Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-07-10
CHAPTER LII

The inside or the castle gave every
evidence of enormous wealth and
every imaginable luxury was provided
After a little interchange OF pleas
antrles In the spacious hall our black
haired friend raised her voice In a
stentor1an shout, in answer to which
a prlsk, elderly lady came down the
mahogany stairs and welcomed US
cordially. She was introduced as "our
aunt and chaperon, Mrs. Armistead,"
amid peals of laughter from the girls,
aitnough we couldn't see any joke. We
tnen went to our rooms, which con-
tanned everything we could possibly
nave desired, and when we came down
TO dinner the footman told us that
Mrs. Armistead and the young ladies
were awaiting us in the drawing room.
We crossed the hall, and when the
heavy curtains that separated II 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. l found out later that
there were really only six of them, but,
They were all pretty, all wore evening
dress, and all we're talking at once;
but as Vincent and I entered they
stopped and Mrs. Armistead came for
ward and presented us to the three
girls We had not yet seen.
The first of the new three, Agatha
Fourth, az Vincent and l called her
later, was tall and very fair, with WON
derful blue eyes and a 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 lightbrown hair
with gold lights in 1t and her eyes
were a golden hazel. AS she, too, was
introduced as the Honorable Wyckhoff
] bowed mechanically, as did Vincent,
rot daring to trust myself to utter 4
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
Her eyes were dark brown, her COM
plexion clear olive, and her hair
straight and soft and Jet black. I took
to her at once, though I thought she
looked rather sarcastic.
The introductions over, we went In
to dinner, and such q meal as that
was! At one end OF the table sat
icfn II no al
er. Agatha First sat on Mrs. Armt-
stead's right, next to her sat Vincent,
and next to him, Agatha Fourth-the
tall, fair-haired beauty. l have de-
scribed them at length so that IL 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-oh, fortunate me!
sat my little lady aristocrat, Agatha
Sixth, and next to her Agatha Second,
her unruly brown curls somewhat
subdued, and looking very fetching in
costume of pink and white. / should
have thought that these girls were
American had l not had reason to be-
lieve that they were English; there
was that breezy simplicity and becom-
ingness 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. ] will not 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. Armistead's 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 we'll cooked and beau
tifully 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-
tfonalities usually observed at a din
ner party, In which those girls in
dulged, was 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 some 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. Business? Wha.
business could we possibly have with
Mrs. Armistead? However, we told
the secretary that we would be happy
TO join her mistress In the library in
about 20 minutes, although, as l said
we hadn't the widest idea what we
could possibly have to discuss with
her.
When the secretary withdrew Vim
cent burst into food of excited con
lecture. Are We in a girls boarding
school, or lunatic asylum, o. what?'
he demanded. Il don't know what tc
make Of it. II it's an asylum then I'm
distinctly for lunatics! They're the
most attractive lot I've ever seen, but