Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-06-10

owing to the foresight Of Bulkins
who had sent II warning telegram in
advance. Mr.. Devine was met at the
station by one Timmins. who singled
him out with unerring pronlptness. in.
Producing himself as caretaker and
general superintendent of Hewington
Acres, and waved him obsequiously to-
ward yellow wheeled park trap
drawn by a pair of glossy cobs.
"Whose tenm?" Mr. Devine was ask
ing
yours. SIR
"All right. Let er CO."
No one will ever know just how
much Cherub Devine enjoyed that
ride or the sensation he experienced
when the:- turned in through the big
stone eateposts and Timmins remark
ed cheerfully. Here we are. SIR" At
the last curve of the driveway the
trees seemed suddenly to open, and
there sprang into view the low rooted.
many Widowed, much uwninged cot
tage," with its porte-cochere. servants
annex, glass rooted Conservatives and
deep verandas.
"Show you through the house first,
sir?" suggested Timmins.
might as we'll"
Mr.. Devinu was lighting black CT.
gar This accomplished, he followed
Timmins into the darkened vista of
hall and through the large rooms. As
Bulkins had assured him. the place
was fully furnished. There were
chairs. tables. rugs. books, pictures.
even freshly cut flowers in the vases.
"Upstairs now, sir?"
"Oh. guess the upstairs II keep.
Let's have look at the stable"
Inside of half an hour the Cherub
was smoking lonesomely on the front
veranda. trying to summon sense of
ownership which it seemed to him i'm
possible that he could ever achieve.
Usually man much given to 81
lence, even among his intimates. Mr..
Devine now felt that he wanted to
talk. The stiffness was oppressive. So
this was what it was like to own
country place. was it?
"Fine thing, the country" solilo-
quized Mr. Devine. II could spend
Just about a week here-and then die
Of it."
He walked into the library. As he
did so he heard muffied exclamation
and caught a glimpse Of skirt whisk-
ing through door. An easy chair
pulled up before an open bookcase
caught his eye.
T011 ~ 7 vH1 <tnnt
He found push button on the jamb.
He put his thumb on it and waited.
Did you ring. sir?' asked Sc
pulchral voice behind him.
Mr.. Devine jumped and turned to
see a solemn faced butler.
"Who else would ring II didn't?"
demanded the Cherub.
mo one, SIR
"Sure about that. are your"
"Quite sure. SIR
"Well, I'm not. Some one just skip
ped out of this room as came In.
Who was it?''
Likely one Of the maids, SIR"
do the maids have the run of the
bookcase, eh? She was sitting here"
MlSuI nave Occu thC SuScACCPCAs
sir-Mrs. Timmins, SIR"
"She's reader, Is she? Well, tell
her not to be SO skittish next time.
1t gives me the fidgets.'
The man had retreated US silently
and abruptly as he had come.
'Wonder II they're all that kind"
commented the Cherub.- Guess III
have to hang sleighbells on 'em If l
want to dodge case of nerves."
Dropping into the easy chair. he be-
gan reading the titles on the backs of
the volumes before him. So all these
books were his. were they? Well. that
was odd. Some day he might want to
do little reading. He had always
meant to, but
Something white on the floor be-
tween the chair and the wall caught
his eye. He stopped and picked up q
handkerchief. 1t was dainty affair,
mostly lace, and there was an initial
in the corner, an embroidered v with
some sort of little pointed crown
above it.
"H-m-m" said the Cherub. Nv can't
stand for Timmins."
Having made this subtle deduction.
he pocketed the handkerchief and
started to look for the factOtum who
was caretaker and superintendent and
whose wife was the housekeeper.
"Timmins," said Mr.. Devine, what
sized force are we carrying?
BEG pardon. sir. but Timmins
caught himself abruptly. "Oh. you
mean how many in help? Only five
now, sir. outside Of me and Mrs. Tim
MINIS"
give, eh-and two are seven? Let's
see the payroll, will you?
Timmins produced an account book
in which were entered names, dates
and amounts. Mr.. Devine glanced {
hastily through the list.
"None of 'em seem to have v in +:
their names." suggested the Cherub.
"A v, sir?' Timmins' blank look
was wholly convincing.
"NIaybe you never heard of any one
whose name began with v. Tim /:
mins?"
"Oh. yes. sir. There was the Vena
bles. sir. as used to visit here. and 1
who was one Of the gar /.
1cners." ,
THAT ali:''
"rhere might he others. sir, If l d
could lay n. tongue to-
"Dunt striip yunr memory. Tim v
Minis II doesn't matter. :
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