The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1914-08-29

saze returned to the house Yet what
place It must have been In its time!
He went slowly back to where his con-
ductor sat on the lchened horse
block.
ives heah, called Uncle Jefferson
cheerfully Whit We gwinter do
mex, sub? Reck'n All better go ovah
ter Miss Dandrdges place fer er
crowbah Lawd!" he added, "ef he
ain got de key! Whut yo think OBJ
dat now?'
John Valiant was looking closely at
tne big key: for there were words,
which he had not noted before en-
graved in the massive flange. Friends
all hours" He smiled. The sentiment
sent warm current of pleasure to
his fnger.tips Here was the very
text OF hospitality!
A Lllliputian spider-web was
stretched over the preempted keyhole.
and he fetched a grassstem and poked
out its tiny gray.striped denizen be-
fore he inserted the key in the rusted
lock. He turned It 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 a spacious hall. his nos
trils filed with 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 wide, balus
traded double staircase led to upper
darkness. The floor, where his foot
prints had disturbed the even gray
film OF dust. was OF fine close par
quetry and had been generously
strewn everywhere with a micn-like
powder. lie stopped and took up
pinch 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 q tall Dutch clock, and on
one side protruded a huge bullying
something draped with a yellowed
linen sheet From its shape he
guessed this to be an elk's head. Dust,
undisturbed. lay thickly on everything.
ghostly floating cobwebs crawled
across his face. and a bat fitted out
OF fireplace and vanished squeak
ing over his head. With Uncle JET.
ferson's 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 musty smell that pervades a sun
less interior. the former owner OF the
house might have deserted II q week
ago. On a wall.rack lay two walking.
sticks and gold.mounted hunting.
crop. and on a great carved chest
below 1t had been flung an opened
book bound in fooled leather John
Valiant picked this up curlously. 1t
was Lucille" He noted that here
and there passages were marked NTH
penciled lines-some light and femi.
ninety delicate. some heavier. as
though two had been reading II to.
sether. noting their individual prefer.
enCes.
lie laid It back musingly. and open.
ng door, entered the large room It
disclosed This had been the dining,
Dom. At one end stood crystal.
mahogany sideboard. holding
glass candlesticks in the shape OF
onlc columns-above It quaint por-
raft OF lady In hoops aud love.
at the other end was a
huge fireplace with rust.red fire dogs
md furnished brass fender All thes,
With the round centipede table and
he Chippendale chairs set in order
against the walls, were dimmed and
,rayed with .hick 2owdering Of dust