The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1908-07-18
CHAPTER H.

CHAPTER u.
The inside OF the castle gave every
evidence of enormous wealth and
every imaginable luxury was provided
After little interchange of pleas
antries in the spacious hall our black
haired friend raised her voice in a
stentorian shout, in answer to which
brisk, elderly lady came down the
mahogany stairs and welcomed us
cordially. She was introduced as "our
aunt and chaperon, Mrs Armistead 4"
amid peals OF laughter from the girls.
although we couldn't see any joke. We
then went to our rooms, which con-
tanned everything we could possibly
have desired, and when we came down
to dinner the footman told us that
Mrs. Armisteau and the young ladies'
were awaiting us in the drawing room.
We crossed the hall, and when the
heavy curtains that separated it from
the huge drawing room were lifted to
admit US, we saw at least 20 girls
ranging In age from Is to %, standing
or sitting around the room in attitudes
OF expectancy. I found out later that
there were really only six of them, but,
at the time. there looked to be 20.
They were all pretty, all wore evening
dress, and all were talking at once;
but as Vincent and 1 entered they
stopped and Mrs. Armistead came for
ward and presented Us ~ the three
girls We had not yet
The first of the new three, Agatha
Fourth. as Vincent and 1 called he,
later, was tall and very fair, with won
derful blue eyes and beautiful figure.
That our bewilderment and astonish-
ment increased when she also was pre-
sented to US as the Honorable Agatha
Wyckhoff may be easily understood.
The next one had light-brown hair
with gold lights in 1t and her eyes
were golden hazel. AS she, too, was
introduced as the Honorable Wyckhoff
I bowed mechanically, as did Vincent,
not daring to trust myself to utter
word or repeat the name. Then, turn
ing from Agatha Fifth, we met the
Honorable Agatha Sixth and last, and
l thought she was the prettiest OF all.
Delicate and small she was, but every
inch an aristocrat from her small
charming head to her dainty little feet.
Her eyes were dark brown, her COM
plexion clear olive, and her hair
straight and soft and Jet black 1 took
to her at once, though I thought she
looked rather sarcastic.
The introduotions over, we went in
to dinner, and such q meal as that
wasl At one end Of the table sat
Mrs. Armistead. while sat at the 9TH
er. Agatha First sat on Mrs. Armi-
stead's right, next to her sat Vincent,
and next to him, Agatha Fourth-the
tall, fair-haired beauty. 1 have de-
scribed them at length so that 1t is
not difficult to keep them apart, Next
to her, on my left, SAT- the plump little
girl with the blue eyes AGATHA Third.
Then on my right h. foGtunate mel
sat my little lady aristccIat. Agatha
Sixth. and next 70 her Agatha Second,
her unruly brown c;tris somewhat
subdUed, and looking very fetching in
a costume of pink ak d white. | should
have thought that these girls were
American had / not had reason to be-
lieve that they Were English; there
was tnat breezy sim piicity and becom-
ingpess about their gowns which
seems to be distinctly American.
, But I have omitted from my cate
CORY Agatha Fifth. the Agatha of the
hazel eyes. l will lot now take time
to do justice to her many charms, but
shall do so later for reasons which will
soon appear Mrs. Armistead's Sec
rotary, who came In late and slipped
into the seat at Mrs. Armisteads left,
completed the number of persons at
the table. She was quiet young woman
dressed in a severely simple gown of
gray. and her hair, which was done
very plainly, was distinctly red in
color. Mrs. Armistead introduced her
to US as her secretary, Miss Marsh
The meal was well cooked and beau
tifuny served, and by the time the
salad course arrived Vincent and had
lost much of our constraint and self.
consciousness and were talking and
laughing with the best of them. The
levity and freedom from the conven,
tionalities usually observed at a din.
ner party, in which those girls In.
dulged, was a bit shocking to me, al.
though it did not seem to discomfort
Vincent in the least.
After dinner our adventure de.
veloped its most astonishing feature.
At the close Of the meal the ladies
arose, and we were invited to remain
and smoke seme exceptionally fine
cigars, but before she left the room
the secretary came over to US and in a
low tone told Us that. when we had
finished our smoke, Mrs. Armistead de
sired that we should join her in the
library to discuss business She-the
secretary-would come for us, as we
would not know the way
We were amazed BusinessY What
business could we possibly have with
Mrs Armistead? However. we told.
-sAe-nA1rstank. thak ~ .Eo,ld he hapr1.