Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-22

AUNT Octayia mas done n0tnlng OF
the kind" she replied with spirit Mr.. |
Virgins has no right TO speak OF Aunt |
Octavia save in terms OF kindness. IL !
her wits are sharper than his, it is not /
her fault. that can see. But there are |
matters here that do not understand, !
Mr. Ames. l trust you, as my aunt |
evidently does. or should not be talk |
ing to you US am, and l am moved to
ask a favor of you. favor Of consid- |
cradle weight, in view of the fact that
you are a professional man.. with,
doubtless. many pressing calls upon
your time"
| bowed humbly before this compli
ment My time had been lightly APP
praised by Miss Octsvis and again by
Virgins. A long telegram from my
assistant that reached me while dress
ed for dinner had urged my immediate
attendance upon my office. Some of
my best clients, now reopening their
houses for the winter, were in desper-
ate straits. But. Octavia HOLSTERS do
not occur in the life Of every young
man. and both Cecilia and Hezekiah
had taken strong hold upon my imagi-
nation. Virgins place among the dra.
mats personae would in itself have
compelled my sympathetic attention,
and the nine silk hats that had seen
bobbing over the stile still danced be-
fore my eyes.
Miss HOLSTER" 1 said. my time is
yours to command. My office is well
organized. and l am sure that my as
sistant is equal to any demands that
may be made upon him. Pray state in
what manner / may serve you"
al am going far, know. Mr.. Ames,
but l beg that you will not be in haste
to leave my aunt's house She must
have been strongly prejudiced in your
/ favor or she would not have asked
/ you here on so short acquaintance. I
I am confident that she has no thought
/ of your leaving. She expressed her
J great liking for you at luncheon, and
l am sure that she will see to 1t that
! you do not lack for entertainment. l
assume that you must have gathered
from what Mr.. Virgins told you of my
! acquaintance with him the peculiar
/ plight in which am placed
| bowed. If she CROPPED in the dark
and needed my help in finding the
light, l was not the man to desert her.
/ had dropped my plumb line into too
many dark chimneys not to feel the
fascination of mystery. AS express
ed again my entire willingness to abide
at Hopefield Manor as long as she
wished. the fOotman announced Mr..
Hartley Virgins.
We had hardly exchanged greetings
before another man was announced,
and then another. I should say that 1t
was Mt intervals of about three min
uteS that the sedate servant appeared
in the curtained doorway and announc-
ed a caller until nine had been admit
ted. My spirits scared high as the gen
tlemen from the Prescott Arms aI,-
peared one after the other. The ear
lier arrivals rose 20 greet the later
ones. and as they were all in evening
clothes | experienced. as when l had
seen the same gentlemen in their after
noon raimeut crossing the stile. sense
Of something fantastic and eerie in
them. In the interest of brevity and
to avoid confusion. | tabuate them
here with a notation as to their resi-
dence and occupation. taking such data
from the notebook in which. at suhSe-
quent dates. ! set down the facts
which are the basis of this chronicle.
Hartley Virgins. lawyer and farm
er. Hare and Tortoise club. New York
I.innaeus Il. Henderson. planter. Roa
nOlie. Va.
Cecil Hugh. Lord ArrOwood. no oc-
cupation. ArrOwood. Hants. England.
Daniel +. Ormsby. manufacturer OF
knit goods. Utica. y Y.
$. Forrest Hume lecturer on Scan
6inaviau literature. Occidental univer.
sty. Long Trail, Okla.
John Stewart Dick. pragmatist. Oma,
ha. Neb.
Pendennis J. Arbuthnot. banker and
hOrseman. Lexington. Ky.
Percival 3. Shallenberger novelist
aI:l small fruits. Sycamore Ind.
George W. Gorse, capitalist Red
lands. Cal.
We rose and stood in our several
places when a moment later Miss DC
tavia entered. She greeted the suitOrs
graciously and then in her most charm
ing manner called one after the Other
TO sit besidr her on long davenport
the time apportioned being weighed
with nicely. 50 that none might fee
himself sighted or preferred. These
interviews consumed more than hal
an hour. and the movement thus Occa
stoned gave considerable animation I,
the scene.
=, 1t may seem ridiculous that min,
gentlemen thus paying court. to I
young woman should call upon her a
j the same hour. but must say that tn,
gravity of the suitOrs and the entir
= sobriety of Cecilia did not affect m
: humorously. nor did feel at all out o
r place in this strange company. | fOunt
= myself agreeably engaged for severa
= minutes IN discussing Ibsen with tn
/ | Oklahoma professor. who proved to b
: a delightful fellow. His experience o
life was apparently wide. and he toll
! me with an engaging frankness of hi
meeting with the HOLSTERS in Franc
? and OF his pursuit Of them over man
] weary miles the previous summer. \
nc one had elected his courses Ia tn
Gr1