Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-07

began, bllthely. Inc IHoSt ueA6a
thing has happened Without the slight
est warning, without the faintest intima-
ton of their dissatisfaction, the mouse
servants have departed, with the slnsle
! exception of my personal maid, VINO, pc
ing a Swede and therefore singularly de-
| void of emotion was mistaken by the
| ghost rumors that have sent the rest OF
my staff scampering over the hills. ;.
She lighted the Conference.-The lamp In
her most tranquil fashion and begged me
to be seated.
II have already breakfasted.' she con-
tinued, land Cecilia is even now prepar-
\ ing you an omelet with her own hand. l
| beg to reassure you, as my guest, tnat
not the slightest annoyance FROM read
ing the comic papers you may nave
gained an impression that the loss OF
servants is a tragic business In any
household. but nothing SO petty can aus
turb me. Cecilia is an excellent COOK,
and I myself shall not starve SO long as
1 have strength to crack an egg or lift a
stove lid. And besides. I still retain my
early trust in Providence. l do not
doubt that before nightfall a corps of ex-
cellent servants will again be on duty
here Very likely they are even now
bound for this place. coming from the
| wet coasts of Ireland, from Liverpool,
| from lonely villages in Scandinavia. The
average woman would merely fret herself
into a sanatorium If confronted with the
problem l face this morning, but l nope
YOU will testify in future to the fact that
l faced this day in the cheeriest and most
hopeful spirit
mot only shall do so. Miss HOLSTER"
/ replied, trying to catch her own note,
but it will. throughout my life. give me
| the greatest satisfaction to set your cause
Alright. To that extent let me be Horauo
| to your Hamlet"
"Thank you, MILFORD she returned.
with the utmost gravity. "And may l say
further that the incident gives the stamp
of authenticity to my ghost? l was
obliged to pay those people double wages
to lure them from the felicities of the
city. and they must have been a good
deal alarmed to have left so precipltateiy.
You must excuse me now, as 1t is neces-
| sary for me to do the pastry COOK S
work this morning, that individual hav-
| ing fed with the rest. and 1T being IN
cumbent on me, to maintain my Zee SIM
! pie in this property, to make a dozen PIES
/ before high noon. But first l must visit
the stables, where, / believe, the coach
man still fingers, having been prevented
I from joining the stampede of the mouse
| servants by the painful twinges or govt.
| With this she left me, and l began
pecking at a grape fruit. 1t had been in
my mind as 1 dressed that morning to
play truant and visit the city. 1t was
almost imperative that l take look at
my Office. and had resolved upon a plan
| which would, believed, give me the key
| to the ghost mystery. IT Pepperton had
! built that house he must know whether
he had cOntrived any secret passages
| that would afford exits and entrances not
apparent to the eye. 1t would De an easy
matter to run into the city. explain my
| self to my assistant, and get hold or Pep
perton. My mind was made up, and l
| had even consulted time table and
| chosen one Of the express trains. AS l
| sat at the table absorbed in my plans for
| the day my nerves received sudden
| shock I had heard no one enter, yet
| voice at my shoulder murmured, casually:
Hast thou seen ghosts' Hast thou at midnight
| 1t was the voice of Hezekiah I knew
| before l faced her. She wore blue
| sailor waist with broad red ribbon tied
under the collar, and blue tam-o-
| shanter capped her head. She bore
| tray that contained my omelet plate of
| toast and other sundries incidental to
| substantial breakfast. which she dis
| tributed deftly upon the table.
How did you get here! blurted my
nerves still out OF control.
1.-The kitchen door, sir. i had ridden
| into the garden, and. seeing Aunt Octavia
| heading for the stables and Cecilia at the
| ella wanted to borrow my bicycle, and
/ being a good little sister I gave 1t to her.
| She also said that you required food. so
1 told her to go and l would carry you
| a minute You may draw your own cof-
| fee. Mind the machine; 1t tips If you
aren't careful
| She went to the window and peered out
toward the stables.
May ask. daughter OF kings, where
| your sister has gone SO suddenly"
| Certainly. She's off for town to chase
| a cook and few other people to run this
| hotel. heard at the post office that the
whole camp had deserted. SO / ran over
| to see what wac toing; and just for that
I've got to walk~home.
Go be continued tomorr0w)