The Ocala evening star., 1911-06-17
The House
of the
Whispering
Pines
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN
Copyright. 1910, by Anna Katharine
Rohlfs

4 ESOHlIS 4
a man sat WITH MS DacK TO MIN pol
ishing a bit Of harness. This was prob
ably Zadok, the coachman. Sweetwa-
ter suddenly experienced a mOmenta-
ry confusion by observing the head
and shoulders Of Policeman Hexford
leaning toward him from an opposite
window-in much the same fashion
and certainly with exactly the same
intent as himself. As their glances
crossed both flushed and drew back
only to return again. each to his sever
nj peephOle. Neither meant 10 lose
the advantage Of the moment. Both
had heard OF the gray horse and wish
ed to identify it.
There were three stalls, and in each
stall horse stamped and fdgeted.
Only one held their attention. This
was d mare on the extreme left, a
large gray animal with Il curious black
patch on it's near shoulder The faces
Of both men changed as they recog
nized this distinguishing mark. and in
stinctively their eyes met. The coach
man rubbed away with less and less
purpose until his hands stood quite
still and his whole figure dropped in
irresistible dependency. AS he raised
his face, moved perhaps by that sense
Of a watchfM presence to which ali OF
US are more or less susceptible, they
were both surprised to see tears on ii.
The next instant he had started to his
feet and the bit of harness had ratified
from his hands to the floor.
"Who are your he asked. with a
touch of anger quite natural under the
circumstances. Cant you come in by
the door and not creep sneaking up to
take a man at disadvantage"
As he spoke he dashed away the
tears with which his cheeks were still
wet.
81 thought a heap of my young mis-
tress." be added in evident apology for
this display Of what such men call
weakness. II didn't know that it was
In me to cry for anything. but I find
that l can cry for her.
Hexford left his window. and Sweet
water slid from his. Next minute they
met at the stable door.
hau luck "ulSpeTeu the local OI-
ficer
Enough to bring me here" acknowl-
edged the other.
do you mean to this house or to
this stableY'
ITO this stable"
Have you heard that the horse was
out that night?"
"Yes: she was out"
"Who driving?"
"Ah. that's the question:"
'This man can't tell you"
But I'm going to talk to him for all
that
"He wasn't here that night. He was
at q dance. He only knows that the
mare was out"
But I'm going to talk to him"
! May | come in too? I'll not inter
rupt. I've just fifteen minutes to
/ spare"
! HeXford threw open the stable door
! and they both walked in. The coach
! man was not visible. but they could
! hear him moving above, grumbling To
! himself.
! IN be down in a minute" he called
| out as their steps sounded on the hard
wood floor.
Hexford sauntered over to the stalls
! Sweetwater stopped near the doorway
and glanced very carefully about him.
Nothing seemed to escape his eye He
even took the trouble to peer into a
waste bin and was just on the point of
| lifting down a bit Of broken bottle
from an open cupboard when Brown
appeared dressed in his Sunday coat
and carrying bunch Of fresh hot
! house roses.
who's that manT he grunted to
Hexford
Another of u.s. replied Hexford.
with shrug We're both rather in
terested in this gray horse"
"WOuldn't another time do?" plead
ed the coachman, looking gravely
down at the flowers he held. It's
most time for the funeral, and | don't
feel like talking. indeed l don't. gen
tlemen."
His distress was so genuine that Hex
ford was inclined to let him go. but
Sweetwater with q cock of his keen
eye put In his word and held the
! coachman where be was
The old gal is telling me all about
it." muttered this sly. adapta BILE fellow.
He had sidled up TO the mare and their
heads were certainly very close to-
gether Not touch here See here
/ Sweetwater had his arm round the
filIy'S neck and was looking straight
into her fiery and intelligent eye
with magnetic smile ar the aStonish.
ed coachman.
You'll oblige me if you can put her
knowledge into words" the man Ia
dok declared. with one fascinated eye
on the horse and the other on the
house where he evidently felt that his
presence was wanted. She was out
that night, and l know II, as any
coachman would know who doesn'-
come home stone drunk. Eut where
she was ana who took her. get her tC
tell II you can. for | don't know III
more'n the dead"
The dead flashed out Sweetwater
wheeling suddenly about and pointing
straight through the open stable door
toward the house where the young
mistress the old servant mourned lay
in her funeral casket. DO you NEAR
her-the lady who is about 10 be
buried? Could she tell If her lips
were not sealed by a murderer's hand:'
She" The word came low and awe