Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1910-07-06
CHAPTER x.-Continued.


seen him, and she liked the note Of
affection that crept into his tone as
be spoke of his friend.
"Ardmore is the most remarkable
person alive" Griswold continued.
You remember spoke Of him this
morning. He likes to play the in
scrutable idiot. and he carries II of
pretty we'll; but underneath he's real
ly clever. The most amazing ideas
take hold of him. You never could
imagine what he's doing now! | met
him accidentally in Atlanta the other
day and he was in pursuit of a face
a girls face that he had seen from a
car window for only an instant on a
siding somewhere. He declared to me
most solemnly that the girl winked at
HIM"
Griswold was aware that Miss Os-
borne's interest in Ardmore cooled
Derceptibly.
OH" she said. with that delight
full information with which a woman
utterly extinguishes a sister.
Il shouldn't have told you that"
said Griswold, guiltily aware of falling
temperature. He is capable of fol-
lowing a winking eye at a perfectly
respectful distance for & hundred
years, and of being entertained all
the time by the Joy Of pursuit"
1T seems very unusual" said Bar
bara. with cold finality.
Griswold remembered this talk as.
the next day. aboard the train bound
for Turner Court House, the seat of
Mingo county, South Carolina, he pom
dered a telegram he had received
from Ardmore. He read az re-read
this message, chewing cigars and
scowling at the landscape, and the
cause of his perturbation of spirit
may be roughly summarized in these
words:
On leaving the executive mansion
the night before, he had studied maps
In his room at the Saluda house. and
carefully planned his campaign. He
had talked by telephone with the
prosecuting attorney OF Mingo coun-
ty, and found that official politely re-
sponsive. So much had gone well.
Then the juxtaposition of Ardmore's
estate to the border, and the possible
use OF the house as headquarters,
struck in upon him. He would. after
oil, generously take Ardmore into the
game, and they would uphold the
honor and dignity of the great com
monwealth of South Carolina togeth-
or. The keys OF all Ardmore's
houses were, so to speak, I'm Girls
wold's pocket, and invitations we're
unnecessary between them; yet, at At
lanta Ardmore had made point Of
asking GriswOld down TO help while
away the tedium of Mrs. Atchison's
house party, and as n matter of form
Griswold wired from Columbia. ad.
vising Ardmore VI his unexpected de-
scent.
Even in case Afdmore sho.hd still
be abroad In pursuit Of the winking
eye. the doors of the huge house
would be open to Griswold. who had
entered there so often as the owners
familiar friend These things he
pondered deeply as he read and re-
read ATdmore's reply TO his message
reply which was plainly enough
dated at Ardsley, but which. he could
not know, had really been written in
caboose 0iS6 as Il lay on a siding in
the southeastern yards at Raleigh.
and thence dispatched to the manager
at Ardsley. with instructions to for
Sard it as a new message to Girls
void at Columbia. The chilling words
thus flung at him we're:
Prof. Henry Maine GriswoId.
SalUda House. Columbia, q. c..
am very sorry, old man, but can moi
take you In just now. Scarles fever fs
epidemic among my tenants, and could
not think of exposing you to danger A
soon as the accursed plague passes I
want TO have you down.
An epidemic that closed the gates
Of Ardsley would assume the proper
tions of national disaster; for even
II the great house itself we're quar-
hDtined. there were lodges and bunRa,