Graham guardian., 1913-04-11

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Il assure you. Mr. Ames." said Ce
cllia. shat the Asolando is a very
harmless place. and that as a matter
Of fact It's aims are wholly consona nj
with those Of Aunt Octavia. ! myself
served there for time, and those
were among the most delightful DAYS
Of my life. There are times when l
miss the Asolando."
"Mr.. Ames." began Miss Octavia
| presently In her crisp. direct fashion,
which had the effect Of leading me In
my anxiety to,appear ready with AN.
swers To take fattering view Of my
/ own courage and resourcefulness. "Mr.
Ames. are you equal to the feat of
swimming n moat finder a shattering
fire. from the castle?"
Il hare every reason to think I am.
Miss Hoilister.' I replied modestly.
"And II n white hand waved to you
from the grilled window of the lonely
tower. would you ride on indifrerentiy
or pause and thunder at the gate?"
white hands have never. waved to
ME. save occasionally when ! have
gone a-riding In the Sixth avenue ele.
rated, hut 1t IL my honest belief that
my sword would promptly leave It's
scabbard II the hand ever waved from
the ivied tower"
My friends Mt the Hare and Tortoise
would have heard this avowal with
some surprise. for no mans life had
ever been tanner than mine. am by
nature timid. and fall but 4 little shont
OF being afraid 0f the dark. Prayers
for deliveunce from battle. murder
and sudden death canpot be too strong.
" expressed for me. nv answer hnd,
hpweyer. pleased Miss pctayia. and she
clapped her hands with pleasure.
rGecilia." she sried, something told
lpe that afternoon at the Asolando that
my belief In the potential seven was
not III placed. and now you see that In
Introducing myself to Mr.. Ames Mt the
seventh table from the door. In the
seventh shop from Fifth avenne. was
led to meeting with gentleman I
had been predestined to know,a
Al we falkea further servant ap-
peared and laid fresh logs across the
still snioldcring FIRE This I thought
would suggest to Miss Hollister the
professional character of my visit, but
The fire klndlca rRadiy. the An'oke rose
treeiy III the tluq. and Aiiss Hollister
paid no attention to 1t. The merits Of
chain arnor. think 1t was. that held
us for half nm hour. Cecilia and | lis
tening with respect 70 what. IN my ig-
naraNcs, seemed a remarkable fund OF
knowledge on this recondite subject.
"We dine at Z. Mr.. Ames. and you
may amuse yourself hs you like until
that hour. Ce,illn. you may order din
ner In the gun room tonight"
Certainly. Aunt QcmyiA:"
Once Mnfs ! Glalced ut the GIN. hop
inv TINT some Ilimmer In her eyes
would set me right and establish COM
mon understanding and sympathy be-
tween US, but she was moving out Of
the room ut her aunts side. The man
who had tended the fire met me Ia the
hall and. conducting me to my room,
suggested various offices that be was
ready to perform for my comfort. The
house faced south. and my windows,
midway af the east wing, afforded a
6ne view Of the hills, The room was
large enough for chamber of state.'
and It's furniture was massive A four
poster invited to luxurious repOse; half
dozen etchings by famous artists
Parrish and Van Elten among them
hung upon the walls.
Ny bag had been opened and my
things put out So that. there being
Jpore than an hour to pass before |
need dress for dinner. | went below
and explored the garden and wandered
vff along a winding path that stole
with charming furtiveness toward q
venerable orchard Of gnarled apple
trees From the height thus gained
looked down upon the house. aud
caught i Elmpse beyond II of one Of
the ichnin Of lakes. on which the west.
ern SUN gllnted goIdenly. Thus seeing
the house from new angle was imr
pressed us | bad not been at first by
its slzs. II was huge establishment.
, and thought with envy Of Pepperton.
to whom such ample commissions were
not rare. Pepperton, I recalled a little
bitterly. had arrived. whereas I. who
hnd enjoyed exactly his own training
for the architects profession. had fail
ed at Il and been obliged to turn my
hand 70 the doctoying Of chimneya.
put US | reelected upon the odd cir.
cpmstances Of my being there my spir.
Its rose. Miss Hollister was beyond
question singular person, but hel
Whims were ampaipg. felt that she
wns less cryptic than her neice. and
the thought Of Cecilia drove me back
upon Jewett's story Of Virgins inter.
! est In that quarter. resolved to write
| 10 Virgins when got back to town
the next day and abuse him roundly
F, for running Off without so much rs
goodby. Thnt. most emphatically, was
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