Graham guardian., 1913-06-13
CHAPTER TX.
Cecilia's Silver Notebook.

| NW W III tue ndll WITHOUT excuse
| lW and | entered the library I,
| find Cecilia sitting alone b.
the fire. She put aside book she haC
been reading and. seeing that her aun
had not followed me. asked at once a:
to my visit to the inn.
| II conveyed your message" | an
swered, but you have seen Mr.. Wig
gins since, unless am greatly mis-
/ taken.'
Yes; he called this afternoon. We
had several callers at the tea hour.
had rather expected you back
The fact Is, | replied, that after
had taken luncheon at the Prescott
| Arms got lost among the hills, and
while In the act of robbing an apple
orchard came most unexpectedly
upon your sister,
"uezekiahw
'rhe same. And. oddly enough.
had met her before. though | didn't
realize II was she until the meeting in
the orchard. II was In the Asolando
that saw her: she was ut the cash
icr's wicket the afternoon ! met your
aunt there"
"You have given me information.
Mr.. Amcs. I did not know that Heze-
kiah had ever been connected with the
Asolando."
"Oh, 1t was only that one historic
day, She says the place was unbear-
able, She Jared the holiest chords Of
the divine Tyre by harsh comments on
! the pre- Raphaelite profile. One Of the
devotees was so shocked that she drop
ped q plate or something and. to put
II coarsely, Hezekiah got the bounce"
My description of Hezekiah's brief
tenure of Office at the Asolaudo seem,
ed to amuse Cecilia greatly,
There Is no one like my sister, she
said. There uever was ana there
never will he any one half SO charm.
ing, Hczeiiah is an original. who
breaks all the rules aud vet always
sends the bail over the net. And II Is
because she Is so inexpressibly dear
and precious that am anxious that
nothing shall ever hurt her--nothing
mar tive sweet. beautiful child spirit In
her"
It was my turn to laugh now Ce
cilia's manifestation OF maternal solici
tude for Hezekiah seemed absurd. for
Hezekiat In her way was older Heze
kiah had vaced with Diana and pluck.
ed arrows from her girdle--she bad
heard Homer at the roadside singing
Of Achilles shield,
"Hezekiah is reasonably safe.
should say, because she is so amazing.
" swift Of foot spd eye apd'so limbis
9f speech. She Is rot to ,,e caught In
A net or tripped with q word"
~ suppose that Is So" remarked Co
ella soberly. You thought her happy
when you met her today? She did not
strike you as being girl with wound
In her heart? She wasn't particularly
sadT
"Not more so than sunlight on rip
pied water or the song of the lark as
rendlng,'
"pf course yep made no reference 70
Mr.. Wlggins? II had imagined you
would meet her ] should have
she ended with an embarrassment
that noY understood. and broke in
cheerfuiIy.
I'VE did mention him. She asked me
n I had seen him, and II was the
thought Of him that evoked her mer.
riest laughter"
Ene shook> per head anu sighed. then
her manner changed abruptly.
"You delivered my message to Mr..
Wiggins2"
II did. He is badly out of sorts and
sees nothing clearly. He is very bitter
toward your aunt. He thinks she has
treated him optrageeusly." ,.
AUNT 0ctayia has done nothing Of
the kind" she replied with spirit. "Mr.
Virgins has no right to speak Of Aunt
pctavia save In terms Of klndness. Ii
her wits are sharper than bis, it is not
her fault, that can see. But there are
matters here that do not understand,
Mr.. Ames. trust you, as my aunt
evidently does. or should not be talk
Ing to you rs am. and ! am moved to
ask favor Of you. a favor Of consid.
eruble weight, In view Of the fact that
rou are u professional map. WITH
d6hpth'se. maNS 'pfSsshe SNlIS Upon
your time