Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-06-21

of the rubies. Hut | got the idea.
why, the professor has those" !
reminded him. The red pajamas, you
know-don't you remember" | drew
him aside.
Billings stared. But he says he
returned them he exclaimed, cutting
an odd sidewise look at the professor.
who was talking to Frances and the
trump. Billings frowned.
Haven't seen them,' I said care
lessly, for l wanted to talk to her
oh, dash the rubies-wait till morn
ing!"
Billings looked sourly at the pro-
fessor and went off and sat alone. He
seemed put out about the old boy not
returning the garments. Never seemed
to occur to him that the professor was
6eviliSh busy and absent-minded old
chap. Might not return them for a
month. knew that.
oh, really, Frances?" the trump
was saying, How exceedingly H.ce OF
you, dear!" The professor was oc.
cupied for the moment with a moth,
Il hope I won't brighten you in them
as you say your maid was frightened
at YOU If pajamas are unbecoming
to you, why just imagine me in them"
By Joye, was deyilish glad was
not supposed to hear, for didn't want
to be required TO imagine it. But as
for them being unbecoming to my
darling-well, l knew she knew what
l thought!
Later, when the evening had shaded
off and the ladies had left us, We sat
in the smoking-room talking till late.
l was astonished to find Foxy Grand
pa deyilish entertaining and clever
not bad sort at all. He seemed to
have no recollection of me at all, and
therefore no grudges. had made up
my mind by this time l wasn't going
to marry the trump, no matter what
came or what Billings wanted, and 1
would tell him so In the morning. But
whoever did marry her-and 1t looked
like 1t was going TO be the professor
would have some sort of compensa-
ton in Foxy Grandpa's entertaining
stories of Eastern scandal
Billings cub brother smoked In a
corner of the room by himself and
drank innumerable slugs of whisky
straight. Once I saw his father go
over to him and seem to demonstrate,
but without effect.
Billings wanted his father to try my
special import of cigarettes, so l sent
for Jenkins, who had arrived, to bring
Grandpa calmly sitting there by me,
pulling at straw, he almost lost his
balance, But l shook my head with
covert warning.
Ever see me before-eh?" asked
the cub harshly, as he waved aside
the cigarettes Jenkins extended: Last
Wednesday night-remember?' u,
Yes. sir" replied Jenkins, hesitat-
ingly. Then he rolled an eye at me
and corrected himself hastily but firm
ly:
mo, sir; I don't recall ever seeing
you before, sir !
Of course, I knew he had not, but
the cub got up with sour laugh.
Then with a murmured gruff apology,
he withdrew, saying he had head
ache and was going to bed. And, by
Jove, what look he gave me from
the door!
Midnight" calculated some one at
length, just as the professor finished
a jolly rum but interesting yarn OF
adventure in Tibet. We all rose and
| was answering a challenge OF Bill
lings' for a Sunday morning game OF
billiards, when all Of sudden
scream rang out from somewhere
above. Then came a greater COM
motion-two voices raised in rapid
and excited colloquy. On top OF this
another scream, louder and more pierre
ing-a woman's call for help.
"One of the maids" Billings haz-,
arded. "a mouse"
That was Frances!" I answered
him excitedly, and we all piled out in
to the hall and peered down its long
vista.
Down one of the dimly illumined
angles of the great stairway a white
figure darted, then paused, abashed,
crouching back against the wall at
sight of US advancing. Above her
sounded a mans voice, and even as
she screamed again, he overlook her,
clasping her arm.
"Frances-dear, dear Frances!" he
cried. Are you afraid of me?"
And he threw his arms around her.
Come on back, dearest!" he pleaded.
You have been dreaming"
And under the light of great red
cluster of grapes, pendent from the
mouth of a grinning Bacchus, recog-
nized with horror the yellow mat OF
hair and freckled face of Billings cub
brother. On the instant, with a bull
like roar, Billings sprang forward, but
was quicker still. But heeter than
either of us to reach the scene were
the two elderly men, together with
Miss Warfield, the housekeeper, and
couple of maids. Frances darted like
a bird to Foxy Grandpa. and then
the figures of the women shut her
from view.
Billings and l had paused, halfway
to the landing. 1t looked as though
the elder Billings was amply capable
of handling the occasion now. He had
backed the youth against the wall be-
hind, and his language was ola kind
l hated to have my darling hear
Every time the other offered to ex
postulate his father broke out again