Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-05-08

the ghost of that British soldier, and |
had just discovered my loss when l
heard you calling. In returning it you
have conferred upon me the greatest
imaginable favor. l have faith that
some time. somewhere. | shall find the
owner of that slipper. Would you not
infer from it's diminutive size and the
fine. suggestive delicacy Of it's outlines.
that the owner is a person Of aristo-
cratic lineage and Of breeding? l will
confess that nothing is nearer my
heart than the hope that one day l
shall meet the young LADY, am sure
she must be young-who wore that
slipper and dropped it. as it seemed,
ron the clouds at my feet there in
sedate Beacon street. that most SOL
m of residential sanctuaries."
Mr.. Ames." began Miss HOLSTER in
stantly, with an assumed severity that
her smile belied, II cannot recall that
my niece HeZekiah ever visited in Bca-
con street, vet l dare say that if she
had done so and a young man Of your
pleasing appearance had passed be-
dS"SA hSi NIhNoN oIC VI Z SllDpclS
might very easily have become de-
tached from HeZekiah's foot and fall
en- with q nice calculation directly in
front of you, But now, Mr.. Ames, will
you kindly carry your candle into that
trunk room?'
The foundations of the world shook
as I remembered the compact by which
Hezekiah was excluded from the house
and realized what her impending dis
covery would mean to Cecilia, her IA
Their and the hayward HeZekiah too.
But l was in for it. Miss Octavia in
dicated by an imperious nod that I vas
to precede her into the trunk room. and
I strobe before her with my candle
held high.
But the sprites of mystery were still
abroad at Hope1eld. The room was
unoccupied save for the trunks. Heze-
kiah had vanished. Instead of sitting
there to await the coming Of her aunt.
she had silently departed without leav-
ing a trace. Miss HOLSTER glanced up
at the trapdoor in the ceiling. and so
did l. 1t was closed, but I did not
doubt that HeZekiah had crawled
through it and taken herself to the
roof. Miss Octavia would probably or
der me at once to the b~attlements. but
worse was to come.
"Mr. Ames." she said. will you kind
ly lift the lid Of hat largest trunk?"
had not thought of this. and I shud-
dered at the possibilities.
She indicated the trunk upon which
Hezekiah had sat and nibbled her
cracker not more than ten minutes be-
fore. Could it be possible that when
1 lifted the cover that golden head
would be found beneath? My life has
known no blacker moment than that in
which I flung back the lid of that trunk.
I averted my eyes in dread Of the i'm
pending disclosure and held the candle
close.
But the trunk was empty, incredibly
empty! My courage rose again. and I
glanced at Miss Octavia t~riumphantly.
1 even jerked out the trays to allay any
lingering suspicion. Why had l ever
doubted Hezekiah? Who was she, the
golden haired daughter of kings, to be
caught in a trunk? She had slipped up
the ladder while l talked to her aunt
and was ever now hiding on the roof,
but it was not for me to make so trea.
sonable a suggestion. Miss Octavia
might press the matter further if she
liked, but l would not help her to trap
Hezekiah.
Miss HOLSTER did not, to my surprise
and relief. suggest ar inspection Of the
roof. She nodded her head gravely
and passed out into the hall.
"Mr. Ames, if l implied Il moment
ago that l doubted your story of the
dropping Of that tan pump from a
Beacon street roof or window. l now
tender you my sincerest apologies"
She put out her hand, smiling charm.
ingly.
Pray return to the occupations which
were engaging you when l interrupted
you. You have stood higher in
my regard than at this moment. To
morrow you may tell me all you please
VI Iuc SuOSI anu luc mysteries VI CLlS
house, and l dare say we shall find the
bones of that British soldier some
where beneath the foundations. AS
for that trifing bit Of leather you hold
in your hand. it's rather passe for
Beacon street. The next time you tell
that story 1 suggest that you play your
game of drop the slipper from a win
dow Of Rittenhouse square. Philadel-
phia."
Hezekiah on the roof was safe for a
time. Miss Octavia's gentle rejection
Of my Beacon street anecdote and her
intimation that Hezekiah had been an
unbilled participant Of the comedy of
the ghost had been disquieting, and in
my relief of her abandonment of the
search I loitered on downstairs with
my hostess. l wished to impress her
with the idea that l was without ur-
gent business. Hezekiah would, beyond
doubt, amuse herself after her own
fashion on the roof until / was ready
to release her. AS I had quietly locked
the trunk room door and carried the
key in my pocket l was reasonably