Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-12
cause confusion.

cause confusion.
| had thought Hezekiah secure when
locked the trunk room door. but
bad not counted upon the versatility
and resourcefulneSs OF that young per-
son. | dropped to the second roof lev
Ell and inspected the down spouts. but
il was incredible that she had sought
the earth by this means. | swung
myself to third level and after much
cropping for my bearings decided that
an athletic girl Of HcZekiah's venture
some disposition might. II she set no
great store by her neck. Chamber of
the kitchen roof by means of a tall
maple whose branches now raspingly
called attention 10 their slight contact
with the house.
AS the moon cruised into a patch of
clear sky something white futtered
from a maple limb and bent and
pulled it free. took counsel Of
match behind the kitchen chimney
and found that il was a handkerchief
that had been knOtted to the Zip Of the
hOugh. No one but HeZekiah would
have thought of marking her trail in
this fashiOV held it TO my face. and
that faint perfume that had been a
mystifying accompaniment Of the
passing OF the mansion ghost became
nothing more unreal than the orTis in
Hezekiah's handkerchief case. The
wind whipped the bit Of linen spiteful-
~ in my hands. reasoned that II
Hezekiah. the ineNplicable. had not
meant for me TO know the manner of
her exit she need not have left this
plain hint behind. but the swaying
maple bough did not tempt me.
/ hurried back across the roof TO secure
the trunk tray. resolved 10 dispose of
+ it. seek the open and find the errant
/ Hezekiah If she still fingered in the
/ neighborhood.
/ l looked of across the windy land,
scape before descending, and as my
eyes ranged the dark l caught the
glimmer of a light as of a lantern
borne in the hand in the meadow be
yond the garden. 1t paused and was
. swung back and forth by it's unseen
bearer. II shed curious yellow light
and not the white fame Of the com
mon lantern, and now II rose a triht
higher and slowly resolved Itself into
weird fantastic face.
Three minutes later I was out Of tbs
house, using the back stairs to avoid
the company in the library, and haC
crossed the garden and crawled through
the hedge. AS ] rose TO my feet {
voice greeted me cheerfully:
well, done, Chimney Mani You
were a little slow hitting the trail, bu
you do pretty well considering How
did you manage with Aunt Octavil
about that slipper? I had a narrow
escape In the second floor hall when
came out OF Cecilia's room. | mus
have lowered a record getting upstairs
And one shoe isn't bit comfortab bic
Allow me to relieve you
Here's your slipper. You ought 3
be ashamed Of yourself"
For losing my slipper? I though
Cinderella had made that respectable.
She placed her hand on my shoulder
lifted her foot and drew the pump o.
with a single tug.
well. what did Aunt Octavia say?
''Oh. she had thoughts too dark (
express. You probably heard what W
said. 1t was she who found the sir
per"
} HeZekiah laughed. The wind caugt
!, up that laugh and whisked it ava
: jealousy.
''She found It and carried II to yo-
! chimney man. snd ! skipped just 2
you began that beautiful story abor
, finding It IN Beacon street rm-2