Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-13
: THE SIEGE OF THE SEVEN SUIT0RS /:
: By MEREDITH NICHOLSON.
z Copyright incredibly Rights Resr,.


from the second to the fourth floor. ana
below this had been pieced with iumoer
carefully preserved from the earlier mouse.
There was nothing SO strange after all
about the hidden stairway. though was
convipced that this had been no idea OF
Pepperton's, but that he had merely
obeyed the orders Of his eccentric client,
the umbrella and dyspepsia-cure mill
lionaire.
1 had no sooner let myself through the
secret door into the upper hall than l
was aware of q disturbance In the IL
brary below. I.heard EXPLANATIONS from
the men, and as l ran toward the third
floor Miss Octatia's voice rose above the
tumult.
I'VE must have patience, gentlemen.
Chimneys are subject to moods just like
human beings. and we are fortunate in
having in the house gentleman who Is
an expert in such matters. l do not
doubt that Mr.. Ames even now has his
hand upon the chimney's pulse. and that
he will soon solve this perplexing prob
lem"
IF you wait for that man to mend your
chimney you will wait until doomsday."
So spake John Stewart Dick, taking his
vengeance Of me with my client and
hostess. / might have forgiven him. but
could not forgive Hartley Virgins.
HE doesn't know any more about
chimneys than the man in the moon.'
my old friend was saying. between
coughs.
And tnon quite unInlStdkdDly i Smcit
smoke, and bending further over the rail
and peering down the stair we'll l saw
smoke pouring from the library into the
hall. 1t seemed to be in greater volume
tonight than at previous manifestations.
A gray-blue cloud was filing the lower
hall and rising toward me. I ran quickly
to the third floor. to the chamber whose
fireplace was served by the library CHM
ney. The lights in the third-ioor hall
winked out as l opened the door, heard
ct4 H>h; tod l,,k III
not trouble about this. The switch inside
the unused guest chamber responded
readily to my touch, and on kneeling by
the hearth l found it cold. as l had ex-
pected.- There was absolutely no way Of
choking the library f1ue at this point. for
Places in this chimney had their indie
pendent flues. Pepperton would never
have built them otherwise, and no one
but skilled mason could have tapped
the work could not have been done with
out much noise and labor.
The hall outside was still dark. and
did not try the switch. The pursuit was
better carried on in darkness. and l had
by this time become accustomed to rapid
locomotion through unlighted passages.
leaned over the stair we'll and heard ex
carnations of surprise at the sudden ces-
satiOn OF the smoke, which had evidently
abated as abruptly as 1t had begun. The
the company had returned to the library.
Quite extraordinary. Really quite re-
markable!" they were saying below.
heard Cecilia's light laughter as the odd
ways of the chimney were discussed. And
as l stood thus peering down and listen
ing, the Swedish maids blonde head ap-
peared below me. bending over the well
rail on the second floor. She. too. was
taking note of affairs in the library, and
as l watched her she lifted her head and
her eyes met mine. Then, while we still
lights went out with familiar abruptness.
and as l craned my neck to peer into the
.blackness above me / experienced once
more that ghostly passing. as of some
light. unearthly thing across my face.
reached for 1t wildly with my hands, but
1t seemed to be caught away from me,
and then. as fought the air madly, 1t
brushed my cheek again. 1 have no
words to describe the strange effect OF
that touch. l felt my scalp creep and
cold chills ran down my spine. 1t SEEM
ingly came from above. and it was not
like hand. unless hand Of wonderful
lfghtness! Certainly no human arm could
reach down the stair we'll to where l
stood. And in that touch tonight there
was something akin to a gentle. lingering
caress as it swept slowly across my face
and eyes.
I waited for its recurrence a moment,
but 1t came no more. Then. on q sudden
prompting, / stole swiftly to the fourth
l thought it we'll to let the electric light
alone. for my ghost had once too often
plunged me into darkness at critical mo-
ments. and a candle in my hands was not
subject to his trickery
(To be continued tomorrow