The Williamson enterprise. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1907-1911, 1911-02-09
CHAPTER ". (contlnued.)

Its immoral, l protested us
Immoral to steal your"
MY own butleri" she broke in Inn
patiently. You're not usually 30
bcrupulous, Kit. Hurry! | hear that
hateful Anne Brown"
So we slid back along the hall, and
rang for Takahiro But no one came
Il think l ought to tell you, Bella"
said as we waited, and Bella was
ataring around the room-"I think you
ought to know that Miss Caruthers is
here" Bella shrugged her shoulders.
We'll. thank goodness" she said
II don't have to see her. The only
pleasant thing remember about my
year OF married life is that I did not
meet Aunt Selma
rang again, but still there was no
answer. And then 1t 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
40ne Of the things / remember my
late husband saying" she observed,
Nwas that he could manage this house,
and had done it for years, with flaw
less service Stand on the bell, Kit"
/ did. We stood there, with the
table, just az 1t had been left, be-
tween us and waited for 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.
thought l heard rattle Of silver
from the pantry Just then, and l hur-
ried to the door IN rage But the
pantry was empty of servants and
full of dishes, and all the lights were
out but one. which was burning dimly.
p could have sworn that saw one OF
ehe servants duck into the stairway to
the basement, but when / got there
Che stairs were empty, and something
9swas 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 triumphantly. 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 had been banished from the din
ing room sat half empty on the floor.
A'Drunk!" Bella said with conviction.
But j didn't think so. There had not
been time enough, for one thing Sud
denly l remembered the ambulance
that had been the cause of Bella's ap-
pearance-for no one could believe
her silly story about Takahiro |
simply left her there, staring helpless
iy at the confusion, and ran upstairs
again: through the dining room, past
Jimmy and Aunt Selma, past Leila
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 has4y flight; in three bedrooms FIVE
trunks stood locked and omfnous, and
the closets yawned with open door,
empty. Bella had been right; there
was not a servant In the house
AS emerged from the untidy empti
ness of the servants wing, l met Mr.
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 /, can't think of anything
worse for a headache. Has the but
ler's illness clogged the household ma
ctinery?"
Worse" l replied, trying not tt
breathe in gasps Il wouldn't be run
ming around-like this-but 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, kitchenSand pan
tries full of dishes. Did you evel
hear of anything like it,"
Never" he asserted. 1T makes m,
suspect" What he suspected he diC
not say; instead he turned on hi
heel. without word of explanation
and ran down the stairs. / stood star
ing after him. wondering If every on,
I'm the place had gone crazy. Thel
heard Betty Mercer scream and tn,
rest talking loud and laughing, an,
Mr.. HARRISON came up the stairs agail
two at time.
How long has that Jap been ailine
Mrs. Wilson," he asked
I'll don't know" replied helpless
~. what is the trouble, anyhow"
Il think he probably has something
contagious" he said. "and it ha
scared the servants away. AS MI
Brown said, he looked spotty. ] sue
gested to your husband that 1t Nigh
De as well to get the house emptied-
in case we are correct"
@Oh, yes, By all means sal
eagerly. couldn't get away too soor
<r1l 20 and get N.Y." Then stopped