Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-12
CHAPTER TX.
The "Eresh-Airers."


as soft ands quiet as possible. Then we
listened. Not sound.
Then Van catches me by the arm and
begins to pull me and Martin back along
the hall. When we got to the end. by
the parlor door he whispers low and
cautious:
I'VE must break the door down. It's
locked on the inside. Sol. you put that
lamp on the stairs. Better turn IL down.
too. light gives the other man all the
advantage if it comes to shooting. Now
ready. when I say the word. All rush
together One-two-''
wait a minute whispers Hartley
he was always cool-headed. where's
James,
James, repeats Van. What?
james,
James, says L. And then I begun to
get my senses back Wake a Teller up
out of a sound sleep the way we was
and it takes few minutes for him TO get
on earth again.
James, says I. "rH BET
Idiot" says Van. speaking about him
self. l judge. Then he walks down the
hall and gives that door kick.
James" he sings out rs that YOU?
Open this DOOR
For a second or two there want
sound. Then voice says, weak and
chattery. "O-o-h. my soul,'
Whats the matter with him." says
Van. lis he hurt? Where's the key.
skipper? Inside. Of course. But-but
Then I remembered. There amt any
keyhole.' | says. There's no lock on
the door,
Then what? Come on. Martin
He set his shoulder to the door and
commenced TO shove. Me and Hartley
helped. and the door begun to open. Ii
opened slow. because the dining table and
two or three chairs and the chest of
drawers was braced against it. We got
in finally.
Bring the lamp" says Hartley.
done it. The room was empty.
James hollers Van. James
The closet door opens just crack.
Then it swung wide and his lordship.
half dressed and white as an old clam
shell. staggers into the room.
oh" says he. 'Oh. Mr.. Van Brunt.
SIR
He was shaking like a palsy.
What ails you. man. says Hartley.
Speak up.
The valet rolls his eyes around to me.
Il seen it,, he says. Il seen it plain.
It's int
Him? who?' says I.
THE ghost The old cove as owned
waiting for me-
What are you talking about" asks
Van. impatient. begun to see light.
but the Heavenlies didnt-not yet
was up in my room. sir. said
Lord James wildlike. Il 'ad me coat
and waistcoat of. sir. and then / goes
over to the mirror intending to see if me
face looked as 'Ot as it felt. And 1 lights
my lamp. and there e was a-giaring al
me. E 'ad is cad through the mirror.
sir. And there was collins around and
wreaths. It's warning to me. sir I'm
a dead man..
And then we began to laugh.
THE presents says Van. between
roars. 'Scudders heirlooms. Ho. no.
His lordship stared at us like he thought
We was crazy. | more than half pitied
him. Martin did. too. ] guess. for he
says:
Van Brunt's jokes. You see"
But / saw i'm. sir. E was there. and
there was wreaths and collins Jung about,
and
Its all right says I. Here. come
along and I'll show you.
But not one step would he stir. A der
rick wouldn't have lifted him up them
stairs. So ! quit trying and went aloft
and fetched down the crayon enlarge
ment and the wreath. Then l set out to
explain.
"Why. you imbecile. says Van.
where's your taste for art? We were
beautifying your room. Taking off the
bare look. as per Scudder."
James color begun TO come back. And
when it come it come thick. He red
dened up you could see ii even through
the sunburn.
mir. Van Brunt." he says. getting mad
der every minute. Il give you notice. l
leave tomorrow morning."
Don't be an IDIOT begins Van, but
his lordship cut him short.
Il leave tomorrow morning.. he
shouts. "Aint it enough to bring me to
this Gawd-fOrsaken ole and work me 'alf
to death and blister me from cad to foot
without this? / give you warning now
I'm going 'Ome. And you be glad I amt
aving the law on you for this outrage.
Us poor servants as rights. and
There was more, plenty more. We
couldn't shut him up. And the Heaven
lies explanations didn't count either. He
was dead set OH leaving in the morning
Finally. we give ii up and went back
20 bed. Lord James said he was going
to stay in the kitchen all night. Nothing
would hire him to sleep in Marcellus' re-
ceiving tomb again.
"Humph"' says Hartley. as the Twins
went upstairs, lit looks to me as if your
joke had lost us the best valet you ever
had. Van
Van cussed under his breath. He
shan't leave. he said. Il must keep him
somehow. He's invaluable in the city.
and we may go back there some time.
Not for months. though, of course he
adds.
But in the morning James was worse
set than ever. He wouldn't help with
breakfast nor nothing: went aloft at day
light and begun to pack his trunk. He
was going to leave. that's all there was
about it.
The Twins was pretty blue during
breakfast. Van about losing his lordship.
and Hartley on account of sunburn.
callate. Twas another elegant day and
there was wind enough to keep the flies
and mosquitoes away from the house. If
you got in the lee anywheres. though.
they was laying for you i'm droves. They
didn't bother me much. count of my hide
being tough and leathery and my flavor
too salt. maybe: but they was fattenng
up fast on the Heavenlies and James.
About 10 O'Clock Scudder shows up
with the first doryload of fresh airers
from the Eastwich- place. Miss Agnes
load come. capned by the Talford girl.
And then there was doings.
Them fresh air young ones want all
of a piece with Redny. which was a
mercy. He was a handful in himself,
that little sorrel-top was-but there was
enough like him TO keep things stirred
up. Marcellus' old shinsled prison had
to take it that day.. There must have
been some stewing i'm heaven If old
Lady Berry could look down and see
them youngsters whooping and carrying
that parlor kind of saints rest, as
you might say. and the only time any
body opened its door was when she
sailed in with the broom and feather
duSter And then she must have had to
navigate by compass, because the blinds
was always shut tight and the curtains
drawn. and twas too dark to see any