Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-03-24

IL had GLIMPSE OF SLENDER, BIG
EYED YOUNG WOMAN.
account. Perhaps there were more
four five, six. dozen Why not?
Room was not lacking True. he had
been given to understand, both by Bull
klns and by Tinlmin,. that he had
bought house tenanted only by scrv-
ants But persons who read books
in the library, dropped lace hIndker
chiefs and occupied rooms in the main
portion OF the house could not be
servants.
The CheruD wondered and specnlat-
ed and made wild guesses as to the
identity of the persons in those upper
rooms. Having no starting point. no
c!ew to follow. he arrived nowhere.
Give it up he said. Guess III
go to bed"
Why he should rise at the unearthly
hour of q. however. he explained in
quite different way. He accused q
few twittcring sparrows Of waking
him. Perhaps. too it was the spar
rows which drove him out to make q
circuit Of the grounds. Quite incl
dentally he glanced up at the win
dows he had watched the night before.
The closed shutters revealed nothing.
Finding bench Under a tree, he sat
down and began to wonder how long
it would be before he might call for
bie, h~nn H. o
sonable. He was aroused by a crunch
crunch OF footsteps on the gravel.
Some one was walking down one Of
the intersecting paths.
During the brief instant that he
stare2 he had glimpse Of slendes.
big eyec young woman whose hair
| hung in thick, dark braid over one
shoulder Across the hollow OF her
left arm was sheaf Of freshly cut
flowers, in her right hand pair Of
shears And then she saw him.
oh"
Down fell the roses. The shears
clattered on the stones.
BY the time he could scra mble to his
feet she had gathered up her flowers
and the shears She stood quite still,
pying him with apprehensive expecta-
ton.
"EhI" said the Cherub.
II said nothing" replied the young
woman
But You squealed. didn't you:"
POSSIBLY"
We'll, ] was scared out Of wears
growth. Next time YOU feel like sQuea.
! ing you might send me word, so car
brace myself. Live here. do your
"W'hy--er-that is--not exactly"
! Neither do !, thank the Lord
! Just own the place. But don't mind
me. Go ahead with your posy pick
Ing"
"You-you don't object to-
Great Scott. 10. Cut 'em all if you
like"
Only after she was out Of sight did
other person whose presence at Hew
3ngton Acres was not fully accounted
for. She could not be one OF the
servants. He wa, sure of that. But
when you iinG person about the
grounds of privat" house. apparent
~ quite at home, and they reply when
asked If they live there. Not exact
ly." what is one to infer? She couldn't
be a guest. Who was there for hel
to visit? Nor boarder.
"Stril.cs me ! ought to take a cen
sus," commented the Cherub.
Going back to the house, he rang u
bell until Eppings appeared. heavy
eyed ana lugubrious.
breakfast ready yetf'
breakfast. sir: It's rather early
sir but
Early. It's the middle of the fore
noon. Go stir things UP N the kitch
en-"
AS Eppings departed the hall cloc,
chimed I. The Cherub grinned. HI
had not brelkiasted at for years. Ir
less than an hour, though, breakfast
was IN accomplished fact. and Mr.
Devinc, now soothed by one OF his
black cigars. set out for more ex
tended tour Of the grounds. He dis
covered the path leading to the SOUND
and had spent sOmc time on the porch
OF the bOathOuse watching the steam
ers and coasting vessels crawl pass
when Timmns came down. evidently
In search of him.
"Maybe didn't mention last night
SIR" began Timmlns suavely. amy
thing about the IIewingtons|
Il guess you didn't, Tmmins."
1.-The fact is. sir. they haven't sone.
Haven't gone! Why. where are
they"
Back at the house, sir It's all OF
account of the old lady. sir, Mr. Hew
tngtons sister. who has took so bnt
she couldn't be moved. Perhaps H.
ITS all right. There's Mr.. Hewing
ton and his sick sister, Is theret ina
an!"
"And the Countess vecchi, sir"
THE which," Mr.. Deyine grabbed
the cigar from between his teeth ant
turned quickly on Timmins
"Ihe Countess Vecchi, sir. as stayed
TO look after the aunt. The countess Il
the married daughter. sir. The count
been dead two years. sir. and"-her'
iimm'ns coughed apologetically be
hihd MS hand-'the uewingtons wan
precisely sorry to lose him."
mot bowling success, eh7"
Hardly, sir. The countess left hin
two hours after the wedding"
she must be hummer" observer
! the Cheruh. and then rehectivalr