The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-03-27
.fCOntanned.l

! .s y will attend to you presently III of you" said l. They did not move ssDo you hear me7v I snapped angrily. They looked stoIidIy at the slim young lady.
 She smiled, rather proudly, thought ssYou may go,1 Conrad. I shah not need you. Max, will you fetch up another scutt1e of eoa17''
 They took their orders from heri
 By Jove.' I said, looking after my trusty men servants as they descended. T like this! Are they my servants or yours 2'
 .'oh, I suppose they are yours, ATt. Smart she said carelessly. .eWfI you come in now and make yourself quite at homer
 Perhaps I'd better walt for day of two,'' said I, wavering. seYour headache, you know. can wait just as well as''
 -oh, 10! Since you've gone to all the trouble suppose you ought to have something for your pains. 2
 Pains ?" I murmured, and I declare to heaven nmped as followed her through the door into tiny hall. You are most unreasonable man., she said, throwing open a small door at the end of the hall. 'I am terribly disappointed in you. You looked .to be 10 nice and sensible and amiable.' 2
 ~Oh, I'm not such nincompoop as you might suspect. madame" said [ testify, far from comp1fmented,
 ssAnd now, MT. Smart win you be kind enough to explain this incomprehensi- ble proceeding on your part P she said, facing me strnly. But was dumb. stood just inside the door of the most remarkable apart l meut it has ever been my good for 1 tune to look upon My senses reeled. l Was awake? Was this a part of the. bleak, sinister, weather racked castle in which was striving so hard to find comfortable corner? ssWelI?' she demanded reIentIessly.
 .By the Lord HarryH' began, find 1 ing my tongue only to lose it again. l The room was completely furnished, bedecked and rendered habitable by hundred and one articles that were. mysteriously missing from my side of the castle. Rugs, tapestries, curtains of the rarest quality; chairs, couches and cushions: ables, cabinets and chests that would have caused the eyes of the most conservative collector of antiques to bulge with-not wonder, but greed; stands, pedesta1s, brasses, brOnzes, porcelains but why enumer- ate? On the massive oalen center ta- ble stood the priceless silver vase we had missed on the second day Of our occupancy. and 1t was filled with fresh yellow roses.
 And so complete had been the riding of nay rooms by the devoted vandals in their efforts to make this lady cozy and comfortable that they did not overlook a silver framed photograph of my dear mother
 I tried to smile. tfHow-how cozy E you are here, said.
 e'You couldn't expect me to live in this awful place without some of the comforts and conveniences of life, MT. Smart" she said defantly. ssCertainIy not,' said promptly. .sI ann sure that you will excuse me. how ever. if I gloat was afraid we had lost all these things. You've no idea how relieved I ann to find them all safe and sound in my-in their proper place I was beginning to distrust the Schmicks. Now I am convinced of their integrity" |.
 'I suppose you mean to be saEcas. tic"
 Sarcasm at any price, madame, would be worse than useless; am sure.''
 Crossing to the fireplace, selected a lump of coal from the scuttle and examined it with great care She watched me curiously-
 "Do you recognize it?'' she asked.
 'I do,'' said l., looking up. Tt has been in our family for generations. My fayorite chunk, believe me! Still part with it cheerfully.' Thereupon T tossed it into the fire Don't be shocked. shan't miss it. We have coals to burn, madame" |.
 She looked at me sober1y for mo- nent There was something hurt and wistful in her dark eyes.
 "Of course, MT. Smart, shall pay you for ything-down to the small est trif1e+when the time comes for me to leave this place. have kept strict account off,
 She turned away, with beaten droop of the proud little head, and again was shamed.
 "Madame,'' I said. with considerable feeling, -I have behaved like down right rotter today. do not know who you are nor why you are here, but assure you it is of no real consequence if you will but condescend to overlook my insufferabie'-
 She turned toward me. The wist- ful. appealing look still fingered in her