Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-05

IF your wit is equal to your vaior !
you may go far. But"-snd she turned /
her eyes full upon me-"we must play I
the game according to the rules"
And as for Hartley Virgins
She sat up very straight. and the
sudden disdain In her face startled me. /
1 had forgotten my eavesdropping in
the cIump OF rsspberTies on the day OF
my arrival. Certainly Virgins had
been decidedly In the race then. and
my heart thUnped in resentment as l
recalled her own message. or compact
of announcement. which had borne TO
Virgins at the Prescott Arms.
Il VII tell you something, Mr.. Ames.
This Gftsrnoon. as l drove from the
station came round by the lake mere
~ TO cool my eyes on the water, and
1 saw Nj Virgins and my sister seat
ed On q wall In an old orchard. They
were 30 busily engaged that they did
not see me. At least, he did not. but
/ think Hezekiah did"
'Hezekiah,' I answered. relieved by
the nature OF her disclosure. which
could not but prejudice Virgins case.
"Hezekiah is fond Of orchards. dare
say tits was the same one in which
had a charming talk with her myself
Doubtless she was amusing herself
with Virgins Just as she did with me.
Sse finds the genus homo entertain
ing"
she is the dearest girl in the world
the sweetest. the loveliest. the bright
est. Nj Virgins has treated her out
rageoualy He has taken advantage OF
her youth and susceptible nature"
His punishment is sure" I answer
ed complacertiy "Hezekiah laughed
! when 1 mentioned his name. And you
frown today at the thought Of him
Aunt 0ctavia ia coming" she re
marked. feigniug at once careless air.
| but was content that she let my re
! mark pass unchallenEed.
Miss Octavia's entrances were always
| effective. She appeared tonight charm
! ingly gowned. but the bright twinkle In
! her eyes made it clear that no matter
of dress could affect her humor or
spirit She greeted me, as she always
did. as though our acquaintance were
a matter of years rather than of days
even ina Gined that she seemed
pleased to find me back again. She
/ asked no questions as TO my days OC-
equations. but as We went IN TO dinner
sailed forth cheerfully upon Il descrip-
ton of her own activities.
After had baked my required
quota Of pies this morning ! sought
recreation ut the traps. The stable
boy who has been pulling the string
for me having struck work. 1t most
providentially happened thar espied
Lord Arrowood hanging on the edge Of
the maple tnnCle beyond the barn. l
summoned him st once and put him
TO work managing the traps for me.
finding him most efficient. He seemed
extremely dcS0ondent. and after | had
satisfied myself that two out of three
was not an impossible record for one
Of ny years. brought him to the
house and made tea for him. left the
room for mOnent--I had taken him
into the kitchen. where, during the in
cumBency Of the regular cook l hardly
dare venture myself, and he made
himself comfortable quite near the
range. The pies or which ! had been
engaged all morning lay cooling near
him. had composed twenty-rine
pies-I am an excellent mathematician
auG ! could not have been mistaken in
the count. What was my 0mazement
to find after his lordship's departure
that one pie was missing"
His lordshlp was doubtless hungry
suggested. Even nobility must eat
passed Lord Arrowood in the high
way carly this morning, sitting upon
a stone. with sundrr items of hand
baggage repnsing beside him. have
rarely seen any one so depressed. Now
that the little matter of tie servants
has been adjusted. we must have g
care lest the newly arrived phalanI
. which Providence so kindly sent Il
you today. is not stsmp2Ged by any fur
Their manifestations Of the troubled
spirit Of the unfortunate Rriton who
was hanged on the site OF this house
Mr.. AmeS." replied Miss Octavis
impressively. that matter is entirely
. in your hands"
But II could see the plans Of this
house I should be better able to crap
pie with his ghoStship."
had thrown this out in the hops
Of eliciting some remark from he
touching the Swedish maids visit I,
PeppertOn's 0fl"e. but Miss Octavi;
met my gaze uge'ocni-giy.
You GTe clever Iaan, Mr. Anes
and ! have every confidence that 20
will not ou!y solve the mystery 81 tn
library chtr3ney, bUS fnd the ghos
thst switched or the lights o. the stat
last night. prefer that you should az
complish these fests without any hel
from the plans. I myself have no SUE
gestions. | am gratlhed that You ar
meeting the emergencies that have ari:
eE here with SO much determination
but II is what l should expect Of tn
son of Arnold Ames of Hartford. OF
portunity is all that any Of US need t
ind ourselves truly great and il in tn
ordinary course Of our lives the gat
does not open freely we are justified I
picking the lock. When l determine
to seek adventures In ny Old age l r.
solved that / should miss no chanC
and that l should he prepared for an