The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-01-25
Ccontinusd.)

CContinuSd.)
Il refuse to leave the countt!' he
shouted IF they think they're going
to get rid of me they're mistaken.
Bounders. say. boundersr'
He uttered this opprobrious term
with great bitterness and crossed his
legs. as though to emphasize his per
manence upon the bowlder- Patience
on q monument is not more eternally
planted. He seemed in no mood for
conversation. so sped on, with no
time to lose.
I gained the. step of the chair car at
tached to the 1918 with some loss of
dignity, the porter yanking me aboard
under the AconductoT's4 scornful eye.
The Katopah paRseRgeHsH were still in
the aisle, and as l surveyed them
saw Cecilia take a seat in the middle
of the car. She was just unfolding a
newspaper when | moved to a seat
behind her and babe her good morning
The look she gave me in turning
round had in 1t something of Hezeki-
abs quizzieal humor. This interested
me. because / had not previously seen
any but the most superficial resem-
blance+between the sisters. Her cheeks
were aglow from her sprint on the
wheel.
1--WE are both truants You must
have breakzfasted in a hurry to have
caught thte train-''
.sNot all Iaenjoyed brief conversa-
ton. with your sister. and after she
had gone your aunt came back and
fingered for moment,
-'She told you. I suppose, that Provi-
dence would look after the servant
question. I'm going to assist Provi-
dence-a little"
you become the vicaress Of Provi-
depee7 Isadmire your spirit e
mere SELF preservation. Aunt
Octavfa would have me chained to the
kitchen If 1 didn't do something about
II"
she had permitted me to settle with
the conductor. and when I had com
DIeted this transaction found that she
had drawn from her purse the little
silver bo0klec ahout w1Itch~AFtss Octa-
via had inquired SO anxiousiy. She rails
ed her, eyes with the PARKWAY look in
them
Can you tell me how to spell Ar
rowoOd-as 1t one or two w's2'
zone I think the noble lord uses"
L saw her couAdhk bAs Her fingers,
touching them lightly on the open page
OF the book
Then she dropped it into her purse,
which she thrust back carefully into
her pocket. She sighed and was silent.
I gave her In detail the story of the
ghost, and my recital seemed to amuse
her greatly
'You thought It was Aunt Octavia
herseRf a. first, then you thought was
the spooar, and now you are not fully
persuaded that IL is not my father. I
WIN take you Into my confidence this
far-that don't know how father got
into the house last night He wrete
note asking me to meet him on the
roof and bring the foils. That was not
utilise him. as he is the dearest father
In the world, and his whins are just
ass5o1iy IN their way as Aunt Octavia's.
was sure that Aunt Octav4a had re-
tired for the night, so I changed my
dress and carried the foils up through
the trunk room. 1 had hardly reached
there before my father appeared. The
whole zituation-my being there and
All thss-has distressed father.
'fYoz think she asked, that those
lights couldn't have wiAKeas out twice
by themselves while you were on the
stadrway2''
al am positive of it. And somebody
"a being of some sort-passed me on
the stairway 1t might imaginably
have been you
but tell you positively it was not
Then IL might have been your father.
A man who can enter a house at will
might easily play any manner of other
tricks. His disappearance after 1 had
gone down into the house with him
was just as mysterious as the ghost.''
at was natural for father not to want
you to know how he got in. The mo-
tive for that would be the fact that he
is not supposed to see me or communi-
cate with me in any way
ut must have occurred to you that
there is one member of the HOLSTER
family we haven't mentioned in this
connection"
IF you mean Hezekiah"-
None othery'
IF Hezekiah or my father should be
saEzas IA the house while I am there
IusU now we should all pay dearly for
it. Believe me, this is true. Some day
you may know the why's and where
fores; at present no one may know
But why should Hezekiah wish to
prowl about there at night-to assume
for a moment that she is doing it"
Her manner was wholly earnest. 1t
was plain that she had entered into
some sort of compact with her aunt.
and no doubt the arrangement was in
the characteristic whimsical vein of
which l had enjoyed personal expert
ence- / did not wish to press Cecilia
for explanations she might not be free
60 EaaIxe- but yentured a suggestion or