Gunnison news-champion., 1908-09-11
CHAPTER ii.-Coot,avea.

CHAPTER ii.-Cortinved-
The meal was well cooked and beau
tifully served. and by the time the
salad course arrived Vincent and had
lost much IT our constraint and self
consciousness and were talking and
laughing with the best of them. The
levity and freedom from the conven.
tionslities 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 disconcert
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 What
business could we possibly have with
Mrs. Armistead? However, we told
the secretary that we would be happy
20 Join her mistress in the library in
about 20 minutes. although. as I said.
we hadn't the widest idea what we
could possibly have to discuss with
her.
When the secretary withdrew Vim
cent burst into a food of excited con
lecture. Are We in girls boarding
school, or a lunatic asylum, or what"
he demanded Il don't know what to
make of 1t. II it's an asylum then I'm
distinctly for lunatics, They're the
most attractive lot I've ever seen, but
II they're all sisters why didn't Papa
and Mamma wyckhon find different
names for EN- Six Agathas. and all
the honorable at that It's absurd,
But II doesn't seem to bother them:
they call each other 'Ag and 'Aggie,'
and Agatha just as If 1t were Rose.
or Gwen. or Maud. What do you sup
pose it all means? My heads in
whirl,"
My dear fellow" l said. Il have a
presentiment that we shall find out
what it all means when We join Mrs.
Armistead in the library" And we
did. AS have said. my intuitions sell
dom fail me.
The library was little room at
some distance from the dining hall. 1t
was beautifully furnished. like the rest
OF the house. and big fireplace took
up one side of the room Before it
was massive armchair, worn and
old. as II the barons of Wyckhor for
ages back had sat in it. On the large
table were some legallooking papers,
and as we entered Mrs. Armistead
arose and placed her hand upon them.
The secretary closed the door and took
up her position beside her mistress.
while we stood before them, i'll at
ease and expecting we knew not what.
Gentlemen" began Mrs. Armistead
with great gravity, Il am right, am |
not. in presuming that you are candi-
dates for the hand OF the Honorable
Agatha wyckhof?"
Yes. that's just what she said: Can
didates for the hand OF the Honorable
Agatha Wyckhoff" Ii took nv breath
away. and before ! had time to sneak
and set her right heard Vincent calm
ly assuring her that We were candi-
dates As he had thus rashly COM
mitted himself | couldn't go back on
him, SO ! let him make all the other
answers that were necessary.
Then you wish to hear the will ~
continued Mrs. Armistead, and Vincent
assented
Read the will" said Mrs Armistead
TO the secretary. and the young lady in
gray picked up one of the legal-looking
papers.
This is to certify" she began. and
read to the finish. while / held nv
breath, for. when ! had heard the
whole of that extraordinary document.
j was filled with amazement and curl.
osity. not unmixed with a certain ex-
element In brief the provisions of
this remarkab BILE will ran thus:
Fletcher BOYD. stepfather OF the
Honorable Agatha Wyckhon. had left
Der his entire fortune of about $50 O0o
900. provided that sie obey the condi.
tions of his will. Should she disregard