The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1911-03-24
CHAPTER ~. (Cortinued.)

TITS immoral" l protested. It's
immoral to steal your"
my own butier!" she broke in i'm
patiently. You're not usually so
scrupulous, Kit Hurry! l hear that
hateful Anne Brown
So we slid back along the hall, and
rang for Takahiro. But no one came.
IT think ought to tell you, Bella"
said as we waited, and Bella was
staring around the room-'I think you
ought to know that Miss Caruthers is
here" Bella shrugged her shoulders.
We'll, thank goodness" she said,
Il don't have to see her. The only
pleasant thing l remember about my
year of married life is that l did not
meet Aunt Selma"
rang again, but still there was no
answer. And then it occurred to me
that the stiffness below stairs was al
most oppressive. Bella was noticing
things, too, for she began to fasten
her veil again with a malicious little
smile.
One of the things l remember my
late husband saying" she observed
was that he could manage this house,
and had done 1t for years, with flaw
less service. Stand on the bell, Kit"
did. We stood there, with the
table, just as it had been left, be-
tween US and waited for a response.
Bella was growing impatient, She
raised her eyebrows (she is very
handsome, Bella isl and flung out her
chin as If she had begun to enjoy the
horrible situation.
l thought | heard a rattle of silver
from the pantry just then, and l hur-
ried to the door in a rage. But the
pantry was empty of servants and
full of dishes. and all the lights were
out but one, which was burning dimly
! could have sworn that | saw one of
the servants duck into the stairway to
the basement, but when | got there
the stairs were empty, and something
was burning In the kitchen below
Bella had followed me and was peer
ing over my shoulder curiously
There isn't servant in the house
she said triumphart!y And when We
went down to the kitchen, she seemed
to be right. 1t was in disgraceful or
der, and one of the bottles of wine
that bad been banished from the din
ing room sat half empty on the floor
Drunk" Bella said with conviction
But | didn't think so. There had not
been time enough, for one thing Sud
denly | remembered the ambulance
that had been the cause of Bella ap-
pearance-for no one could believe
her silly story about Takahiro
simply left her there, staring helpless
ly at the confusion, and ran upstairs
again: through the dining room. past
Jimmy and Aunt Selma, past Lei a
Mercer and Max, who were flirting on
the stairs, up, up to the servants bed
rooms, and there my suspicious were
verified. There was every evidence of
a hasty flight; in three bedrooms five
trunks stood locked and ominous. and
the closets yawned with open door.
empty Bella had been right: there
was not servant in the house
AS emerged from the untidy empti-
ness of the servants wing, | met MIR.
HARRISON coming out of the studio
Il wish you would let me do some
Of this running about for you. Mrs
Wilson," he said gravely. You are
not well, and cant think of anything
worse for headache Has the but
chinery?"
Worse" / replied, trying not to
breathe in gasps. Il wouldn't ha run
ming around-like this-hut there IS
not servant in the house. They
have gone. the entire lot
That's odd" he said slowly Gone,
Are you sure?"
In reply | pointed to the servants
wing. Trunks packed" | said trag-
ically, rooms empty. kitchen and pan
tries full of dishes Did you ever
hear of anything like it9"
Never" he asserted 1T males m
suspect" What he suspected he d:d
not say; instead he turned "a his
heel, without word of explanation.
and ran down the airs. stood star
ing after him. wondering If every one
in the place had gone crazy Then
I heard Betty Mercer scream a1.d TIE
rest talking loud and laughing. and
Mr.. HARRISON came up the stairs again
two at a time
How long has Il ut Jap been aiIng
Mrs. Wilson," he asked.
II don't know" ! replied he pless-
ly. What is the trouble. ANYHOW ,"
Il think he proba bly, has something
contagious" he said, and il has
scared the servan's away As Nj
Brown said. he loo ed sp0tty ! sur-
gested to your husband that It might
be as well to get Il house emptied--
in case we are cor, IT
oh, yes, by al Me.ns," ] al
eagerly. I couldn't get away tc- sau2
"pU 40 end g=f N.Y." '-t.,r s.EI..rd