The Southern herald., 1912-10-25

ing at me with sphinx-hke stupidity.
arose to ny feet, gripping the back
OF chair. but the utter vacancy in
that face seemed to numb action.
There was no positive expression. no
dim glmmer Of interest in his tea-
lures; the shining bald head alone
gave him grotesQue appearance. re
straining me from violence. I could
as easily have warred with a baby.
Il trust, sir. you slept well. he said
soothlngly, "snd that the service is
satisfactory"
l choked back my indignation, the
quiet difference Of his manner causing
me to feel like brute.
Nothing could be added to my hap
piness," l answered. unless 1t nigh.
be little information which you seem
disinclined TO furnish"
He waved one hand. as though
brushing calmly aside some imagined
insect.
"Disinclined! Oh, no. sir; there is
nothing to conceal. sir. assure you. ="
Then. for Gods sake, let it out Of
your system, mani" l burst forth i'm
patiently. Whom am l a prisoner TO?
What am held for? What sort Of
treatment is this l am reeeiving?
Peter bowed. without the tremor Of
an eyelash.
DO not mention it. sir" be mur-
INJURED smoothly; I'VE are only toe
proud to have you as our guest at
Elmhurst. 1t has been very quiet here
now for some weeks. sir, and your
coming was welcome 10 us all"
| could only stare at the fellow with
open mouth, SO dumbfounded as TO be
speechless. OF all the idiots l had
ever met he was the worst, or else
his acting was magnificent. To save
me | was not certain which might bt
the correct guess. He continued IN
stately solemnity:
81 trust there remains nothing more
you desire to learn sir? II not, | an
requested to conduct you to the II
brary. All, thank you. sir-this way
please"
He stood aside, statue-like, his eyei
looking directly past me, and pointed
with dignity to the open door, obeyet
the calm movement OF that hand al
though 1t had been a military order
but, as | stepped into the twilight o
the outer basement, l suddenly per
ceived the presence there Of the al
tendant graybeard. He moved in ad
vance, and l followed, aware tina
Peter was closely at my heels.
glance told me here was a library, no
only In name, but in fact a larg
square room, well lighted, the furn
ture mahogany, shining like glass
three Of the walls lined with books
mostly in sombre bindings. A greer
topped table occupied the center O
the apartment, a massive affair, fianke
by leather upholstered reading chail
while before the front windows wer
cushioned ledges. My rapid glimps
about ended In Peter standing in dis
nifed silence barely within the dooI
his hand upon the knob.
81 am authorized, sir" he said in
pressively, gazing directly across m
shoulder, not a feature expressin
emotion. "to permit you to renal
here on parole"
"Parolel What do you mean?"
Parole was, believe, the wor
used, SIR" in calm explanation. ut 4
as l understand, sir, a military teri
signifying pledge"
"Oh, / know that. Kindly conced
that possess some small intelligence
Peter But to whom is this parol
given, and what does 1t imply"
, "To myself, sir. This may seel
slightly unconventional, sir, but trui
you will repose sufficient confidence
me not to object. The sole requlr
ments are that you remain in TIL
room until sent for"
THAT will not be long?"
II think not, sir"
"And who will send for me"
Peters eyes surveyed me, but wit
out expression.
81 am quite unable to answer tha
SIR"
He was enough to provoke a sain
but | had already butted my hea
against that stone wall sufficiently
learn the uselessness Of any furth'
attempt. Peter was Peter, and
crushed back my first impatient excl
nation to say humbly:
"All right, my man, I'll wait here.
sank back into the upholstere
chair, and for a moment after he hs
closed the door did not move. The
scarcely knowing whether to laugh
swear over the situation, | crossed Il
room, and gszed out through the wi
dow. Far down the winding drivewa
half concealed behind the trees,
body Of British troops was tramDir
. toward the house.