Grand Forks herald., 1917-02-15
was landlord as we'll. 1t wa. infurl
BY EDGAR JEPSOM

ating.
One afternoon I came out into the
central garden to smoke a cigar and
talk to the children. There I found
Alice Devine and the angel-child. The
angel-chtld was in great feather be-
cause she was finding Lord Can
telune's new nurse quite satisfactory.
did not join her in her satisfaction.
for as l came into the garden I had
had a full view of the disgusting ap-
pearance Of Number 16.
Presently Alice said: whats the
matter? You seem quite depressed"
II think he's very disagreeable-
quite piggish." said the angel-child
frankly.
Its that beastly house-Number
LIT makes me positively sick. Tn
expecting to see rich crop of thistles
in those window-boxes before long" I
said grumpily.
why don't you have them cut?"
said Alice
"I've no right to interfere with my
tenants windowhoXes." said.
"If l only did the things / had a
right to do, should find it dull" said
the angel-child.
81 don't suppose your tenant would
ever know: and if he did, he would
probably be much obliged to you"
said Alice. after all he's in South
America"
"By jove! That's an idea." I said.
1t was an idea that did not want
any thinking about. The thing to do
was to act.
Come along. let's find gardener
and have it done at once" I said.
They came along briskly; the mere
fact that I was going to do forbid
den thing seemed to make 1t quite at
tractve to the angel-child.
OF course the first gardener we
found was Frederick. I told him to
get a ladder and come and trim the
window-boXes at Number 16. | was
impatient to see it done and I went
with him. He seemed to think he had
got three days quiet work before
him. I did not see it in that way, and
hustled him along hardin fact I
got hustle on him. as they used to
say in the states when was there. In
ten minutes | had him clipping away
at the boxes on the first floor. I stood
on the steps of the house. directing
his labors: and Alice and the angel
child stood by my side. The angel
child made suggestions. Frederick
did not seem to be able to do any.
thing quite to her liking.
Frederick had clipped the boxes in
tne TWO Slue WINDOWS ol tHe OTdWlH
room. when of.a sudden he gave an
awful yell, came tumbling down the
ladder and hit his head a thurderins
crack on the pavement.
The angel-child laughed, and Alice
and ! ran to him. He seemed stunned
I propped him. up against the steps
ran to my own house and fetched
my office and set him very gently on
a sofa. Alice and Miss Wishart
hustled about and wrapped wet cloths
round his head, and a footman ran
I for a doctor. Frederick began to
groan: and there was bump as big
as hens egg on the top of his head.
We waited anNionsly for the doctor,
and I saw that the angel was
beginning to look really frightened.
Then Frederick came to himself
and said: "Workman's Compensation
Act"
| I was relieved, though Frederick
groaned louder than ever. Then
When he had done the doctor said:
You're all right. my man-only a
bump on the head
Frederick only uttered a deep
groan. The doctor ordered the wet
cloth to be kept round his head, and
to be changed again when it got
warm.
I went with him to the door, and he
said: 'tYour gardeners got good
thick skull. Lord Garthoyle. It's
a good job he fell on 1t. He might
have broken something"
I went back to Frederick and found
him groaning loudly.
What the poor fellow wants is a
stiff brandy-andsod said to
Richards.
There was a break in Frederick g
groaning. then he went on again
louder than ever.
Richards brought the brandy-and-
soda. mixed it, propped Frederick
against the back of the sofa and held
| the glass to his lips.
Frederick emptied 1t and said feeb-
ly: More"
Give the poor fellow another" I
said; and Richards gave him another.
Frederick swallowed it firmly. then
he moaned: Il shan't be able to
How came you to fall off the lad
der?"- said.
ut was the fyce-the 'orrible fyce
wiv eyes like devil 1t give me a
start said Frederick.
well. that was silly fancy to
bump your head for said.
1T warn't no fancy: seed it plyne
an was a-starin' at me-" said Freder-
ick in a firm voice.
Rubbish. The house is empty" I
said
With two brandies-and-sodas in
him. Frederick proved Of very ar
gumentative disposition. He sat up
to discuss the matter. He would have
it that 1t was no fancy. He had look
ed up from his work to see horrible
face staring at him round the corner
Of the blind. It was such a deyilish
face that the sight of it had given
him such e start that he had lost his
balance and fallen off the ladder. He
grew more and more excited about
it the more firmly expressed my dis
belief in it. He forgot all about the
Workman's Compensation Act and
his weeks and weeks Of holiday: and
at last. arguing furiously. he walked
to Number 16 with me- I climbed
the ladder myself: there was no face
there. ] raped the window: no face
peered at me round the corner Of the
blind. The blind never stirred.
gave Frederick half-a sovereign
to soothe the pain of the bump on his
head. and fetched another gardener,
had the rest of the window-boxes
trimmed and thought very little Of
| Frederick's silly fancy.
But night or two later, coming
back from playing baccarat and talk
ing to Alice at Cruton's. came upon
Brookes, the most intelligent of the
| POLICEMEN who protect the Gardens.
in front of Number 16. remember
| ed Frederick's story and stopped and
told him about It,
Brookes knows Frederick, and he
said: 'Lor'. m'Lord. there's nothin'
in what 'e sees or don't see. If e
seed a purply-green fyce, It Wouldn't
have surprised me. SEEM the amount
| of booze e gets outside OF in a dav"