The Delta independent., 1907-04-12
THE HOUSE OF
A THOUSAND
CANDLES
BY MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Author oi THE MAIN CHANCE" ZELDA
CAMERON" Etc.
CHAPTER lI.-Continued.
Cop, rlsht i,U5 Dy BOUD,-MerrlL I,

friend Pickering. | answered. ard
Larry turned his head slightly.
Yes, | supposed you weren't look
ing at the women" he observed dryly.
I'm sorry ! couldn't see the object of
your interest Bah. these mem"
laughed carelessly enough. but
was already summoning from my
memory the grave face of the girl in
black.-her mourIful eyes. the CLINT of
gold in her hair. Pickering was GER
tainly finding the pleasant places in
this vale of tears. and | felt my heart
hot against him. 1t hurts. this seeing
a man you have never liked succeed
ing where you have failed.
why didn't YOU present me? I'd
like to make the acquaintance Of few
representative Americans. i may
need them to go bail for me"
pickering didn't see me. for one
thing: and for another he wouldn't go
bail for you or me if he did. He isn't
built that way
Larry smiled quizzically.
You needn't explain further. The
sight of the lady has shaken you. She
reminds me of Tennyson:
"'The star-like sorrows of immortal
eyes
and the rest of it ought to be solemn
warning to you,-many drew swords
and died. and calamity followed in
her train. Bah. these women.
thought you were past all that"
81 don't know why man should be
past it at 81! Besides, Pickerings
friends are strangers to me. But what
became of that Irish colleen you used
to moon over? Her distinguishing fea-
ture, as | remember her photograph,
was short upper lip. You used to
force her upon me frequently when
we were in Africa
''Humph When l got back to Dub
lin l found that she had married a
brewers son,--think of it,"
Put ut your faith in a short upper
lip. Her face never inspired any con-
fidence in me-"
That will do. think you. I'll have
bit more of that mayonnaise if the
waiter isn't dead think you said
your grandfather died in June. A let
ter advising you of the fact reached
you at Naples in October Has it oc-
CURED to you that there was quite an
interim there? What, may / ask, was
the executor doing all that time? You
may be sure he was taking advantage
of the opportunity to look for the red,
red gold. l suppose you didn't give
him sound drubbing for not keeping
the cables hot with inquiries for you?"
He eyed me in that disdain for my
stupidity which | have never suffered
from any other man.
We'll. no; to tell the truth, I was
thinking of other things during the in
terview"
Your grandfather should have pro-
vided guardian for you, lad. You
olghtn't to be trusted with money. Is
our bottle empty? Well, if that per-
BCn with the fat neck was your friend
Pickering, I'd have a care of what's
coming to me. I'd be quite sure that
Mr.. Pickering hadn't made away with
the old gentleman's Doodle. or that it
didn't get lost on the way from him to
you."
The times running now, and I'm
in for the year. My grandfather was a
fine old gentleman, and l treated him
like dog. I'm going to do what he
directs in that will, no matter what
the size Of the reward may be-"
Certainly; that's the emnently
proper thing for you to do. But,-but
keep your wits about you. II fellow
with that neck cant find money where
hop a..
must be buried pretty deep. Your
grandfather was a trifie eccentric, I
judge, but not a fool by any manner
of means. The situation appeals to
my imagination, Jack. l like the idea
of 1.-THE lost treasure and the whole
business. Lord, what a salad that is!
Cheer up. comrade! You're as grim
as an OWL"
Whereupon we fell to talking of peo.
pie and places we had known in other
lands.
We spent the next day together, and
in the evening, at my hotel, he criti.
cized my effects while l packed, in his
usual ironical vein.
You're not going to take those
things with you, 1 hope!" He indi.
Gated the rifles and several revolvers
which I brought from the closet and
threw upon the bed. "They make me
Lomesick for the Jungle"
He drew from its cover the heavy
rife / had used last on leopard hnnt
and tested its weight.
Precious little use you'll have for
this! Better let me take it back to
The Sod to use on the landlords.
say, Jack, are we never to seek our
fortunes together again? We hit it off
pretty well, old man, come to think of
1t,--I don't like to lose you"
He bent over the straps of the rife.
case with unnecessary care, but there
was a quaver in his voice that was not