Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-06

roof Of her aunt's house and practice the
fencer's art with them, it was no anair
Of mine, and / was about to withdraw
when the stranger swung round and saw
me. His sudden exclamation caused the
girl to turn, and as a reasonable frank
ness has always seemed to me essential
to q nice discretion, I craWled out on the
roof.
II beg your pardon. Miss Hollister. but
If I had known you were here l should
not have intruded. The vagaries of the
library chimney have been on my mind.
and l was about to have another peep
into yonder pot"
She stood at her ease. with one hand
resting lightly against the inexplicab!e
chimney in question. and still somewhat
spent from her exercise.
Father she said, turning to the
stranger, who stood near. this Is Mr..
Ames, who is Aunt Octavia's guest"
The light Of the gibbous moon enabled
me to discern pretty clearly the form and
features of Mr.. Bassford HOLSTER. And
find. in looking over my notes, that
accepted as a matter Of course the singu-
lar meeting with my hostess brother.
had grown so used to the ways OF the
HOLSTERS I already knew that the meet
ing with another member of the family
at II o'clock at night on the roof OF this
remarkable house gave me no great shock
Of surprise. He was TALL slender and
dark. with fine eyes that suggested Ce-
elias. His close-trimmed beard was
slightly gray, but he bore himself erect.
and I had already seen that he was alert
of arm and eye and nimble of foot.
He put on his coat. which had been ly-
ing across one of the crenelations, and
covered his head with a small soft hat
This will do for tonight. Cecilia. You
had the best of me. Well try again an
other time. I'm glad you stopped us. Mr..
Ames. We'd had enough"
He seemed in no wise disturbed by my
appearance. nor in any haste to leave.
This meeting between the father and
been a matter of chance. and 1t must
have been in Cecilia's mind that some
sort of explanation would not be amiss.
Father and I have fenced together for
years." she said. MY sister Hezeklah
does not care for the sport. AS you have
already seen that my aunt Octavia is an
unusual woman. given to many whims.
will not deny to you that at present my
father is persona non grata, in this house.
/ beg to assure you that nothing to his
discredit or mine has contributed to that
situation, nor can our meeting here to-
night be construed as detrimental to him
or to me. In meeting my father in this
way / have in a sense broken faith with
my aunt Octavia, but l assure you. Mr..
Ames that 1t is only the natural affec-
ton for a daughter that led my father
| to seek me here in this clandestine fash
ion.''
Cecilia had spoken steadily. but her
voice broke as she concluded, and she
walked quickly toward the hatchway.
| Her father stepped before me to give her
his hand through the opening.
/ withdrew to the edge of the roof
while a few words passed between them
that seemed to be on his part an ex-
postulation and on hers an earnest denial
and plea. He passed her the foils and
masks and she vanished: whereupon he
addressed himself to me.
II had learned from both my daugh-
tiers of your presence in my sister
house, and I had expected to meet you
| sooner or later. This is q strange bust
| ness, q strange business"
He had drawn out a pipe, which he
filled and lighted dexterously. The flame
Of his match gave me better acquaintance
with his face. He leaned against the
serrated roof guard with the greatest
composure, his hat tilted to one side, and