The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-05-05
THE HOUSE OF
A THOUSAND
CANDLES
BY MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Author Of THE MAIN CHANCE" ZELDA
CAMERON" Eie.

CHAPTER XVl.-contlnued.

ter Theresa. There are a GOOD many
things about my gran1<ather's affairs
that | 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. My grandfather seems to
have mislaid or lost most of his assets
before he died. And yet he had the
reputation of being q pretty cautious
business man"
"The impression is abroad, as you
must know, that your grandfather con
cealed his fortune before his death.
The people hereabouts believe so; and
Mr.. Pickering. the executor, has been
unable to trace It,"
Yes, l believe Mr.. Pickering has
not been able to solve the problem
I said and laughed.
but, of course. you and he will Co
operate in an effort to find the lost
property"
She bent forward slightly; her eyes,
as they net mine, examined me with a
keen interest.
why shouldn't be frank with you,
Sister Theresa? have every reason
for believing Arthur Pickering a
scoundrel. He does not care to CO.
operate with me in searching for this
money. The fact is that he Is very
much wishes to eliminate me as a fac.
tor In the settlement of the estate. |
speak carefully; l know exactly what
I am saying"
She bowed her head slightly and
was silent for a moment. The silence
was the more marked from the fact
that the hood of her habit concealed
her face.
What you say is very serious"
yes, and his offonse is equally Sc
rious. II may seem odd for me to be
saying this to you when | am a strang-
er-when you may be pardoned for
having 10 very high opinion of me-"
She turned her face to melt was
singularly gentle and refned-not a
face to associate with an idea of self
seeking or duplicity.
Il sent for you, Mr.. Glenarm, be-
cause l had a very good opinion of
you; because, for one reason, you are
the grandson of your grandfather
and the friendly light in her gray eyes
drove away any lingering doubt l may
have had as to her sincerity. II
wished to warn you to have a care for
your own safety. / don't warn you
against Arthur Pickering alone, but
against the countryside. The idea of
/, a hidden fortune IS a%lluring; a mys-
FERROUS house and a lost treasure
make a very enticing combination.
fancy Mr.. Glenarm did not realize that
he was creating dangers for the peo-
pie he wished to help"
She was silent again, her eyes bent
meditatively upon me. Then she spoke
abruptly.
MIR. Pickering wishes to marry my
niece"
"Ah. l have been waiting to hear
that. 1 am exceedingly glad to know
that he has so noble an ambition. But
Miss Devereux isn't encouraging him,
as neal as l can make out She re-
fused TO go to California with his
party-I happen to know that"
"That whole California episode
would have been amusing If 1t had not
been ridiculous. Marian never had
the slightest idea of going with him;
but she is sometimes a little-shalI
say perverse?-"
please dol I like the woodland
the quality!"
And Mr.. chickering's rather elab-
crate methods Of wooing-"
He's as heavy as leadl" I declared.
"-Amuse Marian up to a 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 bel"
Il should say not" l declared with a
warmth that caused Sister Theresa to
sweep me with those wonderful gray
eyes. But first he expects to find this
fortune and endow Miss Devereux
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. l am not so easily got
rid of as Arthur Pickering im~agines.
MY Staying QudilllSS, which were al
Ways weak in the eyes of my family,
have been braced up a trife."
Yes"
thought pleasure and hope were
expressed In the m~onosyllable, and my.
heart warmed to her.
Sister Theresa, you and I are UNI
Outstanding each other much better
than l imagined we should"-and we
both laughed. feeling a real sympathy
growing between us"
Eyes, l believe we are"-and the
smile lighted her face again.
so | can tell you two things. The
first is that Arthur Pickering will
never find my grandfather's lost for
tune. assuming that any exists. The
second is that in no event will he
marry YOU niece"
you speak with a good deal of con
fidence," she said and laughed a low,
murmuring laugh. thought there was