Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-02-10

~ ~J
Perth dared me. and ! took the dare"
So those gentlemen warned you away
Their presumption is certainly astound
ing"
They know nothing Of the silver
book"
They know less than you do, and
you have a good deal to learn. you
know"
al am duh enough. but I have no
ambition but to read the riddle OF the
sibyl's leaves. That and the laying OF
TIE ghost 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"
! thought this well spoken. but she
seemed amused. though without un-
kindness. by the ~earnestness OF my
speech.
"If ycur 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 Hartley Wiggins"-
She sat up very straight. and the
sudden disdain In her face startled me
h,i forrnttny WV ca rnr6rcrrfrey I'm
the clump Of raspberries on the day OF
my arrival. Certainly Virgins had
been decidedly In the race then, and
my heart thumped in resentment as J
recalled Der own message. or compact
Of encouragement, which l had borne to
Virgins at the Prescott Arms.
81 will tell you something. Mr.. Ames
This afternoon, as | drove from the
station I came round by the lake mere
~ to cool my eyes on the water. n
! saw Mr.. Virgins and my sister seat
ed on a wall Ia an old orchard. They
were S busily engaged that they did
not see me. At least. be did not. but
l think Hezekiah did"
"Hezekiah." I answered. relieved by
the nature Of her disclosure, which
could not but prejudice Virgins case.
"EIezekiah is fond of orchards. ] dare
say this was the same one In which |
had a charming talk with her myself.
Doubtless she was amusing herself
with Virgins just as she did with me.
She finds the genus homo entertain
ing"
"She Is the dearest girl In the world
the sweetest. the loveliest. the bright
est. Mr.. Virgins has treated her out
rageously. He has taken advantage OF
her youth and susceptible nature"
His punishment Is sure" ! answer
ed complacently. "%TIezekiah laughed
when ! mentioned his name. And you
. frown today at the thought OF him"
AUNT Octaria Is coming" she re-
marked. ~feiEnlrg at ance a careless air.
but r was centent that she let my re-
mark pass unchalienced.
Miss Octavia's entrances were always
effective. She appeared tonight charm
ingly gowned. but the bright twinkle In
her eyes made 1t clear that no matter
Vi utCSS tOhtu dhS hCt IA Va
spirit She greeted me. as she always
lid, as though our acquaintance were
a matter of years rather than OF days.
! even imagined that she eeine
pleased to and me back again. She
asked no questions as to my days &C.
cupations. but AZ we went IN to dinner
sailed forth cheerfully upon n descrip-
ton of her own activities.
"After ! had baked my required
quota Of pies this morning | sought
recreation Mt the traps. The stable
soy who has been pulling the string
for me having struck work. It most
providentialy happened that l espied
Lord Arroweod hanging on the edge of
the maple tangle beyond the barn. |
summoned him at once and put him
10 work managing the traps for me.
finding him most efficient. He seemed
extremely despondent. and after ! had
satisfied myself that two out Of three
was not an impossible record for II
Of my years. I brought him to the
house and made tea for him. ] left the
room for a noment-i had taken MIN
Into the kitchen. where. during the IN
cumbency OF the regular cook hardy
dare venture myself. and he made
himself comfortable quite near the
range. The pies on which | bad been
engaged all morning lay cooling near
him. I had composed twenty-nine
ples-I nm m excellent thenatic
and I could not have been mistaken IN
the count. What was my amazement
to find after his lordship's departure
that one pie was missingr'
IN