The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1913-03-20
THE SIEGE OF THE
SEVEN SUITORS
Continued from Preceding Page

AIIHoSC TOT the nrSL time ner manner
betrayed surprise. but mischief danced
in 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 it 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
those fountain-like splashes that were
so beguiling.
"Oh, Wiggy is staying there! Do
you know Wiggy?'
"Know Wiggy. Hezekiah? 1 know
no man better"
"Wiggy Is no end of fun, isn't he?
I've heard him speak of you. You are
his friend the chimney man. He was
the last man over the stile Did you
notice that he fingered moment long
er at the top than the others? From
his being the ninth man imagine that
he was the last to leave the house, and
he probably felt that this set him apart
from the others. Wiggy Is nothing IL
not shy and retiring"
A heartbroken. lovelorn girl did not
speak here She whistled softly to
herself as we descended. The air was
cooling rapidly, and the west was hung
in scarlet and purple and gold. The
horse neighed in the road below, and |
knew that | must be on my way to the
manor.
"Hezekiah." / said when / had
drawn her bicycle from its hiding
place. you'd better leave your wheel
here and let me drive you home. It's
late, and there's frost in the air. | i'm
agine it's some distance to your
house,
THANK you. Mr.. Chimney Man; it is
much farther to Aunt Octavia's. But
ell me this: What do you think of
igSy's chances?'
"Of winning your sister? l should
say from my knowledge of Virgins
that he is man much given to stay
ing in game once the cards are shut
fed"
Then you think he knows the
game?"
There seemed to be something be-
meath the surface meaning of her
words. but l answered:
"Wiggy's affairs have been few, and,
while he may not know the game in
all its intricacies. he has shrewd II
rather slow mind. and, besides, he has
asked my help in the matter"
zone of these speak-for-yourself-
John situations, then? Well, I should
say, Mr.. Chimney Man, should say
She made ready for fight, looking
ahead to be sure of clear thorough
fare.
Il should say" she concluded, set
Ting her skirts, that that indicates
intelligence on Wiggy's
part"
The tires rolled smoothly away, the
gravel crunching, the pebbles popping.
The white sweater clasped straight
back snugly; then suddenly, as the
wheels gained momentum, she bent
low for a squirt, and her rapidly reced-
ing figure became a gray blur in the
purple dusk.
Miss Octavia was in the gayest spir-
It's at dinner that night, and struck
afield at once with one of her amusing |
1icta.
Human beings" she said, may be
divided into two groups-interesting |
and uninteresting. but idiots abound in
both classes"
Cecilia and 1 discussed this with !
more or less gravity, until we had ex-
lausted the possibilities, Miss Octavia
following with apparent interest and
setting us off at new tangent when
,ur enthusiasm Jagged. She referred
n no way whatever to her chimneys,
lor did she ask me how l had spent the
lay. l felt the pleading of Cecilia's
eyes that l should accept the situation
IS it stood, and having already agreed
% Virgins suggestion that 1 abide in
Miss HOLSTERS house as spy-for
his was the ignoble fact-I felt the
threads of conspiracy binding me fast.
So far as my hostess was concerned,
was now less a guest than member
If the household.
The variety of subjects that Miss
Octavia suggested was amazing. From
,eronautics to the negro question,
rom polar exploration to the political
conditions In Bulgaria, she passed with
he iauntiest insouciance and apparent
V with considerable fund of infor-
nation to support her positions. She
snew many people in all walks OF life.
AS we rose from the table Miss Dc
ayia declared that she must show me
he pie pantry. l was now so accus-
omed to her ways that ! should not
lave been in the least surprised II
he had proposed opening a steel vault
illed with a mummified Egyptian dy-
TASTY.
THE gentleman who built this
louse," she explained, had already
,rown rich in the manufacture of the
amous ribless umbrella before he &C
Iuired a second fortune from a nos
rum warranted to cure dyspepsia. He
vas Unfortunately fond of pies, and In
rider that this form of pastry might
avar no absent from his home, he had