Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1910-04-21

him out WITH unefrlng prOmptneSS. III
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 team?" 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 they turned In through the big
stone gateposts 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 awninged cot
tage," with it's porte-cochere. servants
annex. glass rooted Conservatives and
deep yerandas.
"Show you through the house first.
sir?" suggested Timmins.
Z might as well.
4 Mr.. Devine 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. l guess the upstairs IL keep.
Let's have a 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 1t seemed to him i'm
possible that he could ever achieve.
Usually a man much given to ST
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 a
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 glimpse of a skirt whisk-
|
pulled up before an open bookcase
caught his eye.
"Hello! l wonder who that was?"
He found push button on the jamb.
He put his thumb on it and waited.
did you ring, STRIP asked a Sc
pulchral voice behind him.
Mr. Devine jumped and turned to
see solemn faced butler.
. "Who else would ring If l didn'tr'
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 itg'
Q Likely one of the maids, SIR
: "Do the maids have the run of the
bookcase. Ell! She was sitting here"
. might have been the 'ousekeeper
: sir-Mrs. Timmins, sir"
"She's a reader. is she? Well, tel
8 her not to be so skittish next time
t 1t gives me the fidgets."
4 The man had retreated as silently
l and abruptly as he had come.
v "Wonder II they're all that kind,
commented the Cherub. Guess II
have to hang sleighbells on 'em If
want to dodge case of nerves"
Dropping into the easy chair, he be
gan reading the titles on the backs O
the volumes before him. So all thes,
books were his, were they? Well, tina
was odd. Some day he might want t,
do little reading. He had always
meant to, but
Something white on the floor be
tween the chair and the wall caugh
his eye. He stopped and picked up
handkerchief. 1t was a dainty affair
mostly lace, and there was an initia
In the corner, an embroidered v wit
some sort Of little pointed crow
above 1t.
"H-m-m!- said the Cherub. "v can
stand for Timmins"
Having made this subtle deduction
he pocketed the handkerchief an
started to look for the factotum VIII
was caretaker and superintendent an
whose wife was the housekeeper.
'sTimmins," said Mr.. Devine. "wha
sized force are we carrying?'
beg pardon. sir, but Timmin
caught himself abruptly. "Oh, 20
mean how many In help? Only fiv
now, sir, outside of me and Mrs. Tin
MINIS"
Five, eh-and two are seven? Let
see the payroll, will your
Tmmins produced an account boo
In which were entered names, date
and amounts. Mr.. Devine glances
). hastily through the list.
: None of 'em seem to have a V
!, their Names" suggested the Cherub.
IA V, sir?" Timmins' blank loo
was wholly convincing.
80 "Mayha Won never heard IF onv on