The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-01
Copyright, 1910. by Meredith Nicholson

''You see," she said, clasping the
book tight, ''this was given me for q
particular purpose, and it contains a
memorandum of greatest Importance.
And I was in a panic when I found
that it was gone, for my recollection
of certain items 1 had recorded here
was confused, and there was no posi-
BILE way OF setting myself straight.
Now all is clear again. I feel that 1
make poor acknowledgment Of your
service, but If at any time
"Pray think no more of it," I re-
piled. And at this moment Miss Hol
lister appeared and called us to break
fast.
eff it is perfectly agreeable to you,
Arnold, will hear the story of the
finding of the ghost at 4 O'Clock, or
just before tea. 1 have sent a tele-
gram to Mr.. Pepperton asking him to
be present. He's at his country home
in Redding and can very easily motor
down As no motors are allowed on
my premises,s he shall be met at the
gate with a trap"
"You have sent for Peppertonv' I
exclaimed.
''That is exactly what I have done,
and as he knows that never accept
apologies under any circumstances he
VIII not Q1SaDDO1nC me. In dduIElOn
to reprimanding him for not telling
me Of the secret passage in this house,
I have another matter that concerns
you, Arnold, which wish to lay be-
fore him. The new cook that Prowi-
dence sent to my kitchen yesterday is
the best we have had, Cecilia, and I
beg that you both indulge yourselves
in a second helping Of country scram-
bled eggs"
A little later 1 met Miss HOLSTER In
the hall dressed for her ride.
arnold, you may ride whenever you
Hike. I may have forgotten to mem
don it What have you on hand this
mornIng?"
'An appointment with a lady," re-
piled.
eff you are about to meet the owner
of that Beacon street slipper wish
you good luck
She was drawing on her gauntlets
and turned away to hide a smile, I
thought. Then she tapped me lightly
with her riding crop.
s'Cecilia's silver notebook was miss
ing last night She told me of her loss
with tears. She has it again this morn
ing. Did you restore it?'
cit was my good fortune to do So
'"rhen allow me to add my thanks to
hers. You are an unusually practical
person, Arnold Ames, as well as the
possessor of an Imagination that
and more essential to me. Cecilia ap-
proaches, and 1 cannot say more at
this time
When they had ridden out of the
porte cochere set of across the fields
to keep my tryst with Hezekiah. The
air had been washed sweet and clean
by the rain of the night, and sky was
never bluer. I was surprised at my
own increasing detachment from the
world. My days at Hopeheld were the
happiest of my life.
I reached the fallen tree that Heze-
kiah had appointed as our trysting
place little ahead of time and indulg-
ed in pleasant speculations while
waited. was looking toward the hills
expecting her to come skimming along
the highway on her bicycle, when q
splash caused me to turn to the lake.
Dull of me not to have known that
Hezekiah would contrive a new en-
trance for a scene so charmingly set
as thisI She had stolen upon me in
light skif and laughed to see how her
silent approach startled me. She drop
ped one oar and used the other as
paddle, driving the boat with q sure
hand through the reeds into the bank.
IT'S morning. and the days are long!
Such was Hezekiah's greeting as she
jumped ashore. She wore dark green
skirt and coat and narrow fourth
hand cravat tied under flannel collar
that cIasped her throat snugly. A
boys felt hat, with the brim pinned
mn in front. covered her head.
'fYou seem none the worse for your
wetting, Hezekiah. You must have
been soaked
$50 must you, Chimneys, but You
look as fit as I feel, and I never felt
better Did they catch you crawling
in last nightY'
ST didn't see a soul. You know I'm
an old member of the family now. No
body was ever as nice to me as your
Aunt Octavia.''
"How about Cecilia T'
Having found her silver notebook
and given it back to her before break
fast, 1 may say that our relations are
altogether cordial"
''Are you in love with her-yet?'
asked Hezekiah carelessly, tossing q
pebble into the lake. The ''yet'' was
40 timed that it splashed with the peb-
BILE.
mo; not--yet," replied
"It will come" said Hezekiah little
ruefully, casting pebble farther upon
the crinkled water.
You mean, Hezekiah. that men al
ways fall in love with your sister,"
She nodded.
''Well, she's a good deal of a girl
Beautiful and no end cultivated.
They all go crazy about her."
'tYou mean Hartley Virgins and his
fellow bandits at the Prescott Arms"
eyes and lots of others