Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-06-05
him direct; had to leave a message for

~Your note scared me-thanks so
much for your note-but he's all right.
Engaged to another girl"
"Ah," she sighed, cts comforting
that Cecilia couldn't keep them all
going all the time"
We rode along together. our horses
in a walk, and I told her everything
l knew Of the condition Of affairs, in
Guiding a true account Of nv ex-
periences at the inn the day before
and Of the finding of the old chest be-
longing to Virgins great-grandfather
her brown eyes opened wide at this
concluding with the diphtheria strata
gem and Dicks menace to Cecilia's
happiness.
Hes really a bright little boy. Com
ing home on the steamer he gave me
q post graduate course in pragmatism
that I've found helpful in keeping
house for papa. It's too bad we have
to lay a trap for Mr.. Dick"
"1s it? Just how are we to manage
that, Hezekiah?'
"Oh, that will be easy enough. He's
pretty desperate. and since the COM
pact between the suitors has gone to
pieces he knows he will have to show
his hand pretty soon. He thinks YOU
are wild about Cecilia. He laws great
stress on his thinking powers. and he
probably argues that you are bound to
pop pretty soon. It's just as we'll he
thinks so, but we must finish this I'D
today. I'll be a nervous wreck if we
don't close the books tonight. There's
your friend Dick low"
h Indicated a high point in the
main road, where it crossed the ridge
from which she had shown nett
seemed. oh, very long ago!-the pro-
cession of suitors crossing the stile.
Dick, mounted. was gazing off across
the fields toward Hopefeld. Man and
horse were so distant as to create the
Illusion of an equestrian statue on a
high pedestal.
Napoleon before Waterloo" l sug-
gested.
HE does look like Napoleon. doesn't
hep she laughed. He's a bit fused
today. He knows that Wiggy's not at
the inn and that you are up to some
thing. and to little Mr.. Dick the archi-
tect probably looks like one Of those
mysterious knights you read about,
who suddenly appears at the tourna-
ment all canned in an ice cream freez-
err, with a tin pail over his head. Mr..
~Pepperton'S presence no doubt worries
him. as 1 don't think they eve met.
Cecilia and Mr.. Pepperton are riding.
I lodged them just before I struck
you. walking their horses in the most
loverlike fashion in q lane over yop-
der. but if Mr.. Pepperton is really en-
gagged it's all right, though if 1 were
the other girl l think I'd be anxious"
"Pep's playing the game, that's all
What are you going to do now?"
She glanced at the sun. l fancied
that it was with such a scanning OF
the heavens that her sisters a thousand
years before had noted the time.
This is my pie day. There's I'm,
, doubtedly a gooseberry pie waiting fol
me at the bungalow. And papa will
expect me for luncheon. I'd ask you tc
come too, only you'll have all you car
do to keep Mr.. Dick from p%ersuading
somebody to be the sixth man, so he
can slip in as number eve If we get
through today all right, you may come
for luncheon tomorrow, maybe. Papa
told me he liked you. He said you
were very decent that night you met
. him."
!. My compliments to your father. ]
hope to be able to persuade him to ex.
tend his p%aternal arm to include me
Aunt Octavia must be my aunt too"
Really" cried Hezekiah. with indie
scribable mockery. and she wheeled he1
horse and was gone like the wind.
Luncheon at Hopefeld passed with.
out incident. and afterward Cecilia re.
tired to help her aunt with her CORE.
spondence, while Pepperton and ]
lounged about the house and smoked
told him of my Intellectual efforts to
reach Virgins. and he volunteered to
find a motor md search for him, but
pointed out the futility of this and re-
newed my appeal that he stay on guard
at Hopefield.
At about 3 o'clock Cecilia reappeared.
Her color was high and her eyes We're
unusually brilliant. l knew that she
fully realized that the crisis was near,
but she asked no questions, and her
manner treasured me Of her confidence.
We idled on the stone terrace above
the frost smitten garden.
We We're hardly seated before Dick
entered the garden. followed imme-
diately by the six other sultors l had
iast seen at the inn. They ranged
themselves on Il stone bench facing
the house at the end Of one Of the
paths. They wore sack coats and hats
in a variety of styles, so that they did
not present quite the bizarre effect pro-
duced by their frock coats and silk
tiles. They surveyed the house sadly,
bowed their heads upon their sticks
and seemed to have come to stay. The
siege had become a practical matter.
"Why don't the gentlemen come in?'
asked Cecilia. peering through the