The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-04-15
CHAPTER VIII.
Nine silk Hats cross . stiIs.

~ miserable and the sister o
whom Cecilia HOLSTER and he
aunt had spoken so strangely. l hat
not suspected It. She was as unlike
Cecilia rs possible, and the difference
hy In her independent spirit and bub
hing humor.
She Jumped down from the wall, shool
three apples from tree and sustained
them I'm the air with the dizziness and
certainty Of practiced jugglery. Hei
absorption was complete, and when
she wearied of this sport she flung the
npples away, one after the other, with
o boys free swing Of the arm. Her.
rex would have delighted in her, Dob.
soa would have spun her bright hair
iato rondeau. but only Aldrich. with
n twinkle In his eye, could have brought
her up to date In dozen Ginning coup
lets
She had gone on up to the crest Of
the orchard and stood clearly llmned
against the sky, her hands thrust into
the pockets Of her sweater. She APP
peared TO be intent upon something
that lay beyond and half turned her
head and summoned me by whistling
liked this better than the quotation
method OF address. 1t was clear
shrill pipe. that whistle. and she EN-
phasized It further by peremptory
wave of her arm when stood beside
her was surprised to find that the site
commanded wide area. including the
uumistakable roofs nnd chimneys ut
hupeneid Manor half mile distant
You will see something funny down
There in n minute. They are ont of
nght now. hut there's II stile. the kind
with steps, Just beyond those trees
IT'S in II path that leads from the
Prescott Arms to Aunt Octavia's.
Look"
1Iy eyes discovered the stlle II was
set in n wall that was. she told me the
boundary dividing Hopefied Manor
from another estate nearer our posi-.
ton.
Suddenly silk hat bobbed In the
path beyond the stlle. 1t rose as its
owner mounted the steps. 1t paused an
Instant when the top OF the stie was
reached, then quickly descended and
cams toward us, black blot above
a black coat. | was about to ask her
the meaning of this appnrition when IA
second silk hat bobbed In the path and
then rose like its predecessor, descend.
ing and keeping on its way until hid
den from our sight by shrubbery. A
third, fourth. fifth. sixth. seventh.
eighth and ninth followed. Nine gen.
tiemen In silk hats crossing a stile In
q lonely pasture between woodlands;
70 much was plain to the eye from our
vantage ground. But l CROPPED blindly
fox an explanation of this spectacle
TIC bobbing hats and dark coats sug-
sested wanderers from some dark Plu.
tOuian cave, bent upon mischief to the
upper world Their step was jaunty-
they moved as though drilled to the
ssme cadence.
We waited n moment. expecting that
snotber figure might join the strange
I<ocession. but nine was the correct
tpunt looked down to find Heze-
kGh checking them Off on the fingers
" her slim brown hand.
HAS there been funeral, and are
ihey the returning pail bearers?" in
suired.
Not yet" she replied.
Her face showed amusement The
fwitching of her lips encouraged hope
ihat another of those delightful laughs
Tas imminent She said:
Those are Cecilla's suitors. They
have been to Aunt Octavia's to tea.
They're staying at the Prescott Arms
probably"
They're terribly formal | can't get
md OF the impression OF somberness
created by those fellows. You'd hard.
y expect them to tramp cross country
n those buds, Such grandeur should
30 on wheels"
"Oh, they are afraid of Aunt Octa-
ria. She won't allow a motor on her
grounds, and ! suppose they're afraid
ihey might break some other rule II
they went on any kind of wheels.
She's rather exacting. you know, my
Aunt Octavia"
Il was at the Prescott for luncheon
,oday, and | must have seen these
gentlemen there"
"Oh, you were at the Prescottf"
Almost for the first time her manner
betrayed surprise, but mischief danced
N the brown eyes. With Virgins
confession as to the havoc he had
played with Hezekiah's confiding heart
fresh in my memory, felt delicacy
about telling her that 1t was TO see
Virgins that had visited the inn.
But TO my surprise she introduced the
subject of Virgins Immediately and
with laughter struggling for one of
chose fountain.llke splashes that were
90 bcguilng.
"oh, Wiggy is staying there! Do
gou know. Wl.GV?"