Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-03-17

she led the way to the lighted library
in the wing of the great house.
Uncle Barnabas will come for you
presently she explained. In the
meantime let me make you a cup Of
tea. / am sure you must be needing
it If you have ridden far. Take the
easy chair, and We can talk while the
kettle is boiling Are you new to the
west. Mr.. Blount? Or is this only a
return to your own? The senator is
always talking about you. but he is
so proud of you that he forgets TO tell
US the really interesting things that
we want to know"
The serving man took his own time
about coming back for the guest, SO
long time that BIount forgot that It
was past midnight. that he was a
guest in strange house and that he
did not vet know the name OF his en-
tertainer
For all this forgetfulness the little
lady with the dark brown eyes was
directly responsible. Almost before he
knew it Blount found himself chatting
companionahly with her and finding
her charmingly responsive in what
ever field the talk happened to fall
The white haired old butler came at
last to show him the way To his luxu-
rous lodgings on the second floor of
the mansion:
With touch IF hospitality which
carried Blount back to his one winter
in the south. the hostess went with
him as far as the stair foot and her
Good night" was still ringing must
cally in his ears when the old negro
lighted the acetylene in the guest
room. put another stick Of wood on
the small FIRE that was cracking and
Swapping cheerfully on the hearth and
bobbed and bowed his way to the
door.
Biount saw his last chance for bet
ter information vanishing for the
night and once more broke with the
traditions.
Uncle BarnGbas. suppose you tell
me where l am before you go he
suggested. Whose house is this?''
The old man stopped on the thresh-
old. chuckling gleefully. 'A-ain't you
know dat. sab? A-ain't Mis- Honoria
done tell you dat? Yous at Wa'trace
Hall. Mahsteh Majah's country house.
Is SiIi 'Adl = " Hdu you IL
And who is Master Major?'' press
ed Blount, whose bewilderment grew
with every fresh attempt TO dispel it.
"A-aint she tell you dat? Kee. hee'
Ev'body knows Nahsteh Majah: yes.
sab. Eff Mis- Honoria amt tell you
ole Barnabas amt gwine to. No. sab.
Ah'lI bring yo' alrs coffee in de mawn-
in: yes, sab. Good night. sab. Kee.
hee"' And the door closed silently
upon the w-inkled old face and the
bobbing head
Having nothing else to do. Blount
went 10 bed, but sleep came reluc-
family.
Whittier had a curiously tricky fate
led him? Where was Wartrace Hall,
and who was Mahsteh Majah? Who
was the winsome little lady who look
ed as If she might be twenty and who
had all the Wit and wisdom of the
ages at her tongues end?
These and kindred speculat tons kept
him awake for a long hour after the
door had closed behind the ancient ne
gro. and he was just dropping off into
his first loss Of consciousness when
tHe Idul1cT puTrInS Oh mOloTcdF
aroused him again.
There was n window at his beds
head, and be reached over and drew
the curtain.
The view gave upon the avenue of
cottonwoods and the circular carriage
approach.
a touring car. with it's powerful
headlights paling the white radiance
Of the moon. was drawn up at the
steps. and he had f1eeting glimpse of |
a big man, swathed from head to heel |
in dust coat, descending from the |
tonneau. /
Il suppose that is Mahsteh Majah." |
he unused sleepily, That's why the |
little lady was sitting up so late and !
why she had the tea things out. She .
was waiting for him" Then to the .
thronging queries. threatening to re-
turn and keep him awake: Scat! Go .
away! Call it q pipe dream and let
me go to sleep!'
Ito be continued)