New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-06-07

came back to London after his last al
venture he found on his table u quee
telegram. 1t read:
please come at once with your car an
try solve mystery at old house now USE
as hotel patroniZed by motorists, Sam
rate paid per day for necessary time II
for automobile ~tour.-Sidney Chester
Wood House, New Forest. References
London and Scottish Bank"
And the message was dated two day
back.
Christopher did not see why HI
should be applied to as Il solver o.
mysteries. However, the Telegram
sounded interesting. He answered thu
wire.
Just back from journey. Fount
telegram he wired. Am l still want
ed? If SO, can come"
When an answer arrived he hat
Scarlet Runner ready for another
start.
Yes, urgently wanted" ran the re
ply. Hope You n start this after
noon. But don't come to Wood House
Will meet you at the Sandboy and Owl
within mile of H%inghurst as you come
from London. Please let me know
probable hour of arrival.-Chester."
Christopher wired again. "liope to
reach you about seven" He had often
passed the Sandboy and owl, and re-
membered the roadside inn for its pic
turcsquencss. so that he lost no time
in finding the way.
81 have come to see Il Mr.. Chester,
who will be here in ten or fifteen min
utes," Race said to the landlord, who
looked as if he might have had Il
merit0rious past as II coachman in
some aristOcratic household.
The sporting eye of the old man sud
denly twinkled. 81 think, sir" he an
swered, "thnt the person you expect
has arrived, and is waiting in my pri-
waite parlor, which | have given up for
the-for the purpose"
The landlords manner and slight
hesitation, as if in search of the right
word, struck Christopher as odd.
The landlord opened a door at the
end Of a dim corridor, and said re-
specially to someone u of sight,
''The gentleman with the motor has
arrived" Then he backed out of the
way, and Christopher stepped over the
threshold. He saw a girl rise up from
n chair, crumpling IL telegram which
she had been reading by the light of Il
shaded lamp.
Il beg your pardon exclaimed
Christopher. 1--WE come from London
to see a Mr.. Sidney Chester, and was
told | should find him here, but"
"Tm Sidney Chester" said the girl.
"1t'was l who ~telegraphed for you to
colne and help u.s."
Christopher was surprised, but he
kept his countenance
"Sidney is a woman's name as well
as a mans" she went on, and there
was no use explaining in IA telegram.
Please sit down, and Ill-no, l can't
promise to make you understand, for
the things beyond understanding; but
I'll tell you about it. Perhaps you've
heard Of Wood House and the strange
happenings there? We've tried to
keep the talk out of the papers, but
1t was impossible; and there've been
paragraphs in most Of them for the
last fortnight"
"Ive been touring for a fortnight"
replied Christopher, land haven't paid
much attention to the papers"
I'm glad" answered the girl. "be-
cause you'll listen to what ! have to
tell you with an unbiased mind.
"It's a beautiful old house." she
went on. "There are pictures and ac-
of 1t in books about the coun-
try. We've got the lOveliest oak ~ 1el-
Ing in nearly all the rooms, and Won
derful furniture. OF course, we love
1t dearly-my mother and |. the only
Ones of the family who are left, but
disgustingly poor; our branch
Of the Chesters have been growing
poorer for generations. was silly
to fall in love with Il man who
ought to marry an heiress. for he's
j"or, too, and has n title, which makes
harder and more grinding.
He's trying to get n fortune out of a
'anch in Colorado. That made me feel
rs if / must do something, and we
couldn't let Wood House, because
here's a clause in fathers will against
,ur doing so. We're obliged to live
here, or forfeit it to the person who
would have inherited it If the place
lad been entailed and had had to go to
male heir. ,
"But no such thought came to poor
ather as that mother and I would
of making the house into a
lotel, so it didn't occur to him to pro- I
ide against such a contingency. 1t
vas / who had the idea. =
Every penny We could spare, and a
Dt we couldn't, we spent on adver- 4,
ising, and two months ago we opened l
he house as a hotel. Our old servants
'ere good about helping. and we got in I
everal new ones We began to make
he most astonishing success, and 1 7
Tas delighted. {
This thing that Is now happening $
us is preposterous." continued Miss
People come to our house, L