The Washington times., 1920-04-04


wanted. In an AFFAIR between my
uncle and the keeper . girl might
be only In the way. Still. might
possibly be OF use-,my uncle was
accustomed to confer with me .
good deal, much more than q man
often does with q young Firl-snd.
besides-I suppose ! may as we'll
confess tiny curiosity was furi-
ously aroused.
had lost half a minute or so Of
time. while thus debating. but !
quickly made II Up again. ! expect
q girl has rather an advantage
over q man in the speed OF throw
ing on the few clothes essential to
decent covering. always excepting
any hair-dressing or the like van.
ity. At any rate. ! found myself
on the landing outside Uncle
Ralph's room just at the moment
at which he was coming out.
He did not seem the least sur
prised to see mel suppose he
was occupied with his own thoughts
in any case, he accepted my pres.
ence there as the most natural
thing. No doubt he realized that
l, too. must have been aroused by
the ringing and by the keepers
calling up.
When we got TO the hall, after
going down the stairs together. we
found there Granger. the butler,
fumbling away at the bolts and
chain OF the door. He seemed to
me to take an unconscionable time
about undoing them. one by one,
and blundering over each, although
they must have been perfectly Ia
miliar to his hand. He must have
done and undone them nightly and
daily for many years. But ! no
ticed that he hardly seemed to be
looking at them (of course the
electric light had been switched
fully on), but at my uncle's face
all the while.
And then l noticed another sin.
gular thing about Grainger's ap-
pearance. Uncle was as dishev-
elIed as / myself. In his hastily
snatched up attire, hastily thrown
on, but Granger was fully dressed.
even to his collar and perfect
white tie. He could not, surely,
have been to bed. And yet knew
II was his usual habit to 60 to bed
early.
After an exasperatingly long
grinding and groaning of bolts, as
It seemed to me. the door was
opened. and food OF moonlight
came in. Runyer, the retriever,
wagged his tail and shifted about
. u.s.. .-.-...
Still, Livesay did not speak for
q moment In any explanation OF his
extraordinary summons. He glanced
uneasily -fitst at me and then st
= Graingse Hsnseemed at . loss TO
begin on what he came to say. At
length my uncle said testify. well
what 10 IT."
Even then he delayed. He
plucked my uncle by the sleeve.
with q familiarity which he would
hardly have used In the broad day
light and In ordinary circum'
stances. He muttered something
into my uncle's ear. In that same
singular. hoarse whisper % before,
only much reduced In volume, 90 II
be was using II at much shorter
range. I caught only some scraps
OF words of it-"a body"-"the
Summer-house." My uncle ejacu'
lated dreadfully once or twice,
my God! My God!" Then he be'
gan moving away, few quick
steps, with the keeper.
hardly knew whether should
follow them or not; they paid nc
attention to me.
"Uncle," I called. moving q step
or two after them irresolutely.
He stopped, "Well?" he said,
rather impatiently.
Shall ! come? Will you want
me? Or"-as o thought suddenly
struck me-"hadn't ! better tell
Aunt Enid you've gone out with
Livesay! She's sure to have been
awakened" -,
He stood intent q moment, as II
ne could not make up his mind
how he should answer. was
startled by his face; It looked "a
haggard and white in the moon
light. All at once he said quickly:
"Yes, yes. Do what you Ike
Then he turned again and the two
men went rapidly away together
across the gravelled drive, the big
black dog At their heels.
watched them for . moment
and then wheeled about to meet
the gray Scottish eyes set deer
beneath the overhanging brows in
Grainger's rugged, inscrutable face
He still stood without moving al
the door and l believe he looked
after my every step as l went up
out OF the hall to my aunts room
Knocked at the door There was
no answer. knocked again, much
louder, but still, to my surprise
no answer came, 80 ] turned the
door handle and went In. The
room Gas In darkness.
Aunt Enid" l called, but there
was no reply. b..
Mo baart hogan haattn1 o., ri