The Monmouth inquirer., 1919-05-08

with a perpetual twitching and jerk
ing. especially in the throat. which
would readily tend to get on any
body's nerves. .,
"Mrs. spragg, my good creature,
said Brodeur, kindly show the doc
tor tn her room. l hope you remem-
beSed to have a good fire built there,
as I told you this afternoon|
eyes. sir; yes indeed, sir" she
bobbed "My son Joel he
very well. No more about thai
please" -
And Bordeau dismissed her with
certain vexation.
aDoctor.e said he to me, make
Yourself entirely at home. Dinner
will be ready when you are"
He bowed again. Ergazy nodded.
Mrs. Spragg picked up my vallse, ana
with a. Fright this way, deary," led
me toward the broad, curying stairs
that led from the wide hall to the
floor above.
The honse. I saw as followed her,
was built on generous lines foreign TO
modern architecture with its scrlmp-
ing. economical policies. The huge
hallway divided it through the middle,
with exit doors at both ends and room
doors to right and left. A vast fire
nlace with a cheerful blaze of apple
logs flaming up the black throat OF
the chimney occupied much space at
the right.
On the mantel, in front of a broad
mirror. stood some trifles and two
lars with pussy-willows-index OF
woman's care, surely not Mrs.
Spragg's. Over these l saw two cross
ed rapiers, doubtless some ancient
family heirlooms.
On the landing of the stairway
colonial clock licked with deliberate
patience, unmoved by all the TRACE
dies of the past, calmly facing all that
still might come.
Mrs. Spragg, putting and clucking
to herself rather surprisingly, led me
TO a cheerful and most comfortably
furnished room on the second floor. A
spotless bed, chest of drawers, a
dresser of ancient pattern, a chair or
two, a capac cious rocker, rag carpets,
two or three pictures of the Loves
Token" variety. and vigorous fire
on the hearth made cheering pic
ture.
White scrim curtains shut out the
night. Cozy warmth filled the place.
l took off my hat and wraps, opened
my valise, and felt better.
Here you are, deary," remarked
Mrs. Spragg, regarding me with one
eye, while the other wandered some
where over NE door.
She twitched moment, then add
ed:
Supper will be ready right away
They call it dinner; but it amt, and l
won't for them nor nobody. You
got jest time to git ready. You'll meet
her then-poor thing!"
''Who2 Tho ratient?"
"M-m-m-m-huh!"
Mrs. Spragg sighed deeply.
"Who is she? And why do you
call her poor thing'?"
Her? dunno. They call her
Alexandra, but / carlate that amt her
name. Who she is or where she come
from, Lord knows! Foreign, / guess,
or some outlandish thing. She amt
plain, honest United States, nohow,
no more than them two.
but you are. Amt you, deary?
Bless the Lord for that!"
- 4 hot I
what want to know is why you pity
herr"
why? Well, | caPlate she wun't
never come through it, though far be
it from me to predict evil. The way
she plays them tum -tum-tum pieces,
without no tune nor music to EN-,
gives me to think she's low in her
mind, and"
"She won't come through what?"
demanded eagerly, my suspicious
suddenly aroused by the old woman's
chatter. What do you mean?"
Il dunno for sure" she answered,
twisting her apron in those scrawney
fingers. But got a right to my own
opinions. Amt I? You can stay or
not, jest as you see fit. I amt got
nothin' to say"
''You mean there's something wrong
about this work?'
"Well-they claim its honest, all
right; but I think it's as far from be-
in square as frog is from feathers,
My son Joel-he cuts the wood for
'em here; amt quite right in his head,
l reckon, but he has idees too. Joel
has-he says. says he-Bless my soul,
there's my potatoes b'ilin' on nowl"
Mrs. Spragg turned and deported
hastily toward unknown regions be-
low stairs.
Left alone, l pondered while made
ready for the meal. The old womans
tnnuendoes had done little to reassure
me Ny instructive uneasiness was
growing fast.
By the time was ready to go down
| had quite discredited Ergazy's state
ments, and had made UP my mind for
the most unsayory Developments.
I