Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-06-10
CHAPTER III.

disappointed anu somewhat CnHr
grined at Mrs. Armistead's answer, I
rose to my feet and prepared to join
the young ladies In the drawing room.
had been so interested in discussing
Fletcher Boyd's will with Mrs. Arm
istead that had completely forgotten
Vincent. At llrst thought he had al
ready left the room. but in moment
! heard him laugh and discovered, him
actually sitting ON the floor before the
tire, playing species Of mumble-the-
peg with the secretary. Extremely un-
becoming conduct for both of them,
thought, and Mrs. Armistead thought
so, too, for she spoke sharply to the
secretary, who left the room with red
dened cheeks. Vincent, however, was
unabashed, and, after holding the door
open for her, he followed me to the
drawing room, without needing my re-
monstrances He seldom does heed
them, may say.
It was on the third day of our stay
when Vincent and had begun to feel
thoroughly at home at Castle Wyck-
hoff, and when Vincent had begun to
feel more than thoroughly at home
with Agatha First, that made an
important discovery. The morning
was rainy, and after breakfast there
was nothing to do but to read-that
is, until Agatha Sixth came down
stairs. had found her to be an un-
usually well-educated girl and had
given her all my attention during the
three days have mentioned. So
wandered into the library and began
to explore the tall bookshelves to find
something that interested me. And
found 1t, though. 1t wasn't exactly fer
what | had been looking. On the
lowest shelf discovered three heavy
but new-looking albums. From idle
curiosity to look 1T what I supposed
were pictures Of the dead barons ce
Wyckhoff busted the first Of the big
books and began to turn the leaves.
found 1t full OF Photographic repro
ductions Of oil paintings depicting the
ladies of the family, and on the last
page or the book came upon q pic
ture which thoreHGtlly startled me. It
was q copy Of fHll-length portrait or
the last Baroness Wyckhoff, whose
second husband had been Fletcher
Boyd. The picture showed a slender
little lady, with straight dark hair,
an aQuiline nose. and a dark complex
ION, the living image OF Agatha Sixth!
Stunned by the Importance Of my
nnd closed the book, put back the
albums where had found them and
stole from the room. had q guilty
feeling, almost as If hmi done some
thing wrong, yet It had been an acci-
dent for which no one could really
blame me- Full Of excitement, went
to fnd Vincent to acQuaint him with
my good news, and discovered him in
the morning room playing chess with
Agatha First, or rather, he was show
ing her how to PLAY, for he was hang
Ing over the back Of her chair and
moving her hand with his hand when
ever It was her move.
! cougkad az entered, and frowned.
! am always frowning at Vincent these
days, It seems to me, but / really have
70. He needs q little reatmank.
"Gocd-morning, Miss IIa," !" / said.
pleasantly; how dSes the game
progress? II Lord Wilfrcd an eficient
teacher? ?"
Very" replied the young lady. short
". and both Of them looked II me
With such insolent hostility that / was
obliged TO leave the room, murmurinR
apologies for intruding.
was rather vexed wIth vincent
about this: he doesn't show me quite
ne respect due an older man from Z
boy Of bis age. Not that an old. or !
anywhere near middle age, but StllI |
am Vincent's senior. and thia Incl.
lent determined me not 70 cOmmuni.
ate my discovery % him. Why should
tell him and put Z formidable rival /
nto the neld7 Not that I'm afraid of |
Vincent exactly, for have always |
'ound that when the girls tire of his
'un they are very glad 70 fan back
lpcn an experienced man like myself,
Who has seen the world ana Is ac.
lualnted with Shakespeare ana the l
musical glasses. NeyertheIass Il
Ieemed . pity to invite Vincent to en- /