The Tupelo journal., 1910-07-15
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! cOutu e that uuuSI pfStcHSc "
examining his injury he was watch
ing her through the mirror.
rs this one of the servants blank
cts, Mrs. Watson?" | asked, holding
up its luxurious folds to the light.
Everything else is locked. away
she replied. Which was true enough
no doubt. / had rented the house
without bed furnishings.
"If Thomas is ILL.," Halsey said
"some member of the family ought to
go down to see him. You needn't
bother, Mrs. Watson. / will take the
blanket"
She drew herself up quickly, as II
in protest, but she found nothing to
say. She stood smoothing the folds OF
her dead black dress, her face as
white as chalk above it. Then she
seemed to make up her mind.
Very well, Mr.. Innes," she said
Perhaps you would better go. ! have
done all / could"
And then she turned and went UP
the circular staircase, moving slowly
and with a certain dignity. Below
the three of us stared at n another
, across the intervening white blanket
Upon my word" Halsey broke out
"this place is a walking nightmare
/ have the feeling hat we three out
siders who have paid our money TO,
the privilege of staying in this spook
factory, are living on the very top OF
things. We're on the lid, so to speak
Now and then we get a sight OF the
things inside, but we are not a part
Of them
"Do you suppose" Gertrude asked
doubtfully, that she really meant thai
blanket for Thomas?"
Thomas was standing beside that
magnolia tree" Halsey replied
when | ran after Mrs. Watson. It's
down to this, Aunt Ray. Rosie's bas-
ket and Mrs. Watson's blanket can
only near one thing: There is some
body hiding or being hidden in the
lodge. 1t wouldn't surprise me if we
hold the key to the whole situation
now. Anyhow, I'm going to the lodge
to investigate"
Gertrude wanted to go, too, but she
looked so shaken that I insisted she
should not. / sent for Liddy to helI
her to bed, and then Halsey and ]
started for the lodge. The grass was
heavy with dew, and, man-like, Halsey
chose the shortest way across the
i,u,p Hale xra bououar bo ctoppcd
"We'd better go by the drive" he
said. This isn't a lawn; it's a field
Where's the gardener these days."
There isn't any," l said meekly
"We have been thankful enough, sc
far, to have our meals prepared and
served and the beds aired. The gard
ener who belongs here is working al
the club"
Remind me tomorrow to send out
a man from town." he said. Il know
the very fellow"
/ record this scrap of conversation
just as l have tried to put down any
thing and everything that had a bear
ing on what followed, because the
gardener Halsey sen the next day
played an important part in the events
of the next few weeks-events thai
eliminated as you know, by stirring
the country profoundly. At that time
however, l was busy trying to keeI
my skirts dry, and paid little or nc
attention to what seemed then a most
trivial remark.
At the lodge everything was quiet
There was a light in the sitting room
downstairs, and a faint CLEAN, as il
from a shaded lamp, in one of the up
per rooms. Halsey stopped and ex
amined the lodge with calculating
eyes.
Il don't know, Aunt Ray" he said
obviously; "this is hardly a woman's
affair. If there's a scrap of any kind
you hike for the timber" Which was
Halsey's solicitous are for me, put
into v~ernacular.
"Ill stay right here" l said, and
crossing the small veranda, now
shaded and fragrant with honey
suckle, | hammered the knocker on
the door.
Thomas opened the door himself
Thomas, fully dressed and in his Gus
tomary health. ! had the blanket over
my arm.
Il brought the blanket, Thomas"
said; Il am sorry you are so i'll"
The old man stood staring at me
and then at the blanket. His con
fusion under other circumstances
would have been ludicrous.
What! Not ILL.," Halsey said from
the step. Thomas, I'm afraid you've
been ma~lingering."
Thomas seemed to have been debat
ing something with himself. Now he
stepped out on the porch and closed
the door gently behind him.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)