Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-11-19


quite accustomed to encolntering
them wherever she goes.
when do you expect the old gentle
man?'' inquired Gabrielle. languidly.
HE isn't old at ALL" flashed Eliza
beth-"at least. don't think so. And.
OF course, he has sailboats and things
If he has summer home on an island.
He might be very useful"
ASK him to dinner" / suggested,
secure In the conviction that our
competent woman" could really cook.
and ask Lord Wilfrid and Lady
Edith the same evening"" supple
mented Gabrielle. ''Let us impress
him at once with our intimacy with
the nobility"
Have We butler and IL footmen,
that we should give dinners?" inquired
Elizabeth. with whitening sarcasm.
When entertain landed proprietors
and members of the peerage / don't
want to feel nervous about anything,
so we won't attempt dinners while I'm
Eousekeeper."
We did later. just the same, and
our little dining room was the scene OF
several merry nondescript meals,
called dinner by courtesy, and thor
oughly enjoyed by every one. But
this is anticipating.
The next day as we were all three
leaning out Of the broad window OF
my room, In an interval of repose
after unpacking and settling, we heard
steps on the gravel path, and before
we could withdraw our heads two men
turned the corner and started for the
front door. From the hand Of the
taller dangled Gabrielle's black shop
ping bag, and although he wore gray
clothes and straw hat instead of blue
serge and small cap we recognized
the man on the steamer, and were
consequently petrified with astonish.
ment.
Don't let them in," whispered Ga
brielle, who always has her wits about
her in an emergency. Tell Mary
Anne to say Not at home."
They were directly under the win.
low now, and we feared to move, al
most to breathe, lest we attract their
attention; but it was just at this cru
cial moment that my side-comb elected
to fall out and land with considerable
force upon the aforesaid straw hat.
OF course its owner promptly looked
up, and equally of course we precipi.
lately retreated.
do you think he saw u.s." gasped
Elizabeth and l simultaneously as the
doorbell rang: but Gabrielle had fed
to the hall, where we heard her whis-
pering hoarsely to Mary Anne over
the banister.
We also heard that invaluable facto-
tum's assurance that the ladies had
just gone to the village, and polite
expression of regret, accompanied by
a promise to call again.
We stole again to the window as our
visitors retreated, and saw them
| pause, examine my side comb, and
calmly drop it in Gabr'elles bag,
which had not been left with Mary
Anne. as, of course, 1t should have
been.
AT this rate, Bennett" said laugh.
ing voice, you'll soon be able to open
junkshop. But / must say. old
chap, we we're very neatly gnubbed.
Wherefore?"
II don't know" replied Bennett,
but mean to find out, for Pm coming
again very soon. assure you, Blake,
the picture doesn't begin"
The rest Of the sentence was lost
as the two men disappeared around
the corner We straightway held a
council of war.
II suppose" said Elizabeth, "he has
lucid intervals and his attendant
humors him. but this is no reason why
we should be victlmized. Let US eau
ton Mary Anne"
So we descended in a Body to the
kitchen and solemnly warned Mary
Anne that the day she admitted our
late visitor we would Immediately
part company. She in turn solemnly
assured us that II he crossed the
threshold 1t would be over her dead
body, so we felt somewhat comforted
Elizabeth picked up the cards and
looked at them.
aloud, land Mr.. Gordon Bennett"
The card dropped from her hand
and she collapsed into the wood box.
whats the matter now?" de
manded Gabrielle, fishing her friend
out of it's capacious depths.
Gordon Bennett" said Elizabeth
lis the man who knows father, and
who owns the island"
We stared at each other In incredu
lous silence, then sank down upon
Mary Anne's immaculate floor and
laughed until we were exhausted.
II feel sure" said Elizabeth, when
she could articulate, that 1t is not
the same man. This Is some i'm
postor."
"Mayhap," suggested Mary Anne
who had bee. an interested listener
"mayhap, miss, 'es smuggler."
Mary Anne had not long left the
mother country, and her manipulation
OF the letter h was as agreeable to oui
American ears as Lady Edith's fault
less enunciation. Just now she was
regarding us with the manner of one
who possesses unimparted informa.
ton.
IT'S quite lawful, MISS" she re
sumed, cropping her voice to whis
per, land 1t do give body the creeps
so 1t dc. But they say the smuggling
wot goes On 'ereabout is most hextaor
binary"
"Smuggling?" repeated Gabrielle.
Yes, miss; taking things in over
the border without the duty-which