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

unDenC enough 10 say: Don't look
much like it ulster, here!"
He was quite right The grass stood
knee high on the lawns, the road
beds and paths were choked with
weeds, and the asphalted walks, lead
ing from the front and sides of the
mansion, and winding gracefully down
under the trees to the river, were
blanketed under the leaves and other
accommodations of three long years.
The man waited until had unlock
ed the front door, which swung in
ward with the f1tful creaking of dis
use, and then asked: Cd We want me
teh waltz"
ooh, no." I replied. Not at ALL
Cali right" he returned, clucking to
his horse, Ill tell Hoskins ten save
room fur We, an it hain't much of e
walk frum here, anyhow"
Hold on!" I shouted, as he was
turning the corner. Don't do any
thing of the sort! I'm going to sleep
here tonight, II can find any lights
and manage to turn on the water. I
don't want to sleep at Hoskins' un.
less I have to, but I'll be over there
for breakfast in the morning.
His expression Of amazement was
wonderful to behold, as he pulled his
horse down on its launches to hear
me through. Then, with a grin, he
chuckled: wal, it's gol dummed little
sleepin' yell do, I'll variant" and he
drove on up the road"
wandered over the house, raising
windows and opening shutters to let
In the light and air and then, making
frugal lunch of some things had
purchased on the train for this pur-
pose, lighted cigar and, drawing
chair out on the veranda, I watched
the sunset far away over the river and
waited for bedtime
friends establishment at my determin.
alton to sleep in the house was found.
ed upon the twaddle over ghosts that
was begun in the village three years
before, and l rather welcomed this
idea, for felt that the more preva-
lent it became the less likelihood
would there be of undesirable prowl.
ers about the place
The room I chose for the night was
the one I had occupied on the occa-
sion OF my former visit and, after maxi
Ing up my bed in true bachelor fash.
ion, with bedding which had no trou.
BILE in finding, locked the house Sc
curely and slept the sleep of the
| just.
awoke suddenly startled no doubt
by ray Of sunlight cleaning fairly
in my face, and, finding the day so far
| advanced, l sprang out of bed thor
oughly refreshed by my sleep and ex-
hilarated by the crisp morning air
that was blowing in through the win
dow. AS threw back the sheet some
thing fell to the floor; picking it up.
found a small, square envelope ad-
dressed in cramped and totally unfa-
miliar hand:
Frederick Ware, Esq,
Carney.Croft.
! I tore 1t open, and my astonish.
ment at its discovery was increased
ten fold by its contents. The note
read:
AS you love Florence Carney and hope
to make her your wife. keep her away
| from this place at any cost.
CHAPTER VII. g.
A Misplaced Joke.
l read 1t over and over again until
the letters fairly danced before my
eyes, and then ! suddenly awoke to
the Importance Of finding, II possible,
how 1t had been placed in my bed.
The window was open, to be surer,
and had been open all night, but it
was too far from the ground to have
been reached without ladder, and
a later inspection of the ground be-
meath showed conclusively that no lad
! der had been placed under it. More.
over, the little tendrils Of ivy that
waved in the breeze all around the
sash were absolutely uninjured, which
could not have been the case If an
entrance to the room had been effect
cd in this way.
The door was securely locked and
bolted on the inside, as l had left it
the night before, and most thor
ough search disclosed no other door
opening into the room, and no pos
sible place of concealment for any
thing of the bulk of man.
The thought of a concealed opening
in the ceiling over the bed naturally
suggested itself to my mind, but moth
ing of the sort existed and a moments
! examination with towel on the end
of walking stick showed a layer Of
dust which evidently had not been dis.
turbed for years.
In short the presence Of the envel.
ope on my bed seemed to be shrouded
in mystery of the most impenetrable
kind; but even 1t was exceeded in
its incomprehensbility by the aston.
ishing contents of the note.
/ My love for Florence Carney was, I
had thought, a secret buried deep in
my own breast. Surely had never told
it in all the years that had cherished
it so fondly, and, on one occasion at