Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-22

group listened to an anecdotal ex-
change between Professor Hume and
Henderson. the Virginia planter. My
opinion OF Cecilia HOLSTER as girl
Of high spirit. able to carry of any sit
uation no matter how difficult, rose to
new attitudes as | watched her. If
this strange woOiug was not to her lik-
ing she certainly made the best OF IT.
She capped HendersOn's best story
with better one in negro dialect, and
no professional entertainer could have
improved upon her recital. AS she fin
ished we all Joined in the general
laugh, Lord Arrowood's guffaw boom
ing out trifie boisterously. when Miss
Octavia quietly rose and excused her
self. About FIVE minutes later, when the
company had plunged into another Sc
ries of anecdotes, l suddenly became
conscious that the fireplace, near which
l sat. had all at once begun to act
strangely. Much in the manner Of its
performance the previous night, 1T alb
ruptly gasped and choked. the smoke
ballooned in great swirl and then
poured out into the room.
After my examination OF the fues In
the morning | had dismissed them
from my mind. and this extraordinary
behavior OF the library fireplace as
founded me. 1t is not in reason that
a perfectly normal fireplace. built in
the most approved fashion and with
chimneys that rise into as clear an
ether as October can bestow could act
so mOnstrouSly without the interven-
ton Of some malign agency. We had
discussed all the possibilities the pre-
vious night. and | was not anxious to
hear further lay opinions. The chin
ney's conduct was annoying. the more
so that to my professional sense 1t
was inexplicable.
Lord Arr0wood had rctreated dis
creety toward the door. and the others
had risen and stood close behind Ce-
ella. whose gaze was bent rather ac-
( cusingly upon me.
A dark thought had crossed my mind.
AS our eyes met felt that she had
read MY suspicious and did not wholly
reject them. Henderson wns valiantly
/ poking the logs. while one Of two of
! the other men gave him the benefit of
their advice. ! crossed the hall to the
drawing room, hut no one was there.
/ l went back to the billiard room, but
! saw nothing Of Miss Octavia. Cecilia
/ had rung for the footman. and | passed
him in the hall on his way to answer
/ her summons. | stopped him with an
! inquiry on my lips. but | could not ask
| the question. Even in my perplexity
| as to the cause Of the chimney's re-
markable performances I did not 50
| far forget myself as 10 communicate
| my suspicion to servant.
Nothing. Thomas" ! said. and the
man passed on.
1t was possible. OF course. that Miss
! Octavla knew more than she cared To
tell about the erratic ways Of the H.
/ brary chimney, or she night indeed he
the cause of its vaGaries. Sufficient
time had elapsed after retirement from
| the library to allow her to gain the
roof and clap a stopper on the chin
ney pot. This did not. however &C
count for the fact that on the previOr,
evening she had been present in tho
library when the same chimney haC
/ manifested similar sulsiness. ! was
I still bordering these things when
heard loud laughter from the library
and on returning found the logs again
blazing in the fireplace. from which the
smoke rose demurely in the hue
This fireplace is like geyser. Mr.
Ames." said Cecilia. and spurtS smoke
at regular intervals As remember
the clock on the stair was striking ,
last night when the smoke poured out
and there-it is striking . now"
She tossed her head slightly ant thi
was, ! thought. in disdain of the srIs
picion that must still have shown itseI
little stubbornly in my face
/ withdrew again in few minutes
and followed the great chimney.
course upward. Miss Octayia'S apart
ments were at the front OF the house
her sitting room windows looking on
upon the Italian garden. Her door,
were closed. hut ! knew from my ex
animation IN the morning that the aiI,
Of her fireplace tapped the chimney
that rose from the drawing room and
had nothing whatever to do with the
library chimney.
From the fourth floor l gained the
roof by the route followed on my in
Epection of the house IN the morning.
The smoke from the library chimney
was rising IN the crisp. still air blithe-
4 III. i leaned upon the crenelations