The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-06-24

| 50 nice and high up. When / was on She
ground floor i did not sleep very well.
Miss Thorne told me one day that the
people in the house were always leaving
and did not shut unless you shut It.
which sometimes In hurry you did not
/ do. And Miss Thorne confided 70 me
that one Of the men in the house had
lost pair of trousers, and she thought
| that some one had walked in the front
door and walked off with Them if not in
them. l timidly suggested that 1 was
the only one who slept the first floor
that / did not feel particularly happy
about it, why, how ridiculous" she
said. This is the best policed city in the
country. We never lock the back door
You see the high wall back of us protects
US. l had seen man, the gardener next
door, sitting that wall the day be-
fore, swinging his feet OVER OUR SIDE
OF THE WALL. And knew that the
back door led to the back stairs. SO
was glad to get nearer the roof. Patty,
/ like adventure, but not too much, par
ticulariy at night. 1 have decided to adj
venture in the daytime. 1t may not be so
exciting, but 1 believe 1t Is safer.
1 had bolted all my doors down stairs,
and kept my windows down, with a small
aperture at the top to let in the air. and
spring had come and gone, and the aper-
ture was small for this time of wear So
l drew deep breath Of satisfaction (Not
that 1 had been afraid, of course) ana
! threw my windows wide.
But the light bothered me. 1t seemed
to me that 1 never saw so much light in
! all my life. The first night 1 slept
! through it. But the second night, l got
| up and went to the window and looked
out. L saw a brightly lighted house,
across the way, but, the curtains Were
drawn, and the light was not quite SO
disturbing as it had been. So 1 turned
a IL
dreamed that was in Pensacola and that
Dad was writing me check for one thou
sand dollars, and telling me to spend it TO
suit myself. 1t was rather a shock when
walked up in the morning with the maid
knocking on the door to tell me that 1 was
wanted at the phone. 1 goI into a negli-
gee and furious when / found it was
that MONSTER who wanted my ART. L
used to hate Dads profanity, but now /
know that all things have place. Not
being polite to swear, 1 slammed down
the phone, took my bath at my leisure.
had my toast and co1ree, served in my
room, and then, deep in consideration as
to whether the slim young lady with the
broken back that 1 was drawing should
wear a sport suit a morning gown,
strolled over to the window and looked
out. The room overlooked z SAonderful
garden. Over the high wall a wistaria
vine clambered. There was a paved
court with a fountain in the center,
grass that grew between the walks and
bushes with nice, green, and not very
dusty leaves. And a not very big and
rather Japanesey looking but a real tree
And if the fountain had been playing it
would have been lovely. AS it was, 1t
was spick and span could be, and
made a delightful Introduction to the
great house Of which it was the rear.
The house. which is really two houses
in one, is of red brick, and six stories
and on the. second floor. these windows
formed a great embrazure, and were cur
tanned in exquisite lace old-fash-
toned pattern. The glimpses one gained
through those curtains gave one a sense
OF luxurious appointment and lavished
wealth. But there was no sign of life.
That night 1 was so tired 1 fell asleep
as soon as my head struck the pillow. but
i was awakened suddenly with a start.
lad forgotten to turn the cot about and
the light was streaming in. I got up and
walked over to the window and looked
down in evaporation at the flood Of
blilIiancy. But 1 did not go back to bed.
! was too interested. The curtains were
drawn back and in beautifully furnish
eu room an old, white-haired man sat 1T
an old-fa shioned secretary, going over pa
pers. He was small, almost attenuated
ir form, with pale, aseetic face. He
might have just stepped out of the pages
OF best seller for the effect his APP
pearance had on me- 1 was enthraIled,
watching him. The on:y sign of life
had seen about the house.
The next morning 1 found the place SO
deserted-looking, thought perhaps had
dI canned it, but the next night 1 looked
out, and there sat my old man-and the
next day and the next. i formed the
habit of getting up early In the morning
to verify my vision of the night before,
but he is never there But every night
i'm af Ia u folk
clad in evening dress, going over number
less papers, always looking exactly the
same-like picture from the past
Patty, II you viii solve the mystery, !
viii give you a prize. You used to be a
master hand, when it came 10 solving
riddles.
/ Your loving,