The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-30
Continuad.l

~s's-ss' 70 CConttnued.1
wicked Hezekiah! Coming into the
house 1s bad enough in all the circum-
stances. Entering your sisters room
is q grieveus sim
eff, Mr.. Ames, you are still seeking
an explanation of that chimney's be-
1t was Miss Octavia, now Just out
side the door.
Don't leave that trunk. Hezekiah, :"
whispered. ''T1 do the best I car"
Miss Octavfa met me snilingly as
faced her In the hall. She had switch
ed on the lights, and my candle burn
ed yelfowly In the white electric glow.
Miss OctnvEa held something in her
hand 1t required no second glance to
tall me that she had found Hezekiah's
slipper.
tsAIr. Ames,s she began, Gas you have
absented yourself FROM the library all
evening assume that you have been
busy studying my chimneys and seek
ing for the ghost OF that British sol
der who was SO wantonJy slain upon
the cite of this house"
tsI am glad to say that not only is
YOUR surmise correct, Miss HOLSTER,
but that have made great progress in
both directions.
do YOU mean to say that you have
really found traces OF the ghost?"
mot only that, Miss HOLSTER, but /
have met the ghost face to face-even
more, * havezhad speech with himP'
Her face frightened, her eyes fash
ed. 1t was plain that she was i'm
mensely pleased.
~And are you able to say from your
encounter, that he is in fact British
subject uneasily haunting this house
in America long after the Declaration
of Independence and Wash1ngton's
farewell address have passed into lit
erature?''
you have never spoken truer
word, Miss HOLSTER; but, by means
which am not at liberty to disclose,
/ have persuaded him not to visit this
house again"
asThen." said Miss HOLSTERS II can
not do less than express ~ gratitude.
though 1 regret that you did not first
allow me to meet him. Still, 1 dare
say that we shall find his bones bur-
led somewhere beneath my fOunda-
tons. Please assure me that such is
your expectation"
Tomorrow, Miss HOLSTER, L shall
take pleasure in showing you certain
hidden chambers in this. house which
/ venture to say will afford you great
pleasure. L have tonight discovered
a link between the mansion as you
know 1t and an earlier house whose
timbers may indeed hide the bones of
that British soldier"
And as for the chimney"
ssAnd as for the chimney. L give you
my word as a PROFESSIONAL man that it
viii never annoy you again, and
Ject from your mind"
saw that she was about to recur to
the shoe she held in her hand and at
which she glanced frequently with a
1uizxicaI expression. This, clearly
was an issue that must be met prompt
ly, and I knew Of no better way than
by lying Hezekiah herself had plain
~ stated on the morning of that long.
eventful day, when she walked into
the brea kfast room in her aunt's alb
sence and explained Cecflia's trip to
town, that it was perfectly fair to dis
simulate in making explanations to
Miss HoIllsteF-that, in fact, Miss DC
tavia enjoyed nothing better than the
injection of fiction into the affairs of
the matter of fact day. Here, then,
was my opportunity.
Miss HoIlister,'' began boldly, 'tthe
slipper you hold in your hand belongs
to me, and If you have no immediate
use for IT. I beg that-you alloz<ne to
relieve you of II"
sit is yours, Mr.. Ames?''
A lifting of the brows, a widening of
the eyes, denoted Miss Octavia's po-
lite surprise.
Beyond any question it is my prop
erty,' asserted
your words interest me greatly, Mr..
Ames. As you know, the grim hard
life of the twentieth century pals upon
me, and am deeply interested in ev-
erything that pertains to adventure
and romance. Tell me more, If you are
free to do so, of this slipper which I
now return to you"
i received Hezekiah's worn little
pump into my handStas though 1T were
an object Of high conservation.
"As 1 am nothing if not frank, Miss
HOLSTER, 1 will confess to you that
this shoe came info my possession in
u very curious way. One day last
spring I was in Boston, having been
called there on professional business.
In the evening 1 left my hotel for
walk. crossed the common, took
turn through the public garden, where
many devoted lovers adorned the
benches. and then strolled aimlessly
along Beacon street.
II was passing house which have
not since been able to identify exact
Iy. though / have several times rev1s-
tied Boston in the hope of doing so,
anr whatever this slipper dropped at