Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-08-23
THE HOUSE OF
A THOUSAND
CANDLES
By MEREDITH NICHOLSON
A''''' . -rss r:sss..s.s.':s.! ss's !! !s....s'.- L. ''l'A
CHAPTER xIx.-contInusd.
cSpyTtsAs - ~ s.sse 1ss'sn C.


me once. while your affair with that
Irish girl was ON. that the short upper
lip made Heaven seem possible. but
unnecessary: then the next thing !
knew she had shaken you for the
impertinence. But perhaps II was
Bates?"
did not walt for an answer. was
not in mood for reflection or nice dis.
tinctions. The man came In Just then
with fresh plate Of toast.
Bates. Mr.. Pickering has learned
that was away from the house on the
night OF the attack. and I'm ordered Oh
for having broken my agreement to
stay hero. How do you suppose ho
heard Of II 10 promptiy!'
From Morgan. quite possibly. !
have q letter from Mr.. Pickering my.
self this morning. Just q moment.
SIR
He placed before me q note bearing
the same date Ms my own. II was q
sharp rebuke OF Bates for his failure
TO report my absence promptly by
wirc. and he was ordered to prepare TO
leave on tho first OF February. Close
youI uCCbuuNn ~ sau nhophCVpus" ~uo
! will audit your bills on my arrival"
Tho touc was pcrcmpiory and con.
tcmptuous. Bates had failed to satisfy
Pickering and was fiuns Oh like .
smokcd-out cigar.
How much had he allowed you for
expenses. Batcs!
He mot my gaze imperturabiy.
"Hc pays me $50 month M wages.
sir. and am allowed 375 for other cx.
pcnscs.'
But you didn't buy English phcas.
ants and champagne on that allow.
aucc!"
He was carrying away the cofYco
tray and his eyes wandered to tho win.
dowH.
Not quite. sir. You 500"
"But don't scc!"
"It had occurred to me that ~ Mr..
PickerinE's allowance wasn't what you
might call generous Il was better to
augment IT. Well. sir. took tho lib
crty Of advancing trinc. as you might
say. TO the estate. Your grandfather
would not have had you starvc. SIR"
He loft hurricdly. as though to escape
from tho consequences OF his words.
and whom I came 70 myself Larry was
gioomiiy invoking his strange Irish
gods.
Larry Donovan. I've been tempted
TO kill that fellow q dozen times! This
thing II too damned complicated for
me. I wish my lnmcntcd grandfather
had left mo something easy. To think
Of it-that NIL the time I've been ours.
ing and abusing Bates since I came
here I've been enjoying his bounty
and he's been giving me tho fnt OF the
land. Just because Of his devotion to
my grandfather's memory. Lord. I
can't facc tho fellow again!" -
AS have said before. you're rather
lacking ut times In perspIcacity. Your
intelligence is marred by large opaque
spots. Now that there seems to be
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. I was enraged and
bitter. No wonder she had been anx.
ious for mo to avoid Pickering in Gin.
cinnati, after daring me to follow her
there!
We called a council Of war for that
night that we might view matters in
the light OF Pickering's letter. His
assuredness in ordering me to leave
made prompt and decisive action
necessary on my part. I summoned
Stoddard to our conference. feeling
confident OF his friendliness.
"Of course" said the broadshoul
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
knew should get precious little sym.
pathy from Larry. and I had. more
over. feeling that I could not discuss
Marian Devereux with any one: 1 even
shrank from mentioning her name. |
though It rang like the cali Of bugles
in my blood.
She was always before me,-the |
charmed spirit OF youth, linked to
every foot Of the earth. every CLEAN OF |
the sun upon the ice-bound lake. every |
glory OF the winter sunset. All the |
good impulses had ever stifled were |
quickened to life by the thought Of her.
Amid the days perplexities 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 /
its golden butterflies. I really knew
SO little of her; I 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