The Connecticut labor press., 1920-05-15
CHAPTER lI-Continued.

Antoine departed with a resentful twist of the shoulders, and I decided to meet squarely the matter of the visitors who had so troubled him.
 Please don't be frightened" I saidf as lightly as possible, "but these old follows haven't enough to do, and they are full of apprehensions. They have been alarmed by an agent of some sort who wants to welcome you to America by selling you a piano on easy payments"
 Antoine had been lowering inside, and my remark brought him to the door,
 Beg pardon, Mir. Singleton, but that party is not an agent, but quite different, sir. He came to the house, quite like gentleman, several times, and asked if Mrs. Bashford had ar rived. He came in a big car, and seemed disappointed, madame, that you were not here and not expected. A very well-spoken gentleman, and we'd have thought nothing of it except that a few days later I caught a man I was sure was the same party, but
 
 across the veranda right there where you're sitting. When I called to him he ran as hard as he could. and Graves-he's the vegetable gardener saw him leaving the property by the back way"
 "Its hardly possible that man who impressed you as a gentleman when you saw him at the door should have returned in disguise and tried to break into the house."
 "Oh," exclaimed Mrs. Farnsworth, "it would be so much more delightful If that were true! Any one in dis guise is bound to be interesting A disguise suggests most beautiful pos abilities"
 I could not be sure in the dim light of the veranda, but ' thought detect ed a white slipper cautiously reach out and touch a black one. At any rate, Mrs. Farnsworth lapsed into .si- lence.
 Thank you very much, Antoine," said Alice. ''It is very proper for you to tell me anything of any stranger on the property, but I see nothing here to be alarmed about. If the same gentleman calls again, let me know instantly"
 ''Very good, madame" And then, turning as though conferring upon me a part of his responsibility for the se- curity of the premises: "It's a party with limp; just a trifiing limp, sir; you'd hardly notice it. A smallish man, rather dark, with a little mus tache turned up at the ends."
 q have noted all these details, An toine," I replied; and again thought there was a telegraphic exchange be- tween the ladies though this time black slipper was the means of con- munication.
 Terrence arrived in a moment. and nothing has ever given me keener joy than his shock of surprise at beholding Mrs. Bashford. I was devoutly grate- full that he had not been present at the dinner-table, for my own efforts to interest Terrence in anything but the most practical matters had always been highly unsuccessful, and the dis cussion of ghosts and witches would hardly have amused him. As Mrs. Farnsworth and I took up the recent \ overheard Terrence putting all the machinery of the trust company at Mrs. Bashford's disposal. It seemed almost a blasphemy to be talking of income and like matters to a woman like Alice Bashford!
 They continued their conference for some time, but I got nothing out of Mrs. Farnsworth that shed any light on my aunt's history beyond what she had told me herself, which was pre- cious little. Mrs. Farnsworth's talk was that of a cultivated woman. Her voice interested me unaccountably the tones had all manner of shadings and infections; it was curiously mu- Sical, but in speaking of the great war n passionate note crept into it that stirred me deeply.