The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-28
Oontinued.)

CCOntlnued.)
 s7They know less than you do, and you have a good deal to learn, you know
 T am dull enough, but 1 have no ambition but to read the riddle of the sibyI's leaves. That and the laying of ti.e ghest are my immediate business. AS for the gentlemen at the Prescott, including my old friend Hartley Wig gins, am not in the least afraid of them. My hand is raised against them If it's a case of the test of Ulysses over again I'm as likely as any of them to bend the bow
 I thought this well spoken, but she seemed Amused, though without un- kindness, by the earnestness of my speech.
 .If your wit is equal to your valor you may go far. But''-and she turned her eyes full upon me-"we must play the game according to the rules"
 And as for-HRrtley Wiggipspz-
 She sat up very straight, and the sudden disdain in her face startled me. I had forgotten my eayesdropping in the cIump of raspberries on the day of my arrival Certainly Wiggfns had been decidedly in the race then, and my heart thumped in resentment as recalled her own message, or compact of encouEa cement, which had borne to Wigg5ns at the Prescott Arms.
 'sI will tell you something, MT. Ames. This afternoon, as I drove from the station I came round by the lake mere ly to cod my eyes on the water, and I saw MT. Wiggins and my sister seat edNon a wall in an old orchard. They were so busily ged that they did r5o 1oc cc3 ho did m hTf I think Hezekiah did
 +Hezekiah," I answered, relieved by the nature of her disclosure, which could not but prejudice Wiggins' case, 'tHezekiah is fond of orchards. I dare say this was the same one in which had charming talk with her myself. Doubtless she was amusing herself with Wiggins just as she did with me. She finds the genus hope entertain ings'
 s.she is the dearest girl in the world the sweetest, the loveliest, the bright est Mfr. W1ggins has treated her out rageously He has taken advantage of her youth and susceptible nature"
 .sHis punishment is sure,'' I answer ed complacently. "Hezekiah laughed when mentioned his name. And you fro7vn today at the thought of him"
 Aunt Octavia is coming" she re- marked, feigning at once careless air, but was content that she let my re- mark pass unchallenged.
 Miss Octavia's entrances were always effective She appeared tonight charm ingIy gowned, but the bright twinkle in her eyes made it clear that no matter of dress could affect her humor or spirit. She greeted me, as she always did, as though our acquaintance were a matter of years rather than of days. I even imagined that she seemed pleased to find me back again She asked no questions as to my days oc= equations, but as we went in to dinner <sallied forth eheerfu1ly upon descrip- ton of her own activities
 stAfter I had baked my required quota of pies this morning sought recreation at the traps. The stable Eoy who has been pulling the string Tor me having struck work, it most providentially happened that I espied Lord Arrowood hanging on the edge of the maple tapgIe beyond the barn summoned him at once and put him to work managing the traps for me, finding him most efficient. He seemed extremely Respondent, and after had satisfied myself that two out of three
 
 of my years, I brought him to the house and fAa9e tea Tor him left the room for a moment-I had taken him into the kitchen, where, during the in cumbency of the regular cook I hardly dare venture myself, and he made himself comfortable quite near the range. The pies on which I had been engaged all morning lay cooling near him. I had composed twenty-nine pies-I am an excellent mathematician and could not have been mistaken in the count. What was my amazement to find after his lordship's departure that one pie was missingi"
 His 1ordship was doubtless hungry" I suggested. Even nobility must eat. passed Lord Arrowood in the high way early this morning, sitting upon a stone, with sundry items of hand baggage reposing beside him. I have rarely seen any one so depressed. Now that the little matter of the servants has been adjusted, we must have care lest the newly arrived phalanX, which Providence so kindly sent to you today, is not stampeded by any fur ther manifestations of the troubled spirit of the unfortunate Briton who. was hanged on the site of this house"
 ''Mr- Ames, sFeRlisd Hiss TOctavia impressfvely, that matter is entirely in your hands,
 But if I could see the plans of this house should be better able to grap- pie with his ghostship."
 had thrown this out in the hope