The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-26

3 with her hand to watch them as the
came up; and when she caught 81
Richards eye she gave him smI;
and q curtsey.
That's the place. murmured Can
dover, shrewdly. THAT girl is at TIL
hottofS of whatever mischief is abroad
II III warrant"
why, you fll-naturcd curmudgeon,
I retorted his cousin. what has nut tina
into your head? She's rather prett,
girl, and her get-up Is Just the thint
for n picture. should have though
you would have jumped ut the notion
of sketchlng the cottage, with her II
the foreground"
"H'n!" said Candover obviously
that's just what / mlstrust. that made.
up picturesqueness. That dress is never
worn now. except for shopgirls to BIZ
photographed in"
They could say no more. for the Cir
| had come out of the porch, having
thrown on her head sun-bonnet
which heightened tho effect of her
dancing black eyes and of the white
teeth which she showed when she
smiled.
She was now joined by another
fgure--that Of a 1.-THE. active-looking
man of early middle-age, whose black
hair and eyes and a striking family
resemblance proclaimed him the father
OF the curtseying lass. 1t was he who
| first addressed the travellers. speaking
| in a CHEEKY voice. with strong Welsh
accent.
, "welcome, welcome, good gentlemen.
Glad to see you this fine day! VIII
Won sit in the porch7 Or will you come
inside. Sorry I've nothing grander for
you than our humble kitchen: but plain
fares none the worse for being eaten
off a plain table. Ell. gentlemen
And the smiling, brisk host led the
way into long, low room, where a
very small fire burnt In the Kitchen
CRATE at one end. while at the other
rough deal table. spouessly clea4i'
stood on the red-tiled floor, with a
con1fortable- looking. armed WINDSOR
chair, cushioned with red. az each eng,
.Yo1, don't have many visitors mere I
sunroseq" asked Sir Richard OF his
host
ooh. but infect, we do. sir-a con-
slant flow of strangers while the sum
mer lasts. It's in the winter, sir, that
we're left alone. and find It ZONES ONE
II should think 90! You get showed
up sometimes, no doubt?'
ave, sir. that we do infect why,
my old mother there-she's bedridden
now. God bless her.-she remembers
being showed up here for three weeks
at time one year. look you"
Following the direction of his eyes
when he mentioned his mother. Sir
Richard looked towards the corner OF
the room. on the inner side of the Are
place. but he saw nothing there but
hanging of faded chintz curtains.
And 1t was not until they had been
seated some time at the table. and had
done full Justice to the cold beef and
beer and bread and cheese put before
them. that certain eerie sensation was
produced upon both the young men by
the slow protrusion from behind the
cLlntz hangings in the dark corner of
long, skinny. yellow hand, gnarled
and tremulous with age, and by the
sound of an old woman's voice. husky
and broken, asking, in deep whisper:
Who's out there?"
ELLEN. see what granny wants"
cried tho host from the door which led
from the big kitchen into tiny bar,
where the lesser sort of travellers AMI
the country folk were entertained.
And the black-eyed Ellen. who had
been carrying on brisk filtration with
Sir Richard as she waited upon him
and his cousin, sauntered across the
kitchen to the corner. drew aside one
OF the chintz curtains, and revealed an
alcove. just large enough to hold a
big wooden bedstead. and lighted by a
small iaiticed window. In the bed,