Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1908-01-31
THE HOUSE OF
A THOUSAND
CANDLES
BY MEREDITH NTcHOI SON
Author 81 THE MAIN CHANCE" ZELDA
CAMERON" Eae.
Copyrisht 1905 By BOb0s-MerriM Co.
BY MEREDITH NICHOLSON
CHAPTER vII.-contInued.

scar of a hammer-head ON the oak
paneling that ran around the bed
room. The wood had been struck
near the base and at the top of every
panel, for though the mark was not
perceptible on all, test had evidently
been made systematically. With this
as a beginning. found a moment
later a spot of tailow under heavy
table In one corner. Evidently the
furniture had been moved to permit
of the closest scrutiny of the paneling.
Glenarm House really promised to
prove exciting. took from drawer
a small revolver, filled its chambers
with cartridges and thrust 1t into my
hip pocket, whlstling meanwhile Larry
Douovan's favorite air, THE Marche
Funebre de Marionnettes," My heart
went out to Larry ASH scented adven-
ture, and l wished him with me; but
speculatIons as to Larry's where
abouts were always prof1tless, and |
quite likely he was in jail somewhere. |
The ham of whose excellence Bates |
had limited was no disappointment. |
There is, have always held, nothing
better in this world than properly
baked ham, and the specimen Bates
placed before me was delight to the
eye.-so adorned was it with spices;
so crisply brown its outer coat; and
taste,-that first tentative taste, be-
fore the sauce was added,-was like
a dream of Lucullus come true. l felt
that | could forgive good deal in a
cook with that ouch,-anything short
of arson and assassination!
Bates" | said, as he stood forth
where l could see him, you cook
amazingly well. Where did you learn
the business?"
st can hardly say I know 1t, sir.
Your lamented grandfather grew very
captious, Mr.. Glenarm. / had to learn
to satisfy him, and l believe | did IL,
sir, If you'll pardon the conceit."
HE didn't die of govt, did he?
can readily imagine it."
"No, Mr.. Glenarm. 1t was his heart.
He had his warning of 1t"
"Ah. yes: to be sure. The heart or
the stomach,-one may as well fail as
the other. believe prefer to keep
my digestion going as long as possible.
Those grilled sweet potatoes again, II
you.pleast, Pates."
The game that he and / were play.
ing appealed to me strongly. 1t was
altogether worth while, and as | ate
guava jelly with cheese and toasted
crackers, and then lighted one OF my
own cigars over a cup of Bates unfall
ing coffee, my spirit was livelier thar
at any time since certain evening OF
which Larry and l had escaped from
Tangier with our lives and the curses
of the police.
The day had offered much materia
for Preside reflection, and | reviewet
its history calmly. There was, how
ever, one incident that l found III
pleasant in the retrospect. had beel
guilty of most unchivalrous conduc
toward one of the girls of st. Agatha's
It had certainly been unbecoming L
me to sit on the wall, however unwil
ingly. and listen to the words-fe'
though they were-that passed b'
tween her and the chaplain. / forge
the shot through the window; forge
Bates and the interest my room POI
sessed for him and his unknown a.
complete; but the sudden distrust an
contempt had awakened in the gil
by my clownish behavior annoyed NJ
increasingly.
-
went out into the moon-hooded woo
toward the lake. The tangle was N
so great when you knew the wa
and there was indeed, as had foun
the faint suggestion of a path. TT
moon gaorified a broad highway aero
the water; the air was sharp and sti
I followed the wall of st. Agathas
the gate, climbed up and sat down
the shadow of the pillar farthest fro
the lake. drew out cigarette al
was about to light 1t when heard
sound as of q step on stone. Inc
was. knew, no stone pavement
hand. but peering toward the lake
saw a man walking boldly along t
ton of the wall toward me. The MOI
light threw his figure into clear reli
Several times he paused, bent do
and raped upon the wall with
object he carried IN his hand.
Tan. tap, tap! The man with
hammer was examining the fartl
side of the gate. and very likely
would carry his investigations beyo
It. IAdreW up my legs and croucf
in the shadow of the pillar, revol
in hand / was not anxious to Inv
an encounter; l much preferred
walt for a disclosure of the purp
that lay behind this mysterious
ping upon walls.
But the matter was taken out OF
own hands before I had chance
debate 1t. The man dropped to
ground, sounded the stone base un
the gate, likewise the pillars, evid
" without results, struck spit
IL thO then
up abruptly and looked me straigh