Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-07-26
THE HOUSE OF
A THOUSAND
CANDLES
CHAPTER xvl.-con.lnu.d.
By MEREDITH NICHOLSON
A.'''' /" '1ss ss...ss..! ss;s !essaaes.- e. ZELDA
,spy1isst is-s :, soes, A.'r,li O.

that I don't understand. but I'm not
going to see an old friend Of his swim
died. There's more In all this than
appears. Ny grandfather seems TO
have mislaid or lost most OF his assets
before he died. And yet he had the
reputation OF being . pretty cautious
business man
''Thc impression Is abroad. as you
must know. that your grandfather con
ccaled his fortune before his death.
The people hcreabonis bciicyg. so: and
Mr.. Pickering. tho executor. has been
unable to trace IT,"
'Yes. l believe Mr. Pickering has
not been able to so.ve the problem"
said and laughed.
"ba,. of course. you and hc will CO
operate In an effort to Ind the lost
property"
She bent forward slightly: her eyes.
ms they met mine. examined me with
keen ia,crcst.
why shouldn't I be frank with you.
Sister Theresa I have every reason
for believing Arthur Pickering
operate with me In searching for this
money. The fac, IS that he Is very
much wishes TO eliminate me as fac
tor In the settlement Of the estate. |
speak carefully: I know exactly what
I am saying"
She bowed her head slightly and
was silent for moment. The silence
was the more marked from the fact
that the hood Of her habit concealed
her face.
What yon say Is very scr!ona''
Yes. and his oncnsc II equally 30
rious. I, may seem odd for me TO be
saying this to you when ! am n sttanI.
cr-whcn you may be pardoncd for
having no very high opinion of me"
Sig turned her face 10 met was
s!nsulariy gentle and rciincd-noi n
face to associate with nm Idea OF self.
>sccking or dupiicity.
- sent for you. Mr.. Glcnarm. be.
cause I had very good opinion Of
you: because. for ono reason. YOU are
the grandson OF your grandfather
and the friendly light In her gray eyes
drove aSay any lingering doubt I may
have had Ms TO her sincerity. Il
wished 10 warn you TO have n care for
your oSn safety. I don't warn ynn
a-ninss Arthur Pickering alone. hut
against the country side. The idea of
a hidden fortune q aiiuring: "A niys.
,cr!oun house and n lost treasure
make u very cnticing combination. .
fancy Mr. GicnaEm iii not realize tina,
he waR creating dangers FOR the pco.
pie he wished 10 help"
She was silent aEain. her eyes ben,
meiita,ivcly upon me. Then she spoke
abruptly.
MIR. Pickering wishes TO marry my
niece
'Ah. have been waiting to hear
that I am exceedingly glad TO know
that he has so noble an ambition. But
Miss DcvcrcuS isn't encouraging him.
as near as I can make out. She re-.
fused to go to California with his
par;y-I happen TO fnow that
THAT whole California episode
would have been amusing II II had not
been ridiculous. Marian never had
the slightest idea Of gcing with him:
but she is sometimes a iittlc-shail |
say perversc?-"
please do, I like the word-apd
the quality!'
And Mr.. Pickorins's rather elaD
oprate methods OF wooing-"
Hes as heavy as lead!" declared.
"-Amuse Marian up to n certain
point: then they annoy her. He has
implied pretty strongly that the claim
against me could BE- easily adjusted II
Marian marries him. But she will
never marry him. whether she benefits
by your grandfather's will or however
that may be-"
II should say not" declared with n
warmth that caused Sister Theresa to
sweep me with those wonderful gray
eyes but first he expects to find this
fortune and endow Miss Devercux
with 1t. That is a part of the scheme. |
And my own interest in the estate
must be eliminated before he can
bring that condition about. But. Sis
ter Theresa, am not SO easily got |
rid OF as Arthur Pickering imagines. |
My staying qualities. which were al
ways weak in the eyes of my family. |
have been braced mp triiic.''
yes"
l. thought pleasure and hope were
expressed in the monosyllable. and my
heart warmed to her.
Sister Theresa. you and I are un.
derstanding each other much better
than | imagined we should"-and we
both laughed. feeling n real sympathy
growing between u.s.
Yes. believe we are"-and the
emile lighted her face again.
so can tell you two things. The
FIRST is that Arthur Pickering will
never find my graudfather's lost fo.s
tune. assuming that any exists. The
second is that in no event will he
marry your niece"
D "You speak with {. good deal of con-