Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-02-27
ESTABLISHED 1865.
CspyriSht. 1918. by the Bobbs-hsrrill
Company
CHAPTER VIII.
Ghosts of the Summer Crowd.

paniOnS StOOQ De1Ore lne IRE III lhe
office, each with an eager eye out for
the progress of the hermit, who was
preparing the table beside them
Through the kindness of Quimby, the
board was resplendent with snowy
linen.
I'VE may seem overeager," COM
mented Professor Bolton. II have no
doubt we do. 1t is only natural With
nothing to look forward to but the
next meal, the human animal attaches
a preposterous importance to his feed
ing. We are in the same cases as the
summer guests
I'VE are?" interrupted Mr.. Magee.
Have we nothing but the next meal
TO look forward to? 1 think not.
haven't. I've come to value too high
ly the capacity for excitement of Bald
pate inn in December. l look for
ward to startling things. l expect,
before the day is out, at least two
gold laced kings, an exiled poet and a
lord mayor, all armed with keys to
Baldpate inn and stories strange and
unconvincing."
Your adventures of the last twenty
four hours" remarked the professor,
smiling wanly, 'have led you to ex-
pect too much. ] have made in
quiries of Quimby. There are, aside
from his own, but seven keys in all to
the various doors Of Baldpate inn
Four are here represented. 1t is hard
ly likely that the other three will
send delegates, and If they should
you have but a slim chance for kings
and poets. Even Baldpate's capacity
for excitement, you see, is limited by
the number of little steel keys which
open its portals to exiles from the
outside world. l am reminded of the
words of the philosopher
We'll, Peters, old top" broke In
Mr.. Bland in robust tones, isn't she
nearly off the fire."
Now, see here" said the hermit
setting down the armful of dishes
with which he had entered the office
Il can't be hurried. I'm all upset, as
it is. 1 can't cook to please women
1 don't pretend to-"
I'm sure" said Miss Norton sweet
ly, that 1 shall consider your lunch
con perfect"
They get more faultfinding as they
get older" replied Mr.. Peters ungal'
lantly, glancing at the other woman.
Mrs. Norton glared.
Meaning me, suppose" she rasp'
ed. We'll, don't worry. 1 amt going
to find anything wrong
II amt asking the impossible" re-
ponded Mr.. Peters. Il amt asking
you not to find anything wrong. I'm
just asking you not to mention II
when you do He retired to the
kitchen.
Mrs. Norton caressed her puffs low
ingly.
What that man needs" she said
lis a woman's guiding hand. He:
lived alone too long. I'd like to have
charge of him for a while. When
was a girl 1 was mighty popular
had lot of admirers"
mo one could possibly doubt that,
Mr. Magee assured her.
Then Norton came along" sht
went on, rewarding Magee with {
smile, land said he wanted to make
me happy. So / thought I'd let hin
try. l always brought him up sharp
Your great desire 1 told him, is t
make me happy I'd keep on the job i
l were you!' And he did. to the da!
of his death. A perfectly lovely man
though careless in money matters. L
he hadn't had that ailing 1 wouldn'
be-
Miss Norton. her cheeks flushed
broke in hurriedly.
Mamma, these gentlemen can't b,
at all interested" Deity she turned
the conversation to generalities.
Mr.. Peters at last seated the winte
guests of Baldpate inn and opened hi
luncheon with a soup which he claim
ed to have wrested from can. Thi
news drew from Professor Bolton ;
learned discourse on the timed aid
10 the hermit of today. He pictured
the seeker for solitude setting out TO
a desert isle with canned foods TO
his body and canned music for hi
soul. Robinson Crusoe." he said
should be rewritten with a can
opener in the leading role" Mrs. Nor
ton gave the talk a more practica
turn by bringing up the topic of pto
maine poisoning.
While the conversation drifted o
Mr.. Magee pondered in silence tn
weired mesh in which he had becom
involved. What did it all mean? Wha
brought these people to Baldpat
Christmas week? His eyes sought tn
great safe back of the desk and stay
ed there a long time. In that safe, h
was sure, lay the answer to this pre-
pOSltIOuS w llCii thOuShs
came back to the table he found MI
Bland eyeing him narrowly.
The luncheon over. Miss Norton an
her mother prepared to ascend to thei
rooms. Mr. Magee maneuvered so a
to meet the girl at the foot of tn
stairs.
Wont you come back" he whis
pered softly "and explain things to
poor hermit who is completely a
sea ?"
What things" she asked.
What it all means" he whispered
why you wept in the station, VIII
YOU invented the story of the actres!
why you came here to brighten m
drab exile-what this whole coined
of Baldpate inn amounts to anyhow
She only looked at him with unbe
lieving eyes.