Graham guardian., 1913-08-29

ell and Inspected the down spouts. but
Il was Incredible that she had sough,
the earth by this means, ] SWUNG
myself to third level and after much
cropping for my bearings decided that
an athletic girl OF Hezekiah's venture
some disposition might. IL she set no
great store by her neck. Chamber Off
the Kitchen roof by means OF tall
maple whose branches now raspingly
called attention to their slight contact
with the house.
As the moon cruised into a patch OF
clear sky something white huttered
from maple limb. and | bent and
pulled II free. took counsel OF a
match behind the kitchen chimney
and found that II was q handkerchief
| that had been knotted to the tip Of the
bough No one but Hezekiah would
have thought Of marking her trail in
this fashion. I held II to my face, and
that faint perfume that had been a
| mystifying accompaniment Of the
passing OF the mansion ghost became
nothing more unreal than the orris In
Hezekiah's handkerchief case The
wind whipped the bit Of linen spiteful.
! ly In my hands Il reasoned that II
| Hezekiah. the inexplicable, had not
meant for me to know the manner Of
her exit she need not have left this
plain hint bPhind. but the swaying
maple bough did not tempt me. |
| hurried back across the roof to secure
the trunk tray. resolved to dispose Of
II, seek the open and fnd the errant
Hezekiah II she still fingered In the
neighborhood.
/ looked OF across the windy land
scape before descending. and as my
eyes ranged the dark caught the
glimmer of n light as OF lantern
borne In the hand In the meadow be.
yond the garden. 1t paused and was
swung back and forth by It's unseen
bearer. II shed curious yellow light
and rot the white fame of the COM
mon lantern, and now II rose trihe
higher and slowly resolved itself into
weird fantastic fnce.
Three minutes later was out Of the
house. using the bnck stairs to avoid
the company In the library. and had
crossed the garden and crawled through
the hedge. As I rose to my feet
voice greeted me cheerfully:
"well. done. Chimney Man! You
were little slow hitting the trail, hut
you do pretty well considering. How
did you manage with Aunt Octavia
about that slipper? ! had narrow
escape In the second floor hall when
came out of Ceciia's room. | must
have lowered a record getting upstairs.
And one shoe Isn't bit comfortable
Allow me to relieve your
Here's your slipper. You ought to
be ashamed Of yourself"
"For losing my slipper ! thought
Cinderella had made that respectable"
She placed her hand on my shoulder,
lifted her foot and drew the pump on
with single tug.
well. what did Aunt 0ctavia say?"
"Oh. she had thoughts too dark to
express. You probably heard what we
said II was she who found the slip
perr'
Hczekiah laughed. The wind caught
up TINT laugh and whIsked II away
jealously.
"She found II and carried II to you.
chimney man. and skipped Just ns
you begnn that beautiful story about
finding 1t in Beacon street I'm not
supposed to see her, you know. until
Cecilia Is all fxed. Hurry and tell
me how you got me out Of It,"
"How did you know would try to
explain Il? You did a perfectly fool.
hardy thing In roaming the house that
way. soaring Lord Arrowood nearly to
death, to say nothing Of me, Why
should help your
"Oh. you're a man and was Just
little girl who had lost her slipper"
she replied. 81 was sure you would
fiX Il up"
She drew from behind bowlder by
which we stood pumpkin Of portable
size. which surmised had been carved
into the most hideous Of jack -o'-lan-
terms by the shrewd hand Of Hezekiah.
Conner she cried "If you are good
and won't begin preaching about my
sins I'll show you the funniest thing
you ever saw In your life"
In my JOY Of seeing her was neg
lecting Cecilia's commission. Very
likely Hezekiah had forgotten all
about her theft. Hers. l reasoned,
was nature that delighted In the
nearest pleasure. I would follow her
jack-o'-lantern around the world for
the chance Of seeing the fun brighten
In her brown eyes, but l had made
promise to Cecilia, and meant to ful.
fll II.
She led me now across the meadow.
over stone wall, up steep slope
and by devious ways through a strip
OF woodland. bore the jack Ian.
tern. She had bIdden me do II with
some notion did not question Of
making me party In whatever mis-.
chief was afoot
Also. she demanded that l repeat
fully the story ] had told her aunt OF
the finding Of the slipper.
"You are better than | thought you
were. Chimney Man." she declared.
when | had concluded and added her
aunt's comment. "You may be sure
that tlckIed Aunt octayia. You can
lie almost as we'll as an architect
Aunt octavia says architects are bet.
ter liars than dressmakers."
at was my weakness for the truth
that caused me to abandon architec-
ture. For heavens sake. what are you
up tor
| had kept little account Of the d.