Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-19

that he had merely altered an old /
house. not built Il new one. AS it is
the architects business TO yield TO
such caprices, ! obeyed him strictly.
So there are two rooms of an old farm
house hidden under the east wing, and
il amused me once had got into II 10
preserve part of the old stairway and
connect the retained chambers with
the upper hall Of this house. l had TO
patch the original stair, which was
only one flight. with discarded lumber
from the old house. bur fiatter myself
that l managed it neatly. ] even saved
the old nails to avert the wrath OF the
evil spirits When the umbrella and
dyspepsia cure man dIed-for he did
die, as you know believed the secret
had died with him. as he was very SEN
sitive about his superstitions. Most of
the labOrers on that part of the job
were brought from long distance, and
l supposed they never ready knew just
what we were doing l might have
known. though. that if a fellow as clev-
er as Ames got to pecking at the house
the trick would be discovered. But the
! chimney, old man-what on earth was
/ the matter with it?''
/ ut will never happen again, and
promised the ghost never to tell how
/ it was done"
You were quite right in doing that,
Arnold. n ghosts secrets should he
sacred: but let us now proceed to the
hidden chambers" said Miss HOLSTER.
rising without further ado.
She summoned Cecilia. to whom we
explained matters briefly. and at Pep
perton's suggestion the four of us went
directly to the fourth floor, so that
Miss Octavia might see the whole con
trivance in the most effective manner
possible
Ny awkward pen falteTs in the at
tempt To convey any idea Of Miss OC
tavia's delight in Pepperton'S rpvela-
ton. She kept repeating her admira-
ton Of his genius. and her praise Of
my cleverness. which. TO protect Heze-
kiah. WAS forced to accept meekly.
When in broad daylight Pepperton
found and pressed the spring in the
upper hall. and the hidden door opened
with slowness that Indicated a real
iza;ion Of it's own dramatic value, Miss
Octavia cried out Ceefully. like child
that witnesses the manipulation Of a
new and wonderful toy
Beyond any question" she kept as
sorting. beneath the chambers Of the
old house down there we shall find th3
bones OF that British soldier who per
ished here. or it is even possible that
a chest Of hidden treasure is concealed
beneath the floor"
We We're lighting candles prepare
tory to stepping down into the dark
stairway. and Pepperton was plainly
hard put to keep from laughing
Miss Ootavia followed Pepperton
slowly. pausiAE frequently TO hold her
candle close 10 the stair walls whose
rough surfaces confirmed all that Pep
perton had said Of tie preservation 81
the old Smhors had brought a
handful Of cand'"s and when We had
reached the dark rooms beneath
lighted these and sot them up in The
black corners NJ the c'G rooms ir
which Mss Octavia remarked not
even the wall paper had been disturb
ed. The exit into the coal cellar and
concealed openings left for ventilation
which had escaped lne before. were
now pointed out by the architect. who
Kept laughing at the huge joke Of it all
Miss Octavia searched thorough J
!. for any signs Of n trapdoar beneath
which the bones Of the British sD!d,e
might repose.
II | had foreseen her persistence il
clinging to the tradition OF the g.! fatet
Eriton should have taken the trgubl
10 hide few bones under the 1agr.-c
Miss Octayia had brought stick fro
the coal room ana was f.Gm-iI- IN
floor with II even while Peppertpn trie
to discourage her further iuge>t.g.
tons. We We're all ranged ab,u. Ie
with OFT candles. and these. ui,h 10
others ! had thrust iu-o tie corners
, lighted the ropi. we'll.
I'm afraid you've seen the whole z
5 #. Miss HOLSTER said Peppe-to'
The Cd house was built after ~
, Revolution. / judge. bat your Britt
soldier was probably eft hanging to
F. tree and never buried at ali"
l Miss OctRy ID had been over the fiool
Of the two rooms twice and was abO,
to deSist. She made her last stand in lI
corner ~ the smaller room. aad as $,
ali stood hoI.inE our Fights Ne wei
conscious that tie al. Gaalt ,2oJ
thunD suddenly CHANGED is tone.
DO yclI heaT ttat. Gentlemen -
! She subdued her grauGcatiS in u