Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-02-11

He isn't old at all" flashed Eliza
beth-"at least. l don't think SO. And
of course, he has sailboats and things
II he has a summer home on an.island
He might be very useful"
ASK him to dinner" | suggested
ecu in the conviction that our
competent woman" could really cook
"And ask Lord Wilfrid and Lady
Edith the same evening" supple.
mented Gabrielle. Let us impress
him at once with our intimacy with
the nobility"
Have we a butler and IL footmen,
that we should give dinners?" inquired
Elizabeth, with whitening sarcasm.
When | entertain landed proprietors
and members of the peerage l don't
want to feel nervous about anything,
so We won't attempt dinners while I'm
housekeeper."
We did later, just the same, and
our little dining room was the scene OF
several merry nondescript meals,
called dinner by courtesy, and thor.
oughly enjoyed by every one. But
this is anticipating.
The next day as we were all three
leaning out of the broad window OF
my room, in an interval of repose
after unpacking and settling, we heard
steps on the gravel path, and before
we could withdraw our heads two men
turned the corner and started for the
front door. From the hand of the
taller dangled Gabrielle's black shop.
ping bag, and although he wore gray
clothes and a straw hat instead of blue
serge and a small cap W. recognized
the mar on the steamer, and were
consequently petrified with astonish.
ment.
Don't let them in," whispered Ga.
brielle, who always has her wits about
her in an emergency. Tell Mary
Anne to say Not at home.'"
They were directly under the win.
dow now, and We feared to move, al.
most to breathe, lest we attract their
attention; but it was just at this cru.
cial moment that my side-comb elected
to fall out and land with considerable
force upon the aforesaid straw hat.
OF course its owner promptly looked
up, and equally of course we precipi.
lately retreated.
do you think he saw us?" gasped
Elizabeth and I simultaneously as the
doorbell rang; but Gabrielle had fled
to the hall, where we heard her whis-
pering hoarsely to Mary Anne over
the banister.
We also heard that invaluable facto-
tum's assurance that the ladies' had
just gone to the village, and a polite
expression of regret, accompanied by
a promise to call again.
We stole again to the window as our
visitors %retreated, and saw them
pause, examine my slice comb, and
calmly drop it in Gabrielle's bag,
which had not been left with Mary
Anne, as, of course, it should have
been.
"At this rate, Bennett" said a laugh.
ing voice, you'll soon be able to open
a junkshop. But l must say, old
chap, we were very neatly snubbed.
Wherefore?"
Il don't know" replied Bennett,
"but I mean to find out, for I'm coming
again very I assure you, Blake,
the picture doesn't begin"
The rest Of the sentence was lost
as the two lei disappeared around
the corner. We straightway held a
council of war.
Il suppose" said Elizabeth, "he has
lucid intervals and his attendant
humors him, but this is no reason why
we should be victimized. Let us eau
ton Mary Anne"
So we descended in a body to the
kitchen and solemnly warned Mary
Anne that the day she admitted our
late visitor we would Immediately
part company. She in turn solemnly
assured us that If he crossed the
threshold 1t would be over her dead
body, so we felt somewhat comforted.
Elizabeth picked up the cards and
looked at them.
"Mr. John Clinton Blake" she read
"and Mr.. Gordon Bennett"
The card dropped from her hand
and she collapsed into the wood box.
Whats the matter now?" de-
manded Gabrielle, fishing her friend
out of its capacious depths.
Gordon Bennett" said Elizabeth,
'is the man who knows father. and
who owns the island"
We stared at each other in incredu.
lous silence, then sank down upon
Mary Anne's immaculate floor and
laughed until we were exhausted.
II feel sure" said Elizabeth. when
she could articulate, "that 1t is not
the same man. This is some i'm
postor."
"Mayhap," suggested Mary Anne,
who had been an interested listener
"mayhap, miss, 'e's a smuggler."
Mary Anne had not long left the
mother country, and her manipulation
OF the letter h was as agreeable to our
American ears as Lady Edith's fault
less enunciation. Just now she was
regarding us with the manner of one
who possesses unimparted informa-
ton.
TITS quite lawful, miss" she re-
sumed, dropping her voice to a whis-
per, "and It do give a body the creeps,
80 1t do. But they say the smuggling
wot goes on 'ereabout is most hextaor-
binary"
"Smuggling?" repeated Gabrielle.
Yes, miss; taking things in over
the border without the duty-which I
do say is a sin and a shame to ave
to pay, so 1t is"
"Tt Ia norfaotIy vigb+ - = a.