Evening star., 1911-01-10
THE SIEGE OF The SEVEN SUIT0RS
By MEREDITH NICHOLSON. :
Copyright by Meredith Reservd)

that game She's doin' Ii to suit herself.
That Bassford is always. up to somethin
queer. Yesterday he sat in the village
street countin' the number of people he
saw chewin' gum. Hung around the
schoolhouse watchin' the children to see
how many had their jaws gOin. Takin
notes just like the census man and tax
assessor. Told our doctor i'm the village
he was figurin' the amount of horsepower
the American people put into gum chew
Ing every year. and expects to find some
way of usin' it to run machinery. It's
harmless, Doc says. He calls it just the
Hollister idiosyncrasy. if that's the word.
But I reckon it's idiotsyncrasy all right
wish you good luck of your place, sir. "
He evidently believed me to be some
sort Of upper servant. and this added to
my joy of the day. With my good hu-
NOR augmented by the interview, 1 en-
tered the house. A strange footman ad-
mitted me, and / went to my room at
once without meeting any one else.
The man followed me with a penciled
note. signed with Cecilia's initials. re-
questing my presence below as soon as
possible, as she wished to see me before
dinner. The thought that she wished to
see me at any time filled me with elation ::
and her few lines scratched on a corre-
spondence card We're a pleasing adden-
dunn to our conversation of the morning.
l only wondered whether | should find
her the sober. reserved young woman OF
our earlier acquaintance. or whether She
ship of our talk on the train. The find
ing OF my assistants telegraphed resigna-
ton on my dressing table. to take effect
in January. had not the slightest effect
upon the lofty minarets in which my
fancy now found lodgment. IT pleased
me to believe that fighting blood still
pulsed in the last of the house of Ames.
and that / had hurled defiance at the or
ganized band Of suitors that guarded the
Hopefield gates and picketed the sur
rounding hills.
My question as to which Cecilia l should
find in the library was quickly answered.
Her frank smile. the candor of her eyes.
! confessed a new tie between us; We
were becoming conspirators within the
main conspiracy, whatever its character
might be.
'As to Providence and the cook-what
luck?' 1 asked.
"Oh, l managed that very easily. l
ran into some friends who We're going
abroad for the winter. They have a staff
of unusual servants, and were anxious
to keep them together until their return.
promptly engaged them all. and they
are even now installed. l came up on
the train with them, and as they are un-
| usually intelligent and biddable. they
agreed to stray i'm in a casual and de-
sultory way through the afternoon. Aunt
Octavia really believed, or pretended she
did, which is just as good. that Provi-
dence had sent them, and was delighted.
The laundress-the last to appear-has
just arrived, and Aunt Octavia is in fine
| humor. She didn't even ask me how l
| came off in my encounter at the dentists.
She had filled the pie pantry and had a
good time while / was gone"
well, l have had an adventure of my
own. l remarked. after expressing my
relief that she had solved the servant
difficulty with so much ease. "A COM
| mittee Of gentlemen waited on me in my
office on q matter of grave Importance.
| She lifted her brows and folded her
hands upon her knees-it was a pretty
way she had.
some high recognition of your profes-
! sional ability, Mr.. Ames?"
"Oh, far more exciting. Three gentle
| men, representing the suitors trust now
! maintaining headquarters at the Prescott
| Arms. warned me solemnly to keep of
| the grass. In other words. l am not to
interfere with their designs upon the
| heart of Miss Cecilia Hollister.
| She flung open fan, held it at arm S
| length, and scrutiniZed the daffOdils that
! were traced upon it.
$50 they dared you?"
80 they dared me- And 1 took the
dare"
"Why?"
Her eyes met mine gravely. but behind
| her pretty moue smile lurked delight
fully
"If should tell you now it would be
flirting, which is a sim
Il had imagined, Mr.. Ames, that that
sort of thing came easy to you. But if
it's sinful. of course"
But you do not rule me out. You
will give me a chance
My earnestness caused her manner to
change suddenly. Her beautiful gravity
came like swift falling of starlit twi-
light. l had never been SO happy as at
this moment. Preposterous as were the
circumstances of my presence i'm the
house. the juxtaposition Of Cecilia HolI
of ON mo
animosity Of the gentlemen at the Pres
colt Arms-an animosity which the JIM
terview in my Office had doubtless inthn-
sifed-quickened my satisfaction in thus
being within the walls that guarded the
lady. of their alteration. She had not
answered me, and felt my heart pound
ing i'm the silence.
(To be continued tomorrow