Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-26
ose no time IN presenting me-

lose no time IN presenting me-
Sue wore remarkable lavender
dressing gown and a nightcap such as
l had never seen outside a museum.
AS she concluded her speech. spoken
in that curious lifting tone which from
the beginning had left me in doubt as
to the seriousness of all her statements,
she rose and, still clasping her maga-
zine, made me courtesy and was soon
mounting the stair.
l heard her door close a minute later,
and then, feeling that I had earned
the right to repose. l went to my room
and to bed.
slept late and on going down found
the table set in the breakfast room
Miss Octavia entered briskly, her slight
figure concealed by u prodigious ging-
ham apron.
Good morrow, merry gentleman"
she began blithely. The most delight
full thing has happened. Without the
slightest warning, without the faintest
intimatton of their dissatisfaction, the
house servants have departed, with the
single exception of my personal maid.
larry devoid of emotion. was mistaken
by the ghost rumOrs that have sent the
rest of my staff scampering over the
hills"
She lighted the coffee machine lamp
in her most tranquil fashion and beg
ged me to be seated
81 have already breakfasted," she
continued, land Cecilia is even now
preparing you an omelet with her own
hand. | beg to reaSsure you as my
guest that the departure of the serv-
ants causes me not the slightest an
nOyance. Cecilia is an excellent cook,
and l myself shall not starve so long
as l have strength to crack an egg or
lift stove lid. And besides, | still re-
tain my early trust in Providence. l
do not doubt that before nightfall a
corps Of excellent servants will again
be on duty here. Very likely they are
even now bound for this place, coming
from the wet coasts OF Ireland. from
Liverpool and from lonely villages in
Scandinavia. | hope You Will testify
to the fact that faced this day in the
cheeriest and most hopeful spirit"
Not only shall | do SO, Miss Hollis
! ter" l replied, trying TO catch her own
note, but 1t viii throughout my life
| give me the greatest satisfaction to sea
! your cause Alright. To that extent let
me be Horatio to your Hamlet"
Thank you, Milford" she returned,
! with the utmost gravity. And may
| say further that the incident gives tho
~
! was obliged to pay those people dou-
| bic wages to lure them from the felici-
| ties Of the city, and they must have
been a good deal alarmed TO have left
so precipitately. You must excuse me
now, as 1t is necessary for me to do the
pastry cooks work this morning, that
| individual having fed with the rest,
| and it being incumbent on me to main
| tain my fee simple in this property,
to make a dozen pies before high noon.
! But first | must visit the stables,
where / believe the coachman still
fingers, having been prevented from
joining the stampede of the house serv-
ants by the painful twinges of govt"
With this she left me, and | began
peCking at grapefruit. 1t had been
in my mind as / dressed that morn
ing to play truant and visit the city.
1t was almost imperative that l take
a look at my office, and | had resolved
upon a plan which would, | believed,
give me the key to the ghost mystery.
If Pepperton had built that house he
must know whether he had cOntrived
any secret passages that would afford
exists and entrances not apparent to
the eye. 1t would be an easy matter
to run into the city, explain myself to
my assistant and get hold OF Pepper
ton My mind was made up, and had
even consulted a time table and chosen
one of the express trains.