Graham guardian., 1913-10-17


out on the terrace above the garden.
! "Pm bursting with great secret, old
man. I'm going to be married"
"Whatr
I'm going to be married"
l grasped a chair TO support myself.
This was almost too much. Could II
be possible that Hezekiah had miscal-
culated the list OF reflections in the sill
yer bound book, or that Cecilia herself
had been deceived? Pepperton misread
my agitation and with n hearty laugh
clapped me on the shoulder.
"oh. I'm not intruding on your pre-
serves, old man, Cecilia is the second
finest girl In the world-that's all. I'm
engaged to Miss Gaylord of Stock
bridge. I'm telling few old friends. In
advance Of the formal announcement
TO be made next week at dance the
Gaylords are giving"
crushed his hand in both my, own
and, seeing that he misconstrued the
fervor OF my emotion, I FASTENED 10 set
myself Alright,
You're a lucky dog as usual, Pep.
But you don't understand about Cecilia
Holllster It's not lin not in the run.
ming at all, but Hartley Virgins is!
I'm here trying to help him score
whats this? You're here to repre-
sent Wiggy:"
"Well, he didn't exactly send me
here. but when I came | found that
wiggy wasn't playing the game with
quite the necessary zipology, There's
more required than appears-a little OF
the dash and snap Of the old adventur-
ers-the ready tongue, the eager. thirsty
sword.'-
Pepperton pursed his lips and looked
me over carefully with twinkle in his
eye.
"Yon are contributing those elements!
You are Octavlaized--ls that IT." Pep
perton laughed until the tears came.
"I prefer Hollisterlzed as the broader
term. Brother Bassford has II. too,
and there's always Hezekiah!'
"Ah. Hezekiah the unpredictable! l
knew there was skirt fiuttering some
where. I saw her yesterday-stopped
to see Bassford, who's a good old chap.
Hezekiah OF the teasing eyes was
whitewashing the chicken coop, and
Mlchelangelo couldn't have done 1t bet
ter"
pep" said, lowering my voice. IF
you love me keep close TO Cecilia all
day You're an engaged man and In
practice. Give an imitation OF devo-
tion. Keep her out of doors-keep
male human beings away from her.
Don't fail me in this. I've got to pull
OF the greatest coup OF my life today
There's band of outlaws hanging
round here who will propose TO Cecilia
the first chance they get, and they
must NOT. Wigs got to speak before
night or lose out forever. Monet
word OF explanation. You've got to
take my word for It."
ell be the goat Go ahead, but
build Are under Virgins. I can't
stay here forever"
Pepperton's engagement smoothed out
one wrinkle. and I felt sure that
could trust him as an ally. The groom
was holding my horse In the porte
cochere, aud mounted and rode away
TO the Prescott Arms.
| found Ormsby. Shallenberger, Ar.
buthnot. Henderson, Hume and Gorse
glumly sitting In semicircle before
the hall fireplace. deepest gloom per
Yaded the inn. have rarely seen mel
ancholy so dnrkly stamped upon the
human countenance. They turned in.
differently and glared as they recog-
nized me. Shnllenbergcr alone rose
and greeted me-.
II hope there is no bad news" he
said cbokingly.
bad news,g'
81 mean Miss Hollister--Miss Cecilia.
We were all deeply grieved last night
to hear Of her sudden illness. There's
always something so terrible in the
very name OF diphtheria."
My wits had been SO sharpened by
my late adventures that ! readily ac-
counted for these false tidings. Dick
Was absent. Dick alone would have
been equal to this diabolical plot for
keeping bis rival suitors' away from
Hopefield. The despair in those faces
taxed my gravity severely.
at Is extremely sad. but the first
Az ,..os, =