Bisbee daily review., 1914-12-25

anu uOOIS cuuNtu tue SLOW ulNIleI0loh of the smoke, but the lights In the room stll shone dimly as through a fog
 "Its beastlyw calculated Wiggins coughing "l didn't suppose Pepper ton would put a fiue like that into house He ought to be shoC'
 "It is fortunate" said Miss Hollis ter, "that Mir Ames is on the ground. Il He now has a case that will test his most acute powers of diagnosis
 The logs that had burned SO brightlyiI before the chimney choked still held their flames stubbornly. and l had ad- | vised against pouring water upon | them fearing to crack the brick and | stone work. We were about to adjourn | to the drawing room. Miss Hollister | and the others had in fact reached | the door, leaving me alone before the | hearth Then, as | stood half blinded | watching the smoke pour out into the | room and more puzzled than l had . ever been before in my of my em- l ployments. the chimney. with deep intake of breath began drawing the ! smoke upward again. The flames caught l uNAA NlIltN0 NAAA AfNN VI tAl MANNAf AAAN when the trio still loitering i'm the haR returned in answer to my exclamation of surprise the fiue had recovered It's composure and was behaving in a sane and normal manner.
 "A swallow undoubtedly fell into the chlmneypot and then got itself out again." suggested Cecilia.
 "The logs must have been wet. The sap hadn't dried out yet" proposed Wiggins.
 "The wood was as dry as tinder." averred Miss Hollister. not without irritation. And one swallow does not make a summer or a chimney smoke It must have been a changing current | of mir. was reading a book on bal 1 looming the other day, and it is re- markable how the air currents change"
 That is quite possible, as the air cools rapidly after sunset at this sea son, and that is bound tO have an ef- ! feet on the quality and resistance of ] the atmosphere l replied sagely. ] Perhaps. suggested Miss Hollister. with one of those flashes of animation that were so delightful fin her, 'it was a ghost. The presence of a ghost in this house would give me the greatest pleasure. l should look upon a ghosts appearance at Hopedeld Manor as a great compliment. If any reputable, decent ghost should by any chance ! take up his residence in this house I should give him every encouragement"
 Miss Hollister seemed to have for . .F The chimney's lawless demonstration had, in fact, given a new turn to the evening We discussed ghosts for half an hour, and then, without having en- joyed any opportunity for a single pri- vate word with Cecilia, Wiggins rose tO leave. He shook hands all around and bowed from the door. It was in my mind to follow making a pretext of walking with him to the station or of helping him find his car, but n6th- ing in his good night to me encouraged such attentions, and as I pondered the
 outer door closed upon my irresolu-
 tion.
 At the stroke of 10 Miss Hollister rose and excused herself. We break
 fast at &. Mir Ames. l trust the hour
 does not conflict with your habits.'
 J assured her that the hour was
 wholly agreeable, and she gave me her
 hand with great dignity.
 When ] turned toward Cecilia she
 had moved to a seat close by the
 hearth and was gazing dreamily into
 the fire, now bed of glowing coals.
 Tt was odd, l remarked.
 You mean the chimneyg"
 "Yes. II was quite unaccOuntable.
 ! confess that I never knew a chim-
 neys mood to change so abruptly"
 She sat silent for several minutes
 and then she lifted her head and her eyes met mine.
 Pardon me. Mir Ames, but did my
 aunt ask you here to examine the , chimneys? l didn't quite understand. We have been here only week; the weather has been warm, and l believe
 thiS fire had not been lighted before today You will pardon my frankness, but I cant quite understand why my aunt invited you here if you came pro , fessionally I thought when you ap- peared this afternoon that you were a giest-nothing more-or less" ? "You had heard nothing of any trou- 3 ble with the dreplaces? Then l am in the dark as much as you. As l under t stood 1t, was called here to examine s the fues; but, now that l think of it., ] she did not say explicitly that her chimneys were behaving badly, though e that was, of course. implied I natU- [ rally assumed that she summoned me e here in my professional capacity. D was a stranger to your aunt; she would a hardly have invited me otherwise imagine, however, that your aunt acts - a good deal on impulse Her asking
 me here may have been only a whim.' % Please don't imagine that your com l ing has not been agreeable to me" Ce- T ella protested. My aunt Is quite - capable of inviting a stranger to the house. She met you, believe, at the x Asolando l hope you understand that . 1t is only because l am in deep trou- u ble Mir Ames trouble of tbe praVest