Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-11-17

luncheon, Burke. the butler. was taken
unexpectedly with a pain i'm his right
side. much worse when | was within
hearing distance. and by afternoon he
was started cityward That night the
cooks sister had baby-the cook.
seeing indecision in my face. made il
twins on second thought-and to be
short, by noon the next day the house
hold stan was down to Liddy and
myself. And this in house with %
rooms and five baths,
Liddy wanted to go back TO the citv
at once, but the milkboy said that
Thomas Johnson. the Armstrong;
colored butler. was working as
waiter at the Greenwood club and
might come back. have the usual
scruples about coercing peoples serv.
ants away, but few OF us have any
conscience regarding institutions or
corporations-witness the way we
beat railroads and street car compan-
les when we can-so called up the
club. and about eight o'clock Thomas
Johnson came TO see me. Poor
Thomas
Well, IL ended by my engaging
Thomas on the spot, at outrageous
wages. and with permission to sleep
in the gardeners lodge. empty since
the house was rented. The old man
he was white-haired and little
stopped, but with an immense idea of
his personal dignity-gave me his
reasons hesitatingly.
81 amt sayin nothing, Mis- Innes.
he said, his hand on the door-knob. but
there's been goin's-on here this las
few months as amt natchal 'Tain't
one thing an faint another-it's jest
door squealin' here, an n winder
closing there, but when doors an
winders gets to cuttin' up capers and
Thomas Johnson sleeps somewhar's
else"
Liddy, who eeemed to be never
more than ten feet away from me that
night, aud was afraid OF her shadow
in that great barn OF place, screamed
little. and turned yellow-green.
But | am not easily alarmed
II was entirely in vain represented
TO Thomas that we were alone, and
that he would have to stay in the
house that night. He was politely
firm, but he would come over early
the next morning. and IL gave him a
key, he would come in time to get
some sort of breakfast I stood on
the huge veranda and watched him
shuttle along down the shadowy drive
with mingled feelings-irritation at
his cowardice and thankfulness at get
ting him at all ! am not ashamed
to say that I double-locked the hap
door when l went in.
you can lock up the rest OF tn,
house and go to bed, Liddy." ] said
severely. You give me the creeps
standing there A woman OF your age
ought TO have better sense" II usual
ly braces Liddy to mention her age:
she owns to 40-which is absurd. Her
mother cooked for my grandfather.
and Liddy must be at least as old a,
]. But that night she refused to
brace. =.
You're not going 70 ask me to lock
up. Miss Rachel" she duavered
Why, there's a dozen French win.
dows I'm the drawing room and the bill
'A'+a " iDDAh NiAbE anu every ono opens
on a porch. And Mary Anne said that
last night there was man standing
by the stable when she locked the
kitchen door"
Mary Anne was a fool" 7 said
sternly IF there had been man
there she would have had him i'm the
kitchen and been feeding him what
was left from dinner, inside Of an hour.
from force OF habit Now don't be
ridiculous. Lock Up the house and 20
to bed. ] am going to read"
But Liddy set her lips tight and
stood still
I'm not going to bed she said 81
am going to PACK up. and tomorrow
! am going TO leave"
"You'H do nothing OF the sort" I
snapped LIddy and often desire TO
part company but never AZ the same
time IF you are afraid, 7 will 90
with you. but for goodness sake don't
try 20 hide behind me" -
The house was typical summer
residence on an extensive scale
Wherever possible. on the first floor
the architect had done away with par.
ttions, using arches and columns in.
stead The effect was cool and spaci.
Gus. but scarcely cory. As Iiddv and
] went from one window 20 another
our voices echoed back at US uncon.
fortably There was plenty ~ light
the electric plant down in the village
supplied us but there we're long Wis.
tas Of polished floor. and mirrors
which reflected us from unexpected
corners until felt some Of Liddv's
ioolishucss communicate itself Ia mo
The house was very long. rectan.
gle in general form. with the main On.
trance in the center Of the long side
The brickpavcd entry opened into
short hall. 10 The right OF which. sepa
rated only by a row OF pillars was
huge living room Beyond that ras
the drawing room and I'm the end tho
billiard room. on the billiard room
in the extreme right wing. was a don
or rnrdTCfu with O. err.IT k.n