The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-03-03
THE HOUSE OF
A THOUSAND
CANDLES
BY MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Author Of THE MAIN CHANCE" ZELDA
CAMERON" Etc.
CHAPTER VIlI.-continued.

NC man Wdb AOOnih6 AL ~@hAO ~
the door quickly in response to my
knock.
Morgan" l began.
Wont you come in and rest your
self, Mr.. Glenarm?' he interrupted.
81 reckon you're tired from your trip
over"
Thank you, no." snapped.
"Suit yourself, Mr.. Glenarm." He
seemed to like my name and gave it
a disagreeable drawing emphasis.
Morgan, you are an Internal black
guard You have tried twice to kill
me"
We'll call it that, if you like, and
he grinned. "But you'd better cut
off one for this"
He lifted the gray fedora hat from
his head, and poked his finger through |
hole in the top.
You're pretty fair shot, Mr.. Glen
arm. The fact about me is,"-and he |
winked,-"the honest truth is, I'm all |
out of practice. Why sir, when / saw
you padding out on the lake this after
noon I sighted you from the casino
half dozen times with my gun, but
was afraid to risk it, He seemed
to be shaken with inner mirth. ''If
I'd missed, l wasn't sure you'd be
scared to DEATH"
| For a novel diversion / heartily rec
ommend meeting with the assassin
fore, tried to murder you. know of
nothing in the way of social adventure
that is quite equal to it.
Morgan, l hope you understand
that l am not responsible for any in
jury my grandfather may have infict-
ed on you. l hadn't seen him for sew
sral years before he died. / was never
at Glenarm before in my life, so it's
little rough for you to visit your dis
pleasure on me-"
He smiled tolerantly as l spoke.
knew-and he knew that I did-that
no Ill feeling against my grandfather
lay back of his interest in my affairs.
You're not quite the man your
grandfather was, Mr.. Glenarm. You'll
excuse my bluntness, but 1 take it
that you're a frank man yourself. He
was a very keen person, and, I'm
afraid he chuckled with evident
satisfaction to himself,-'Im really
afraid, Mr.. Glenarm, that you're not!"
There you have it, Morgan! fully
agree with you! I'm as dull as an
oyster; that's the reason I've called
on you for enlightenment. Consider
that I'm here under a flag of truce, and
let's see if we can't come to an agree
ment."
TITS too late, Mr.. Glenarm; too late
There was a time when we might have
done some business; but that's past
now. You seem like pretty decent
fellow, too, and I'm sorry I didn't see
you sooner; but better luck next time.
WELL" l said, seeing that l should
only make myself ridiculous by trying
to learn anything from him, Il hope
our little spats through windows ant
on walls won't interfere with oul
pleasant social relations. And l dom
hesitate to tell you,"-I was exertinl
myself to keep down my anger,-"tha
: If l catch you on my ground again II
! fill you with lead and sink you in the
lake."
Thank you, sir" he said, with 81
perfect an imitation of Bates voict
and manner that l smiled in spite o
myself.
"And now, If you'll promise not t.
: fire into my back I'll wish you goo'
day Otherwise"
He snatched off his hat and bowe,
profoundly. It'll suit me much bette
to continue handling the case on you
J own grounds" he said, as though h
referred to a business matter. xii
ing a man on your own property re
quires some explaining-you may hav
:. noticed it,"
Eyes; 1 commit most of my murder
: away from home" / said. Il forme
! the habit early in life, Good day, Mo-
: gan"
AS 1 turned away he closed his doc
= with a slam,-a delicate way of assul
= ing me that he was acting in goo
: faith, and not preparing to punctur
my back with rifle ball. 1 regaine
:, the lake shore, feeling no great dii
: couragement over the lean results {
my interview, but rather fresh yes
|, for the game, whatever the gam
+ might be.
" The sun was going his rudy wa
# beyond st. Agathas as l drove m
a. canoe into little cove near whic
the girl in the tam-o -shanter had di
= appeared the day before. The shoI
!. was high here and at the crest was
y long curved bench of stone, bold
e reminiscential of Alma Tadema, and 6
!. clearly the creation of John Marsha
70 Glenarm as though his name ID bee
IS carved upon it.
4, 1t was assuredly a spot for a PHI
ID and mood, and as the shadows crel
n. through the wood before me and Il
" water, stirred by the rising wind, b
n gan to beat below, l invoked the OF
all and yielded to the other. Somethir
It. in the withered grass at my fe
caught my eye. | bent and picked l
ctrinS of gold beads, dropped ther