The Hattiesburg news., 1909-09-20

to convert it into ballroom at some
future time. The maids rooms, trunk
room, and various storerooms, includ-
ing large airy linen room, opened
| from long corridor, like that on the
second hoor. And in the trunkroom.
as Liddy had said, was fresh break
in the plaster
Not only in the plaster, but through
| the lathing, the aperture extended. I
reached into the opening, and three
feet away, perhaps, could touch the
bricks of the partition wall For some
reason the architect in building the
house had left space there that
struck me, even in the surprise of the
discovery, as an excellent place for
con1agration to gain headway.
You are sure the hole was not here
yesterday" l asked Liddy, whose ex-
preston was mixture OF satisfaction
and alarm. In answer she pointed to
the new cooks trunk-that necessary
adjunct of the migratory domestic. The
top was covered with fine white plaster,
as was the floor. But there were no
large pieces of mortar lying around
no bits of lathing. When l mentioned
this to Liddy she merely raised her
eyebrows. Being quite confident that
the gap was of unholy origin, she did
not concern herself with such tribes
as a bit of mortar and lath. No doubt
they were even then heaped neatly
on a gravestone in the Casanova
churchyardl
brought Mr.. Jameson up to see
the hole in the wall, directly after
breakfast. His expression was very
odd when he looked at it, and the first
| thing he did was to try to discover
what object, if any, such hole could
have. He got a piece of candle, and
by enlarging the aperture little was
able to examine what lay beyond. The
result was nil The trunkroom, a.
though heated by steam heat, Ike the,
rest of the house, boasted of fire.
place and mantel as well. The open
ing had been made between the fiue
and the outer wall of the house. There
was revealed, however, on inspection.
only the brick of the chimney on one
side and the outer wall of the house
on the other; in depth the space ex-
tended only to the flooring. The
breach had been made about four feet
from the floor, and inside were all the
missing bits of plaster. 1t had been
methodical ghost.
e 1t was very much of disappoint'
I ment I had expeo..ed secret room,
o at the very least, aud I think even Mr.
+ Jameson lam had fsac:aa hs m'sSt q las'
ws| lew to the mystery. .nere
IS evidently nothing more to be dis.
It oeVered; Liddy reported that every-
d thing was serene among the servants
(. and that none of them had been d,,.
q turbed by the noise. The maddening
It tnlng, however was that the nightly
J. vlsitor had evidently more than one
l way Vi gaming access to the house, and
j. we made arrangements to redouble
q our vigilance as to windows and DOOR
that night
Haisey was inclined to pooh-poob
4 the whole affair. He said a break IN
e the plaster might have occurred
: months ago and gone unnoticed. and
4 'nat the dust had probably been
. stlrred up the day before. After al,
: we mad to let it got at that. but We
put IN an uncomfortable Sunday Ger
trude went to church, and Halsev tool
, long walk in the morning louis.
. was able to sit up, and she aIlowoA
aey ana Liddy to assist her down.
'ais iate IN the afternoon. The east
, 'eranda was shady, green with vines
ana palms, cheerful with cushions and
iounsing chairs. We put Louise in a
steamer chair, and she sat there
passlvely enough. her hands clasned
in her lap.
we were very silent. Halsey sat ON
the rail with pipe, openly watching
LOUISE as she looked brooding,v
across the valley to the hills. There
was something battling in the girls
eyes; and gradually Haisey's bovisb
features lost their glow at seeing bar
ABOUT again, and settled into grim
mes he was like his father inst
then. '"s'
we sat until late afternoon. Halsev
growing more and more moody. Short
~ before six he got up and went into
the mouse, and in a few minutes be
came out and called me to the tele-
phone. 1t was Anna Whitcomb. in
town. and she kept me for 20 minutes
teihng me the children had had the
measles and how Nine. Sweeuy had
botched her new gown.
when finished. Liddy was behind
me, her mouth thin line.
Il wish you would try to look cheer
iui' Liddy," groaned, your fsc4
would sour milk" But Liddy seldom
rephed to my gibes. She folded her
lips little tighter. q
he called her up" she said oracu-
iarly, he called her up, and asked her
10 keep you at the telephone, so be
eouid talk to Miss Louise. A THANK.
! TOOTH
NONSENSE! l said brusquely. II
nien' nave known enough to leave
them. It's long time since Won ana S
l were in love Tiddv