The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1908-04-10
THE HOUSE OF
A THOUSAND
CANDLES
BY MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Auihof d "THE HAtF rHiyrr . yFtn,
DAHLRON." Ele.

CHAPTER XIN--ContI,u,d


OF brewers rctorod You assured
me once, while your AFFAIR with that
IRISH girl was on. that the short uppor
lip made Heaven seem possible. but
unnecessary. then the next thing
knew she had shaken you for tho
bloated maltstcr Take that for your
imperilnencc But perhaps lt was
Bates"
! did not wait for an answer 1 was
not In a mood Tor reflection or nice dis.
unctions. The man came in Just then
with q fresh plate NJ toast
Bates. Mr. Pickering has learned
that I was away from the house ON tho
night Of the attack. and I'm ordered on
Tor having broken my agreement 10
stay here. How do YOU suppose he
heard Of II 80 promptly"
From Morgan. quite possibly. I
have a letter from Mr. Pickering my.
self this morning. Just moment.
sir"
lie placed before me a note bearing
the same date as my own. II was a
sharp rebukc Of Bates for his failure
to report my absence promptly By
wire, and he was ordered TO prepare to
leave ON the first OF February. Close
your accounts at the shopkccpcrs and
will audit your bills on my arrival"
The tone was peremptory and con.
temptuous. Bates had failed 10 satisfy
Pickering and was flung OF like a
smOked.out cigar.
How much had he allowed you Tor
expenses. Batos2"
He met my gaze importantly.
He pays me $50 a month as wages.
sir, and am allowed s75 for other ex.
penscs."
But you didn't buy English pleas.
ants and champagne on that allow.
ance'"
He was carrying away the coffee
tray and his eyes wandered to the win.
dows
Not quite. sir You SOC"
But don't sect"
1T had occurred 10 me that as Mr..
Plckering's allowance wasn't what you
might call generous II was better 20
augment it Well. sir. took the 10.
erty Of advancing a trinc, IN you might
say. 20 the estate. Your grandfather
would not have had you staryo. air."
He left hurriedly. MS though TO escape
from the consequences OF his words.
and when came to myself Larry was
gloomily invoking his strange Irish
gods
Larry Donovan, I've been tempted
90 kill that fellow n dozen times! This
thing Is too damned complicated for
me / wish my lamentcd grandfather
had left me something easy. To think
OF lt-that all the time I've been ours.
ing and abusing Bates since came
here I've been enjoying his bounty
and he's been giving me the fat Of the
land. Just because Of his devotion 10
my grandfather's memory Lord
can't face the fellow again."
AS have said before. you're rather
lacking at times In perspicacity. Your
intelligence Is marrcd by large Opaque
spots. Now that there seems TO be "A
woman In the case you're less sane
than ever, Bah, these women! And
now we've got to so TO work"
Bah. these women! My own heart
caught the words. | was onraged and
bitter. No wonder she had been anx'
ious for me TO avoid Pickering In Gin
cinnati, after daring me to follow her
there!
We called a council Of war for that
night that we might view matters in
the light OF Plckerlng's letter His
assurodness In ordering me to leave
made prompt and decisive action
necessary on my part | summoned
Stoddard TO our conference, feeling
confident OF his friondliness,
"Of course" said the broad.shoul.
dered chaplain, ~ you could show that
your absence was on business Of very
grave importance. the courts might
construe In your favor"
Larry looked at the ceiling and blew
rings OF smoke languidly. | had not
disclosed 10 either OF them the cause
Of my absence. on such matter
knew | should get precious little sym.
patty from Larry, and | had, more
over. feeling that could not discuss
Marian Deyereux with any one; / even
shrank from mentioning her name,
though It rang like the call OF bugles
In my blood,
She was always before me,-the
charmed spirit Of youth, linked to
every foot Of the earth, every CLEAN Of
the sun upon the lce.bound lake every
glory Of the winter sunset. All the
good impulses | had ever stiAed were
qulckened TO life by the thought Of her.
Amid the days perplexltes ! started
sometimes, thinking heard her voice,
her glrlish laughter or saw her again
coming toward me down the stairs. or
holding against the light her fan with
lis golden butterflies. I really knew
so little OF her; | could associate her
with no home, only with that last fling
Of the autumn upon the lake, the snow
driven woodland, that twilight hour at
the organ In the chapel those stolen
moments at the Armstrong;. / re-.
scented the pressure Of the hours AZ
fairs, and chafed at the necessity Cor
talking Of my perpleXities with the