could do was to hear and obey.
He slept none the less soundly be
cause his master chose voluntarily t
bury himself, even for little while
/. in such a weirdly tumbledown oil
mansion as the Grange House.