Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-04-13
CHAPTER ". Continued,

IT'S immoral" | protested. ITS
immoral to steal your"
MY own butler" she broke in inn
patiently. You're not usually 80
scrupuious. Kit. Hurry hear that
hateful Anne Brown
So we slid back along the hall, and
l rang for Takahiro. But no one came
81 think l ought to tell you. Bella"
said as we waited, and Bella was
staring around the room-"I think you
ought to know that Miss Caruthers is
here Bella shrugged her shoulders.
We'll, thank goodness" she said,
81 don't have to see her. The only
pleasant thing remember about my
year Of married life is that l did not
meet Aunt Selma"
rang again, but still there was no
answer. And then 1t occurred to me
that the stiffness below stairs was al
most oppressive. Bella was noticing
things, too, for she began to fasten
her veil again with a malicious little
smile.
One of the things / remember my
late husband saying" she observed,
was that he could manage this house,
and had done it for years, with flaw
less service. Stand on the bell, Kit"
did. We stood there with the,
table. Just as 1t had been left, be.
tween US and waited for response.
Bella was growing impatient, She
raised her eyebrows (she is very
handsome, Bella Isl and flung out her
chin as II she had begun to enjoy the
horrible situation.
] thought | heard a rattle OF silver
from the pantry Just then, and hur-
ried to the door In a rage. But the
pantry was empty of servants and
full of dishes. and all the lights were
out but one. which was burning dimly.
could have sworn that l saw one of
the servants duck into the stairway to
the basement, but when got there
the stairs were empty. and something
was burning in the kitchen below.
Bella had followed me and was peer.
Ing over my shoulder curiously.
There isn't servant In the house."
she said triumphantly. And when we
went down to the kitchen, she seemed
to be right. 1t was In dlsgraceful or
der. and one Of the bottles of wine
that had been banished from the din.
Ing room sat half empty on the floor
Drunk Bella said with conviction.
But ! didn't think 80. There had not
been time enough, for one thing. Sud.
denly | remembered the ambulance
that had been the cause of Bella's ap.
pearance-for no one could believe
her silly story about Takahlro. |
simply left her there, staring helpless
ly at the confusion. and ran upstairs
again: through the dining room, past !
Jimmy and Aunt Selma, past Leila
Mercer and Max, who were flirting on
the stairs. up, up to the servants bed
rooms, and there my suspicious were
verified. There was every evidence OF
hasty flight; in three bedrooms five
trunks stood locked and ominous, and
the closets yawned with open door,
empty. Bella had been right: there
WAS not servant in the house.
As emerged from the untidy empti-
ness of the servants wing. l met Mr.,
HARRISON coming out of the studio.
Il wish you would let me do some
OF this running about for you, Mrs.
Wilson," he said gravely. you are
not we'll. and can't think of anything |
worse for a headache. Has the but |
ler's Illness clogged the household ma
chinery?"
Worse" | replied. trying not to
breathe in gasps. Il wouldn't be rum
ming around--like this-but there is
not servant in the housed They
have gone. the entire lot"