The Cairo bulletin., 1914-02-13

yibrated and widened. the white col.
umns expanded and shot up into tho
clouds and from every bush seemed
TO peer friendly black savage with
woolly white hair.
"Wishing.Iiouse!" he whispered.
The hidden country which his fathers
| thoughts. sadly recurring, had painted
to the little child that once he was,
in the guise of an endless wonder
tale, His eyes misted over, and il
seemed to him that moment that his
father was very near.
Leaving the negro to unload his be-
longings, he trayersed an overgrown
| path of messed gravel, between box
rows frowsled like the names of lions
| gone mad and smothered in an ac-
emulation OF matted roots and debris
of rotting foliage, and presently, the
bulldog at his heels, found himself
in the rear of the house.
"Mine!" he said aloud with rueful
| pride. and for general rundown
ness, it's up to the advertisement"
he looked musingly at the piteous
wreck and ruin, his gaze sweeping
down across the barred fields and I'M
kempt forest, "Mine,' he repeated.
All that, | suppose, for it has the
same earmarks of neglect. Between
| those cultivated stretches it looks like
wedge Of Sahara gone astray." His
gaze returned to the house. yet what
a place 1t must have been in its time."
He went slowly back to where his con-
ductor sat on the lichened horse.
block.
Yves heah," called Uncle Jefferson
cheerfully. Whit we gwinter do
mex. sub? Reck'n All better go ovah
ter Miss Dandridge's place fer err
crowbah Lawdl" he added, "ef he
ain got de key! Whut yo' think OBJ
dat now?"
John Valiant was looking closely at
the big key; for there were words,
which he had net noted before en-
graved in the massive tiange. Friends
all hours" He smiled. The sentiment
sent a warm current of pleasure to
his finger-tips Here was the very
text of hospitality!
A Lilliputian spider-web was
stretched over the preempted keyhole,
and he fetched grass-stem and poked
out its tiny gray-striped denizen be-
fore he inserted the key in the rusted
lock. He turned 1t with a curious
sense Of timidity All the strength OF
his fingers was necessary before the
massive door swung open and the lev
cling sun sent its late red rays into
the gloomy interior.
He stood in spacious hall, his nos
trils filled with a curious but not un-
! pleasant aromatic odor with which the
place was strongly impregnated. The
! hall ran the full length of the build
ing, and in its center a wide, balus-
traded double staircase led to upper
darkness. The floor, where his foot
prints had disturbed the even gray
tilm of dust, was of fine close par
quetry and had been generously
strewn everywhere with a mica-like
powder. He stopped and took up a.
pnch in his fingers. noting that it
gave forth the curious spicy scent.
Dim paintings in furnished frames
hung on the walls. From a niche on
the break Of the stairway looked down
The face of tall Dutch clock, and on
one side protruded huge bullying
something draped with yellowed
linen sheet. From its shape he
guessed this to be an elk's head. Dust.
| lndisturbed. lay thickly on everything.
| 5hoatly floating cobwebs crawled
across his face, and bat fitted out
Of a fireplace and vanished squeak
ing over his head. With Uncle JEFF
rersons help he opened the rear doors
and windows, knocked up the rusted
belts of the shutters and flung them
wide.
But for the dust and cobwebs and
The strange odor, mingled with the
faint mus,y smell that peryades sun
less interior, the former owner of the
house might have deserted it week
ago, On wall-rack lay two walking
sticks and gold-mounted hunting
crop and on great carved chest
below 1t had been flung an opened
book bound in fooled leather John
Valiant picked this up curiously. II
was Lucille He noted that here
and there passages were marked witt
! penciled lines-some light and femi
} ninety delicate. some heavier, a!
! though two had been reading 1t to
gether, noting their individual prefer
4, euces.
He laid II back musingly. and open
Ing door, entered the large room Il
disclosed. This had been the dining
room At one ens stood cryEta
knophed mahogany sideboard, holdn
, glass csnelest!cks in the shape Q
Ionic co.YUr3-above il quains eci
trcit of lady in hoops ana love
; cgr.5--..nd at the other end was
hGa fireplace with rist-red fredog
T Htt furnished brass fender. NJ these
! VITA HE round centlpede table AM
4 the Chinpendale chairs set N crce
> against. the walls, were dlmmed AM