Bisbee daily review., 1914-12-30


 her l was surprised to ind that the site commanded a wide area, including the unmistakable roofs and chimneys of Hope6eld Manor half a mile distant.
 You will see something funny down there in a minute. They are out of sight now. but there's stile, the kind with steps. just beyond those trees It's in path that leads from the Prescott Arms to Aunt Octavlas Look"
 My eyes discovered the stile. It was set in a wall that was, she told me. the boundary dividing Hope6eld Manor from another estate nearer our posi- tiou
 Suddenly a silk hat bobbed in the path beyond the stile It rose as it's owner mounted the steps, it paused an instant when the top Of tbe sule was reached. then quickly descended and came toward us, d black -blot above a black coat. ] was ubout Co ask her the meaning of this apparltlon when a second silk hat bobbed in the path and then rose like its predecessor. descend ing and Keeping on its way until hid den from our sight by shrubbery A third, fourth, fifth, sixth. seventh. eighth and ninth followed Nine gen tlemen in silk hats crossing stle in a lonely pasture between woodlands; SO much was plain to the eye from our vantage ground. But groped blindly for an explanation of this spectacle. The hobbing hats and dark coats sug- gested wanderers from some dark Plu- tonian cave, bent upon mischief to the upper world. Their step was jaunty-- they moved as though driiied to the same cadence.
 We waited a moment expecting that another figure might join the strange , procession, but nine was the correct | count l looked down to find Heze- kiah checking them or on the fingers of her slim brown hand.
 Has there been a funeral. aud are they the returning pail bearers?' l in- quired
 Not yet she replied. Her face showed amusement. The | twitching of her lips encouraged hope | that another of those delightful laughs was imminent She said:
 Those are Cecilia's suitors They | have been to Aunt Octavia's to tea. They're staying at the Prescott Arms | probably"
 They're terribly formal l cant get | rid of the impression of somberness | created by those fellows You'd hard | ly expect them to tramp cross country in those duds. Such grandeur should | go on wheels"
 "Oh. they are afraid of Aunt Octa. | via. She won't allow motor on her grounds, and l suppose they're afraid | they might break some other rule if they went on any kind of wheels. She's rather exactihg, you know, my | Aunt Octavia"
 q was at the Prescott for luncheon today, and | must have seen these | gentlemen there
 "Oh, you were at the PrescottT' { Almost for the first time her manner betrayed surprise, but mischief danced | in the brown eyes With Wigglns l confession as to the havoc he had l played with Hezekiah's confiding heart i fresh in my memory, 1 felt a delicacy | about telling her that it was to see | Wiggins that l had visited the inn. l But to my surprise she introduced the subject of Wiggins immediately and with laughter struggling for one Of those fountain-like splashes that were | SO beguiling
 "oh, wiggy is staying there! Do 1 you know Wiggy %
 Know Wiggy. Hezekah? l know | no man better.'
 "Wiggy is no end of fun. isn't he? I've heard him speak of you. You are his friend the chimney man. He was the Inst man over the stile. Did you
 notice that he fingered moment long er at the top than the others? From
 his being the ninth man 1 imagine that he was the last to leave the house. and he probably felt that this set him apart from the others. Wiggy is nothing if
 not shy and retiring"
 A heartbroken. lovelorn girl did not | 10