The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-06-25

DenQ or the creek where they lie, from the road. and the old willows that lean over 'em.''
 Cheerful sort of person the late MT. Hogg seems to have been. Any relics of his trade in the house?"
 Relies? You may say sol His old pistols and compasses, guns, nautical instruments and the leaded whalebone whip that they used to say he slept with. They've got 'em hung on the walls now for ornym ents. Ornymentsi If they'd seen lem as I've seen lem, they'd sink the dummed things in a hundred fathom O clean sea-
 Sailor Smith was cabin boy on one of the old Hogs fleet one voyage" ex- plained Elder Dennett.
 God forgive me for ity' said the old man. There they hang, and with lem the chains and''-
 Isn't that lamp finished yety" de- manded Kent, turning sharply upon Elder Dennett.
 Having paid for it, with something extra for his curtness, he led the sea man out of the place
 You were going to say and hand cuffs weren't youy' he inquired.
 ssWhy, yes What of thatr' asked the veteran, puzzled Suddenly he brought his hand down with a slap on his thigh. Where was my wits? ?'' he cried. Them irons on the dead wom- ans wrist! knew I'd seen their like before. Slave manacles! They must "a, come from Hogg's haven!,'
 "Very likely. But that suspicion had better be Kept quiet at present. g
 Aye, aye, sir.'' agreed the other ssNdore deviIment from the old haven2 A bad house-a rotten bad houser'
 ttyUS F,~z look at if, 2 said Chester Kent rausing- ly. 'sGoing back to AnnaIaka. MT. Smith? I'll walk with you as far as the road to Mir. Sedgwick's.'
 Freed of the veterans company at the turn Of the road. Kent sat down and took his ear in hand to think
 Miss Dorrance," he unused. Mario rie Dorrance. What simpler twist for nickname than to transform that into Marjorie Daw? Poor Sedgwickr'
 At the Nook he found the object of his commiseration mournfully striving to piece together. as in a mosaic, the shattered remnants of his work. sedg- wick frightened at his friends ap- proach.
 aFor heavens sake, come out and do me a couple of sets of tennisi" he be sought. I'm no sport for you, know. particularly as my nerves are junpy, but need the work.
 Sorry. my boy," said Kent >but I've got to make mere or less polite call. People named B1air.s- Ever know emp
 Used to know a Wi1fr1d Blair in Paris, said the artist indifferent1y. ''What kind ce q person was he?''
 s'An agreeable enough little beast.
  the man you're going to see ?''
 -'No such luck" said Chester Kent sT never expect to see Wilfrid Blair Probably shan't even be invited to ais funeral
 .'Oh. Is he dead?"
 ~His death is officially expected any day.
 With which words Kent stepped out and into his waiting car
 After departing from the Nook Rents car rolled along beside Sunday mans creek sedately enough until 1t approached the wide bend. where it indulged in a bit of pathhnding across the country. and eventually crept into the shade of a clump of bushes and hid. Its occupant emerged and went forward afoot until he came In view of Hedgerow house. At the turn of she stream he leaped a fence and made his way to a group of willows beneath which the earth was ridged with little mounds. Professor Chester Kent was trespassing. He was invading the ter Ritory of the dead.
 From the seclusion of the graveyard amid the willows a fair view was af- forded of Hedgerow house. Grim as was the repute given it, it presented 70 the intruder an aspect of homely negotiable sweetness and quaintness. Tall hoIlyhocks lifted their flowers to smile in at the old fashioned windows. Here and there on the well kept lawn peonies glowed. crimson and white. A great, clambering rose tree had thrown its arms around the square porch, softening the uncompromising angles into curves of leafage and bloom Along the paths pansies laughed at the sun, and mignonette scattered it's scented summons to bee and butter fly. The place was a loved place; so much Kent felt with srreness of in stinct. No home blooms except by love.
 But the house was dead. Its eyes were closed. Silence held it. The gar den buzzed and flickered with vivid multicolored life. but there was no stir from the habitation of man. Had its occupants deserted it?
 From the far side of the mansion came the sound of a door opening and closing again. Moving quickly along the sumac fringed course of the creek, Kent made a detour which gave him view of side entrance and had bare ly time to efface himself in the shrub bery when light wagon, with spir- ited horse between the shafts, turned briskIy out into the road. Kent, we'll sheltered. caught one brief sufficient glimpse of the occupant It was Dr. Breed. The medical officer looked, as always, nerve beset, but there was greedy smile on his lips.
 Rents mouth puckered. He took deep breath of musical inspiration and exhaIed it in painful noiselessness, dattening himself amid the greenery