Evening star., 1911-01-18
CHAPTER XVII.
Seven Gold Reeds.


ring a man appeared who declared him
self competent to knock my dress clothes
into shape again.
/ should hardly have believed that sc
much history had been made in night
if il had not been for certain indubta BILE
evidence-Cecilia's silver notebook; Heze
kiah's handkerchief. which / had forgot
ten to return to her. and patch or tai.
low grease from the jack o lantern tha'
had attached itself firmly to my coat cum
Cecilia met me at the foot of the stairs
looking rather worn, | thought We were
safe from interruption a moment longer
as her aunt's gun was still booming, and
| followed her to the library.
please don't tell me You have failed,
she cried tearfully. THAT little book
means so much, so very much to Us all.
Here it is. Miss Hollster." l said
placing it in her hand without parley. j
beg to assure you that return II just as
you saw it last. Please satisfy yourself
that it has not been tampered with III
any way. / have not opened II, ana !,
has not left my hand since ! recovered
il.
She had almost snatchcd it from me,
and she turned slightly away and ran
hurriedly over the leaves.
In her relief she laughed happily. and
with one of her charming, graceful Ses-
lures she gave me her hand.
Il thank you, Mr. Ames: thank you.
thank you. You have rendered me the
greatest service. And l hope YOU We're
able to do 50 without serious inconven-
fence to Yourself.
ION the other hand. 1t was the small
est matter and instead of being trou-
BILE / found the greatest pleasure in re-
covering it,
I stood with my hands thrust careless
ly into my trousers pockets. rocking
slightly upon my heels to convey sense
of the unimportance Of my service. II
was a manner l had cultivated to meet
the surprise and gratitude of my clients
when l had brought a seemingly incura-
BILE f1ue into state of subsection. |
think | may have appeared little bored
as though l had accomplished feat that
was rather unworthy of my powers.
doctor who prescribes the wrong pill ana
finds to his amaZement that ii cures the
patient, might improve upon that man
ner but not greatly.
"You naturally wonder. Miss Hollister,
how found this trinket so readily. And
in order that you may not suspect per-
fectly innocent persons / will tell YOU
exactly how I came by it. 1t was your
belief that you had left it on your dress
ing table But as a memorandum book
of any character pertains to writing
desk rather than to dressing table, my
interest centered at once upon such writ
room.''
There is a writing desk in the corner
by the window, but
"Ah. you are about to repeat your be-
lief that you left the book on the dressing
table and that it could not have moved
to the desk. May / ask whether you did
not, just before you came down to din
ner. scribble me a line asking for an in
terview?"
why. yes: 1 remember that perfectly.
You wrote In some haste, as indicated
by the handwriting in your message. II
is possible that YOU wrote and destroyed
one note. or perhaps two, before you haC
expressed yourself exactly to your liking
We are all Of us. with any sort of feeling
for style, prone to just such reflections.
1T is possible that l did, she replied
coloring slightly. Il was extremely anx
ious to see YOU"
Very we'll. then: is it not possible
that in throwing the rejected correspond
that stands beside your desk-there Is
such a basket. is there not?"
Yes" she replied, breathlessly.
"Is IL not possible. then. that that little
booklet. hardly heavier than paper itself
may have been brushed off without your
seeing it,
1T is possible: l must admit that it is
possible. but
1T is on that but that any theory i'm
plicating another hand must break. What
! have indicated is exactly what must
have happened To the nice care that
establishment we must now turn. / fine
that when ] go to my own room after
dinner 1t is always in perfect order-pens
restored to the rack on my writing table
brushes laid straight on the dressing
table, and so on. The we'll trained maid
who cares for your room seeing scraps
Of paper in the basket by your desk
naturally carried it off. When l accepted
your commission last night / went di-
rectly to the cellar. sought the bin into
MI ri yx-oS uyrar iS md
among old envelopes and other litter this
small trinket. which but for my prompt
ness might have been lost forever
1T doesn't seem possible" she faltered
'Oh." i laughed easily. possible or inn
possible, you could not on the witness
stand swear that the book had not drop
ped into the waste-paper basket precisely
as have described
mo. l suppose l couldn't" she an
swered. slowly.
ing. but her relief at holding the book
again i'll her hand was SO great that she
would probably have believed anything.
You see" she said. claspiis the book
tight, this was given me for particular
purpose and IL contains a memorandum
of greatest Importance. And j was in d
panic when found that it was gone. FOL
my recollection of certain items ! had re-
corded here was confused, and there was
no possible way of setting myself straight
make poor acknowledgment Of Your serv.
ice. but IT, at any time"
Pray think no more of it, ! replied
ard at this moment Miss Hollister ap.
peared and called US to breakfast.
IF it is perfectly agreeable to YOU
Arnold. ! will hear the story Of the find
ing of the ghost at o'clock. or Just be-
fore, tea. l have sent a telegram to MIR
Pepterton asking him to be present. He's
at his country home in Redding and car
very easily motor down. As no motors
are allowed on my premises he shall be
| met at the gate with trap.
You have sent for Pepperton.' | ex
claimed.
That is exactly what have done, anc
as he knows that ] never accept apologize:
under any circumstances, he will not dis
| appoint me. In addition to reprima ndin.
| him for not telling me of the secret pas
| sage in this house, l have another mat
/ ter that concerns you. Arnold, which
wish to lay before him. The new cool
| that Providence sent to my kitchen yes
| terday Is the best we have had. Cecilia
and ] beg that you both indulge your
selves In a second helping OF countr.
scrambled eggs"
i Miss Octavia made no further allusiol
to the incidents of the night, but went OIL
| turning over Eer mail l have neglecte,
| TO say that her library contained a mos
/ remarkable array of books in praise o
| mans fortitude and daring. / hav
learned later that these had been assem-
bled for her 10y a DISTINGUISHED scholar
4 and many of them were rare editions.
| .karamagnus Saga" elbowed Major.
ard the "Reali di Francia.' and Roland
horn challenged in all languages. Sh
greatly admired and had often visited TIN
| Chateau de Luynes. and had a portfoli,
filled with water color and pen and in!
| drawings of 1t. Such books as Violet-le
l nnc'S "DictiOnnaira 1u MObiljar Fra, "