The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-03-31

(! For Tine there was silence. Frof
within the house came tho contnnou
babbie VI voices and laughter, tile elm
| Of cutlery on china. The young pcopi
/ spent u long time over tlieir supper
! by and by The winter returned to til
veranda, deposited d plate VI colore
ices upon Arlel's knees with nobl
| gesture aud departed.
mo leo for fne." s1d Joe,
Wont you please 10 nowr she cI
| trenied.
III wouldn't be good manners" be RI
sponded. '7i'hey might think | onI,
came for supper
"Hand me hack the things. The wall
er might caaie G5st..a.l aly minute
~rakc them tllcn. you'll sec thu
jealousy hasn't spoiled my appetitet-.-'
A bottle shaped figure appeared 1,
the window. and she had no time t,
take the plate and cuD which were be
Ing pushed through tlic palm leaves
S!ie whispered syllable of warning
aud the dishes were hurriedly with
drawn Az Norbert flltcroft, wearing I
solemn expression OF injury, came oui
upon tho veranda.
He halted suddenly. "}s.tlts tiiatY
he asked. With suspicion.
Nothing answered Ariel sharply
Where"
Behind those palms"
Probably your own shadow" Rhs
laughed. or II might have been i
draft moving the leaves"
He did not seem satisfied, but stared
hard at the sp,t where the dishes had
disappeared. meantime cdaing baaE
cautiously nearer the window.
'"fhey want you" he said. after a
pause Some ones come for you"
'Oh. ID grandfather waitingf" .slse
rose, at the same time letting hes
handkerchief fall She stopped to p.ca
ii up with her face away from Nor
bert and toward the palms, whisper
Ing tremulonsly, but with passionate
urgency, "PIease go.'
1T isn't your grandfather that has
come for you said the fat one slow
ly. 1T Is old Eskew Arp. Some
things happened"
She looked at him for q moment.
beginning to tremble violently, her
eyes growing wide with fright.
us my grandfathcr-is he sick"
"You better go and see. Old Eskew.s
waiting In the hall. He'll tell you" 4
She was by him and through the
window instantly. Norbert did not
follow her; he remained for several
moments looking earnestly at the
palms; then he stepped through the
window and beckoned to q youth who
was lcunging In the doorway across
the room.
There's somebody hiding behind
those plants." he whispered when hls
friend reached him. Go and tell
Judge Pike to send some Of the Mig
gers to watch outside the porch. 20
that he doesn't get away. Then tell
him to get his revolver and come
here"
Meanwhile Ariel had found Mr.. Arp
waiting In the hall talking In a low
voice to Mrs. Pike &
Your grandfather's all right" he
told the frightened girl quickly. "He
sent me for you. that's all. Just hurry
and get your things"
She was with him again In a mo-
nent and. seizing the old mans arm,
lurrled him down the steps and toward
he street almost at run.
you're not telling me the truth"
The said-"you're not telling me the
ruth
Nothing has happened to Roger
,anted Mr.. Arp. Nothing to mind,
mean. Here! We're going this way,
lot that" They had come to the
sate. and as she turned to the right
he pulled her round sharply to the
eft. Were not going to your house."
where are we goingg'
"We're going to your Uncle Jonas"
"Why?" she cried In supreme aston
shment 'What do you want to take
ne there fori Don't you know that
les stopped speaking to me?'
"Yes," said the old man grimly, with
omething OF the look he wore when
cllncher at the National
Iouse; hes stopped speaking to ev-
rybody."
(Continued Na.t SunfiavN