The Irish standard., 1907-05-11
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Ea1NEuY 1905 6y 4a9ss AzraR

spots. Now that there seems to be o
woman in the case you're less sane
than ever. Bah, these women! And
now we've got to go to work"
BAH these women! My own heart
caught the words. | was cnraged and
bitter. No wonder she had been anx-
ious for me to avoid Pickering in Gin
cinnati. after daring me to follow her
there!
We called council of war for that
night that we might view matters in
the light of chickering's letter. His
asSlredness in ordering ME to leave
made prompt and decisive action
necessary on my part. | summoned
Stoddard to our conference, feeling
confident Of his friendliness.
| "Of course" said the broad-shoul-
dered chaplain. IF you could show that
your absence was on business Of very
grave Importance, the courts might
construe in your favor"
| Larry looked at the ceiling and blew
rings of smoke languidly. had not
disclosed to either of them the cause
Of my absence. On such matter
knew I should get precious little SYM
pathy from Larry, and ! had, more
over. feeling that could not discuss
Marian Devereux with any one; / even
shrank from mentioning her name,
though 1t rang like the call of bugles
in my blood.
| Ch0 al 1N@F~
charmed spirit of youth. linked to
| every foot of the earth. every gleam Of
the sun upon the ice-bound lake. every
glory of the winter sunset. All the
good impulses I had ever stifed were
quickened to life by the thought of her.
Amid the days Eerplexities I started
sometimes. thinking heard her voice,
her girlish laughter, or saw her again
coming toward me down the stairs. or
holding against the light her fan with
it's golden butterflies. I really knew
so little Of her: could associate her
with no home. only with that last fling
; of the autumn upon the lake. the snow
driven woodland. that twilight hour at
the organ in the chapel, those stolen
moments at the Armstrong; re-
+, sented the pressure of the hours af
fairs, and chafed at the necessity for
talking of my perplexities with the
good friends who were there to help.
7 wished to be alone, to yield to the
! sweet mood that the thought of her
brought me. The doubt that crept
| through my mind as to any possibility
| of connivance between her and Picker
ing was as vague and feeting as the
shadow of swallows wing on a
sunny meadow
You don't intend fighting the fact
OF your absence, do you?" demanded
Larry. after a long silence.
of course not" replied fiercely.
pickering was right on my heels. and
my absence was known to his men
here. And it would not be square to
my grandfather-who never harmed a
flea. may his blessed soul rest in
, peace!-tO lie about 1t. They might
nail me for perjury besides"
Then the quicker we get ready for
a siege the better AS | understand
your attitude, you don't intend to
move out until you've found where tho
siller's hidden. Being a gallant gen.
tleman and of forgving nature, you
want to- he sure that the lady who is
now entitled to it gets all there is
coming to her, and as you don't trust
the executor any further than true
lrshman trusts a British prime minis,
ters promise you're going to stand by
to watch the bullion counted. Is tina.
a correct analysis of your Intentions? ?"
That's as near one of my ideas as
you're likely to get"
Spoken like a man of spirit. And
| now we'd better stock up at once, in
case we should he shut off from our
, source of supplies. This is lonely
/ place here; even the school is re-.
mote neighbor. Better let Bates raid
the village shops tomorrow. I've
, tried being hungry. and don't care tc
repeat the experience"
II can't imagine, | really can't be-
lieve.' began the chaplain. that Miss
DevereuX will want to be brought
into this estate matter in any way. In
fact. | have heard Sister Theresa say
as much. l suppose there's no way O:
preventing q man from leaving his
property to young woman who has
no claim on him.-who doesn't want
anything from him."
Bah, these women! People don't
throw legacies to the birds these days.
OF course she'll take it, observed
Larry.
Then his eyes widened and met mine
in gaze that reflected the mystifica.
ton and wonder that struck both OF
US. .Stoddard turned suddenly from
the fire, into which he had been gaz.
ing, exclaiming:
Whats that? There's some one up
stairs!"
Larry was already running toward
the hall, and I heard him springing
up the steps like cat. while Stoddard
and l followed.
Where's Bates?" demanded the
chaplain.
TN thank you for the answer" I
replied.