Graham guardian., 1913-08-01

thought this well spoken, but she
seemed amused, though without un
kindness. by the earnestness OF my
speech
III your wit is equal to your valo,
you may 20 far But" and SHE turGe,I
her eyes full upon me "we must play
the game according to the rules"
And rs for Hartley Wiggins"-
She sat up very straight. and the
sudden disdain In heI face startled ne
had forgotten my euveSdroppins IN
the clump of raspherries on the day ri
my arrival Cert, Iny Wiggins mud
been de, idcdly IN the race tlcn. and
my heart thumIWd In resentment lis
recalled her own message, nr comrncr
Of encouragement. which had lnrnr IT,
Virgins at the Prescott Arms.
II will tell you something, Nj Amcs
This afternoon. aS ! tlrnve from the
station came round by the lake mere
ly to cool my eyes on the water. ana
! saw Mr.. Virgins and my sister seat
ed on wall in un Old orchard They
were so busiy engaged that they a.d
not see me At least. he did not. buT
| think HPzekiah did
"Hezekiah.' | answered. relieved bl
the nature Of her disclosure, which
could not but prejudice WigGins' case
"Hezekiah is fond Of orchards dare
say this was the same one in which
had charming talk with her myself
Doubtless she was amusing herself
with Virgins Just aS she did with Inc
She finds the genus homo entertain
ing"
she is the dearest girl in the world
the sweetest. the loyeliest. the bright
est Alr. Wiggins has treated her out.
rageously lie has taken advantage of
her youth and susceptible nature"
"lIlS punishment Is sure" answer
ed complncently "Hezekiah laughed
when | mentioned his name. And You
frown today nj the thought OF him.
Aunt Octavia is coming" she re
marked. feigning at once careless air.
but was content that she let my re
mark pass unchallenGed
Miss 0ctavia's entrances were always
effective She appeared tonight charm
ingly gownrd. but the bright twinkle In
her eyes made II clear that no matter
of dress could affect her humor or
spirit, She greeted me, as she always
did, MS though our acquaintance were
matter Of years rather than of days
I even Imagined that she seemed
pleased to find me back again. She
asked no questions as to my days oc'
cupations. but as we went In to dinner
sailed forth cheerfully upon descriD
ton of her own activities.
AFTER had baked my required
quota OF pies this morning | sought
recreation at the traps The stable
boy who has been pulling the string
for me having struck work, 1t most
happened that ! espied
Lord Arrowood banging on the edge Of
the, maple tangle beyond the barn. ]
summoned him at once and put him
to work managing the traps for me,
finding him most efficient. He seemed
extremely despOndent. and after had
myself that two out of three
was not an impossible record for oDa
tf my years. brought him to the
n6Lse and made tea for him. left the
room for a moment-l had taken him
into the kitchen, where, during the in
cumbency Of the regular cook hardly
dare venture myself. and he made
himself comfortable quite near the
range The pies on which ! had been
engaged all morning lay cooling near
him. had composed twenty-nine
ples--I am an excellent mathematician
and could not have been mistaken in
the count. What was my amazement
to find after his lordship's departure
that one pie was missing"
"Hls lordshlp was doubtless hungry"
suggested. "Even nobility must eat.
passed Lord Arrowood In the high
way early this morning. sitting upon
n stone, with sundry items of hand
baggage reposing beside him. have
rarely seen any one so depressed. Now
that the little matter of the servants
has been adjusted. we must have a
care lest the newly arrived phalanX.
which Providence so kindly sent to
you today. is not stampeded by any fur.
ther manifestations of the troubled
spirit of the unfortunate Briton who
was hanged on the site of this house"
"Mr Ames." replied Miss Octavia
impressively. that matter Is entirely
In your hands"
'But II could see the plans Of this
house should be better able to crap
pie with his ghostship,"
had thrown this out In the hope
of ellciting some remark from her
touching the Swedish maids visit TO
Pepperton's Office, but Miss Octavia
met my gaze unflnchingly.
"You are clever man, Mr.. Ames,
and l have every confidence that you
will not only solve the mystery Of the
library chimney, but find the ghost
that switched off the lights on the stair
last night prefer that you should ac-
compllsh these feats without any help
from the plans. myself have no sug-
gestions am gratitied that You are
meeting the emergencies that have aris.
en- here with so much determination,
but IT is what should expect Of the