Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-06-12
The Siege
of the
Seven Suitors
By
NICHOLSON
Copyright. 1910. by Meredith Nicholson
Copyright. 1910. by Meredith Nicholson

udy 5 euu.
A chorus Of yelps and banks, as of
dogs suddenly released. greeted my
ear. The oncoming suitors heard it,
too, and the line wabbled uncertainty.
Then round the house swept mastiffs.
hounds. terriers-a collection of prize
winners such as few kennels ever
boasted-loping gayly in unwonted
freedom toward unknown and forbid
den pastures.
The vanguard Of fox terriers ,leaped
down into the garden. with the rest of
the pack at their heels. Happy dogs.
to find grown men ready for a gam
Dol! Four of the suitors found one
of the proper exits into the road; two
leaped the box hedge on the other side
without shaking a leaf.
l ran round the house. stumbling
through the rear guard Of the truant
CANNES and passing the kennel mas
ter, who had rallied the stable men
and was in hot pursuit.
"Somebody turned 'em out-turned
EN- OUT" he shouted and swept pro-
fanely by. The gate Of the kennel
yard stood open. A familiar figure.
running low. paused and then sprint
ed nimbly along the paddock fence. A
white sweater was distinguishable for
a moment on a stone wall. then it fol-
lowed a pair of enchanted heels into
oblivion.
Time had been passing swiftly, and
the shadows We're deepening. | re-
traced my steps toward the terrace,
hearing the cries Of pursued and pur-
suers growing fainter. l had not yet
gained a position from which I could
see Cecilia. when a man appeared
some distance ahead of me. walking
~guardedly in n of the garden plots.
He came uncertainty. pausing to
glance about. yet evidently led toward
the terrace by a definite purpose. All
may be fair in love and war. but l
confess to a feeling Of pity for John
Stewart Dick as I watched him slowly
advancing to his fate. He was going
boldly now. and I felt a sudden liking
for him, nor can I believe that he was
other than a manly fellow with sound
brains and a good heart.
1 reasoned as l marked his approach
to the terrace that he had been loiter-
ing in the neighborhood, probably
watching Cecilia and Pepperton, and
when the architect retired he had as
sumed that the sixth man had spoken.
The appearance of his former COM
rades of the inn had doubtless dis
turbed him as it had me; then, thanks
to the resourceful Hezekiah, they had
been routed, and the coast was clear.
l watched him draw nearer to Cecilia
as l have watched deer go down to a
lake to drink. He would speak now.
was confident of it, and I stole round
to the side entrance and sent word to
Virgins to go to the drawing room and
wait for me.
Miss Octavia and Pepperton still lin
gered over their teacups. The row
made by the fugitives from her kennels
had not, it seemed, penetrated to the
library, and Miss Octavia babe me join
the talk. which had to do, | remember,
with some project for a national hall
of fame that had incurred her charac-
t%eristic displeasure. A hall of immor-
tai rascals in pillories she thought far
likelier to please the masses.
In fifteen minutes l saw Cecilia cross
ing the hall. She stopped where 1
could see her quite plainly and thrust
her hand into the pocket Of her coat.
Out flashed the silver notebook. She
made a swift notation with the pencil
that now, l knew. wrote the fate of the
sixth man.
l went out and spoke to her and
walked beside her to the drawing room
door. where Hartley Virgins was wait
ing.
Miss Octavia had risen when l re-
turned to the library, and it was time
to dress for dinner.
Just a moment, Miss HOLSTER.
Something Of great interest is about to
occur" And l made excuses for de-
tanning her for perhaps five minutes,
not more.
You have never yet deceived me,
Arnold Ames. and such is my conf
dence in you that if you tell me that
something interesting will soon occur l
have no reason to doubt you. 1t is
worth remembering. however. that fowl
is not improved by prolonged roast
ing"
I heard Virgins laugh in the hall,
and Miss Octavia raised her head.
Then Cecilia came into the room and
walked directly to her aunt.
Aunt Octavia, here is the little sill
yer notebook you gave me in Paris. I
have just written Mr.. Virgins name In
It, and as I have no further use for the
book. l return it with my love and
thanks"
Without n word Miss Octavia turned
to the wall and pressed the button
twice.
william" she said as the butler Qp-