Barbour County index., 1910-07-13

blanket at him. /
Halsey was examining the cut on
his forehead in a small mirror on !
the wall. 1t was not much of an in
jury. but it had bled freely, and his |
appearance was rather terrifying.
Thomas ill?" he said, over his
shoulder. why. l thought l saw
Thomas out there as you made that |
cyclonic break out of the door and
over the porch"
l could see that under pretense of
examining his injury he was watch
ing her through the mirror
rs this one of the servants blank
cts, Mrs. Watson?" 1 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 if
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. 1 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 one another
across the intervening white blanket
Upon my word" Halsey broke out,
this place is walking nightmare.
1 have the feeling that we three out
siders who have paid our money for
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 sight of the
things inside, but we are not a part
of them"
DO you suppose" Gertrude asked
doubtfully, that she really meant that
blanket for Thomas?"
Thomas was standing beside that
magnolia tree" Halsey replied,
..
down to this, Aunt Ray Rosie's bas-
ket and Mrs. Watson's blanket can
only mean 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 l insisted she
should not. I sent for Liddy to help
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
lawn. Half way, however, he stopped.
Wed 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," 1 said meekly.
I'VE have been thankful enough, so
far, to have our meals prepared and
served and the beds aired The gard
ener who belongs here is working at
the club"
Remind me tomorrow to send out
man from town." he said. 81 know
tH0 very 16llOW.
record this scrap of conversation,
| just as 1 have tried to put down any
| thing and everything that had a bear
ing on what followed, because the
| gardener Halsey sent the next day
played an important part in the events
OF the next few weeks-events that
eliminated as you know, by stirring
| hnf
however, / was busy trying to keep
my skirts dry, and paid little or no
attention to what seemed then a most
trivial remark.
At the lodge everything was quiet
There was light in the sitting room
downstairs, and a faint CLEAN, as if
from 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 care for me, put
into vernacular.
III stay right here" I 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.
L brought the blanket, Thomas" /
said; Il am sorry you are so ILL.,
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 malingering.'
Thomas seemed to have been debat-
ing something with himself Now he
stepped out on the porch and closed
the door gently behind him.
fr-O