The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-07-17

ana Secured for the night. Wni1e tie
lock might have been turned from the
outside with q master key, there was
still the bolt to hold it, and that this
could not have been slipped by any
other hand than mine was absolutely
sure. Moreover, there was no hidden
mechanism connected with the bolt,
which was a simple, commonplace at.
fair, bearing the name of a well-known
maker and evidently attached to the
door after the house was completed.
Giving up in despair, for the pres.
ent. at least. descended to the
ground floor again, intending to make
a minute inspection Of the house and
grounds. when a faint odor of cigar
smoke attracted my notice, and saw
that the library door was ajar.
Tiptoeing forward, peered through
the opening and beheld, to my amaze.
ment, a familiar figure seated comfort.
ably in one of the large leather chairs
with his feet resting lazily on an.
other in all the assurance Of appar-
ent pyoprietorship. At the same in
slant he turned his head slightly in
my direction and, uncertain ~ to
whether he had seen me or not. I re.
treated rapidly and noiselessly up the
'tairs to my room. where locked my.
self in and tried to smother my an
ger and view the situation logically.
While the manner in which the
note had reached me was still as much
OF mystery as ever. its contents, at
least, were explained, and my fury
knew no bounds at the wholly unwar-
ranted impertinence of this sorry at
tempt at practical joke.
To me the matter was so sacred, 40
precious, so entirely my own. that my
rage at the frivolity of this contempt.
ible jest drove from my mind all
thought of wonder that q man who,
had every reason to believe, was
miles away, should be, at this very
moment, under the same roof with
me.
sat down and gazed out Of the win
dow across the river to the heavily
wooded hills in the distance, and
made an almost superhuman effort to
control myself. Finally 1 opened the
letters that had come by the morn
ing's mail and began to read them in
a perfunctory way. The second was
from my secretary, and, as perused
1t, suddenly awoke from my apathy
and read with interest:
1.-TWO letters came this morning
from Mr.. Carney, one postmarked Lon
don and the other Paris. forward
them, with other papers, under sepa-
rate cover
"Dr. MacArdel called this afternoon
and was greatly surprised to learn
that you had gone away so suddenly
and without sending him word. He
said he wanted to see you on a person
al matter, and seemed quite disap-
pointed at missing you.
1.-THE Jarvis case has been post
poned to the fall term"
The letter closed with few memo
randa of business matters and by the
time had finished reading it my mind
was clear to an extent that enabled
me to see things In reasonable light
and to appreciate that the mystery Of
the note was as deep If not deeper
than ever.
Opening the door I strobe down.
stairs, into the library, and up to the
figure in the chair.
"Helio!" I exclaimed, grasping him
by the arm.
Better late than never" he re-.
sponded with hearty laugh. What
made you sneak upstairs in that mys-
FERROUS way? Think was ghost?"
NO." replied, slowly and serious
ly, Il thought you were scoundrel,
and I owe you an apology from the
bottom Of my heart!"
Have cigar, old man." said Mao.
Ardel.