Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-09
THE SIEGE OF THE SEVEN SUIT0RS !
By MEREDITH NICHOLSON. :

plans for a cathedral she proposes build
ing for the Bishop Of Manila
1 was not surprised that Octavia Hel-
lister should be building cathedrals in the
| taken. aback to find that she had anticf-
pated me in my rush for the plans OF her
house. Clearly, 1 was dealing with a
woman who was not only immensely
Could it be possible after all that she
was herself playing ghost merely for her
own entertainment. She was capable OF
it; but 1 had satisfied myself that she
could not have performed the tricks Of
which / had been the victim the night
previous unless she possessed some rare
vanishing power like that Of the East
Indian mystics.
MAY ask who came for the plans?"
Il Judged the young woman to be
maid. or perhaps she was Miss HOLSTERS
secretary
l had given little heed during my short
stay at 'Hopefleld Manor to Miss Hol-
listers personal attendant l had passed
her in the halls once or twice. young
woman Of twenty-five. I should say. fair
haired and blue-eyed; She might herself
be the ghost, now that I thought of it:
but this seemed the most unlikely ny
pothesis possible-and there was no diff
Guilty in accounting for her flight to town.
for there were many horses and vehicles
in the Hopefield stable, and trains were
frequent.
''If there is anything further. Mr..
1 reused myself to find the chief clerk
regarding me impatiently, and / thanked
him and hurried away.
At my own Office my assistant pounced
upon me wrathfully. He was half wild
over the pressure of vexatious business.
and had just been engaging in long
distance conversation with a country gen.
tleman at LenoX which had left him in
bad temper. i was explaining to him the
seriousness of my errands at Hopefield,
rather uncoEvincingly l fear. and the fact
that / must return at once, when the
Office boy entered my private room to say
that three gentlemen wished to see me
Immediately. They had submitted cards.
but had refused to state the nature OF
their business. 1t was with distinct
sensation OF surprise that l. read the
lenberger. Daniel p. Ormsby and John
Stewart Dick.
"show the gentlemen in" said.
promptly, greatly to the disgust OF my
assistant. who retired to deal with sew
eral clients whom l had passed in the
reception room tiercely walking the foo.
1 had imagined all the suitOrs establish
ed at the Prescott Arms. As the three
appeared. clad in light automobiling
coats, could not forbear q smile at their
grim appearance. Shallenberger, the
novelist. and Ormsby. the knit goods
manufacturer, were big men: Dick was
much shorter, though OF compact and
sturdy build. They growled surlily liz
closed the door behind them. Dick seemed
to be the designated spokesman, and he
advanced to the desk behind which | sat.
with a stride and manner that adver-
tised his belligerent frame OF mind.
MIR. .Ames.'' he began, I'VE have come
here to speak for ourselves and certain
other gentlemen who are staying for a
time at the Prescott Arms.
Gentlemen of the committee. welcome
to our Office" / replied greatly amused
by his ferocity.
My tone caused the others to draw in
defensively behind him.
I'VE want you to understand that your
conduct in accompanying lady that /
shall not name to the city is an act we
cannot pass in silence. Your conduct in
going to. Hopefield Manor was in itself
an affront to us, but your behavior this
morning passes ali bounds We have
come sir, to demand an explanation"
At glance this was a situation l dare
not take seriously. In any circumstances
the fact that these mer had followed me
to my office to rebuke me Tor accom-
absurd. This young Mr.. Dick was abb
surd in himself. His gray cap had twist
ed itself oddly to the side OF his head.
and bang OF black hair lay at pirat-
him Ormsby. the knit-goods man. tugged
at, q brown mustache: Shallenberger's
blue eyes snapped wrathfully.
.'Mr. Dick I said. soberly. II have
heard of you as the original pragmatist
Of Nebraska. and as l am a mere ig-
norant chimney doctor. to whom the later
philosophical meaning OF that term 10
only so much punk. / must identify you
with that more obvious meaning of the
word which is within my grasp. MT.
Dick and gentlemen of the committee.
you are meddlesome persons!
.'Meddlesome!" cried Dick. heatedly.
and leaning toward me across my desk.
do 1 correctly understand. sir. that you
mean to insult us?"
Nothing could be further from my
purpose But I cannot permit you to
imagine that I'm going to allow you to
beard me in my office and criticise my
conduct in regard to Miss Cecilia Hol-
lister or anybody else. As a philosopher
from the fertile corn lands OF Nebraska,
I salute you with admiration: as a critic
of my ways and manners, show you the
door,"
This did . bit jauntily. and I had .
feeling that I was playing my part well.
But the young man before me seemed to