Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-02-13

IN her house. ! had sometimes been
treated MS though | were the agent of
a decorators shop. or a delinquent
plumber, by the people whom l served,
but Miss HOLSTER and her niece estab-
lished me upon q plane that was wholly
social. l was made to feel that it was
the most natural thing IN the world for
me to be there. having tea, with no
business ahead Of me but to be agree
able. The fact that l had come to COR
rect the distemper Of their tues was
utterly negligible. l remembered with
satisfaction that ! had %journeyed from
town in a new business suit that made
the best of my attenuated figure. and |
will not deny that | felt at ease. Miss
HOLSTER talked briskly as she made
tea. ut is not necessary for you to
take tea if you don't care for it, Mr..
Ames." she said, as l rose and handed
the first cup to Cecilia. IF you will
touch the bell at your elbow you may
have liquids of quite another sort"
You are most generous, Miss Hol-
lister. Tea will suffice for the mo-
AACAI ~ 10 uLIl1S IudL ! SuOulu Iuke
it here, it having been a weakness for
tea as we'll as curiosity and chance that
threw me in your way at the Aso.
lando."
"That absurd-that preposterous hole
In the WALL"
She put down her cup and faced me.
continuing: 'Mr. Ames. l will not deny
that If it had not been for General
GIendenn1ng's corGlai ln"aorsenenr or
you, and he further fact that l had
met your late father. | should not have
invited you to my house on the occa-
sion to which you refer. My contempt
for the Asolando and the things it
stands for is beyond such lanexlge as
8 lady may use before the youny. |
fell back upon the privilege of my age
to beg that you will hereafter give the
Asolando a wide BERTH"
l laughed at her ea~rnestness. but on
turning toward Miss Cecilia l saw that
she was placidly stirring her cup. 1t
might be that one was not expected to
manifest amusement in Miss Hollis
ter's utterances, and l was anxious to
adjust myself to the proper key in my
intercourse. no matter how brief it
might be. with this remarkable old
lady.
In my embarrassment l rose and Of
fered the bread and butter to Cecilia.
who declined it. The austerity Of her
rejection rather unnerved me.
Il assure you. Miss Hollister. that l
have no wish to become a habitue of
the place." l said. And yet you will
pardon me if l repeat that. but for 1t.
I should not now be enjoying the hos
pitality of Hopeield Manor"
She lifted her head from her cup and
bowed, but l was Immediately interest
ed in the fact that her niece was
speaking.
81 think Aunt Octavia Is hard on the
Asolando." she was saying. Aunt
Octavia is interested In the revival of
romance. and romance without poetry
seems to me wholly impossible"
1.-THE age is decadent, and I know no
better way Of restoring the race to its
ancient vim and energy than by send
ing men back to the camp and field or
to sail the high seas in new armadas.
The men of this age have become a lot
Of sordid shopkeepers, and to my moral
sense the looting Of cities is far more
honorable than the creation Of trusts
and the manipulation Of prices, though
I cannot deny that but for my late
fathers zeal in destroying his competi-
tors in the baby buggy business we
might not now be enjoying the deli
cate fragrance Of caravan tea"
II ssure you. Mr.. Ames." said Ce-
ella. "that the Asolando is a very
harmless place, and that as a matter
Of fact its aims are wholly %consonant
with those of Aunt Octavia. I myself
served there for a time. and those
were among the most delightful days
Of my life. There are times when l
miss the Asolando."
"Mr. Ames." began Miss Octavia
presently in her crisp. direct fashion,
which had the effect of leading me in
my anxiety to appear ready with an
swers to take a 1attering view of my
own courage and resourcefulness, "Mr
Allies, are YOU equal " Tie ledC VI
swimming a moat under a shattering
fire from the castle?"
Il have every reason to think l am,
Miss Hollister," I replied modestly.
"And if a white hand waved to you
from the drilled window of the lonely
tower. would you ride on indiferently
or pause and thunder at the gate?"
white hands have never waved to
me. save occasionally when | have
gone a-riding in the Sixth avenue ele.
waited, but it is my honest belief that
my sword would promptly leave its
scabbard if the hand ever waved from
the ivied tower"
My friends at the Hare and Tortoise
, would have heard this avowal with
some surprise. for no mans life had
eve been tanner thar mine. l am by
nature timid. and fall but a little short
of being afraid of the dark. Prayers
for deliverance from battle. murder
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