Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1920-11-11
By A. CONAN DOYLE

j hi thG 'ohs
II was so queer that ! was deter
mined &c come to the bottom of It;
SO. tired as was. turned my shout.
der on home. and walked swiftly to
ward the tower. The grass stretches
right up TO the very base, of the wall
and my feet made little noise until
reached the crumbling arch where the
old gate used to he. peeped through
and there was B0naventure de Lamp
standing inside the keep. and peepins
ont through the very hole at which
] had seen his face. He was turned
half away from me. and II was clear
that he had not seen me at all. for he
was staring with all his eyes over in
the direction of West Inch. AS adj
vancec my foot ratified the rubbIe that
lay in the gateway. and he turned
round with a start and faced me.
"Hullo" said I, "what are you doing
here?
Il may ask you that" said he.
Il came up because saw your
face at the window"
"And | because. as you may well
have observed. ! have very much in
terest for all that has to do with the
military. and Of course castles are
among them. You will excuse me for
one moment. my dear Jack" and he
stepped ont suddenly through the hole
In tn wall. SO rs to be out OF my sight.
But was very much too curious
to excuse him SO easily. shifted
my ground swiftly. 10 see what II was
that he was after. He was standing
outside. and waving his hand franti.
callv. as In signal
What are you doing?" cried and
then. running out to his side. looked
across the mo0rs to see whom he was
beckoning to.
You go too far. SIR" said he an
griiy; II didn't thought you would
have gone so far. gentleman has
the freedom TO act as he choose. with
out your heing the spy npon him. IF
we are TO be friends. you must not
Interfere In my affairs"
II don't like these secret doings."
said |. "and my father would NOT like
them. either
your father can speak for himself
and there Is no secret" said lie curtly.
III Is You. with your imaginings. that
make n secret. Ia, ia. ia! have
no patience with such foolishness."
Ana. without so much as nod. he
turned his back upon me and tarted
walking swiftly to West Inch.
Well. ! followed him. and in the
worst of tempers. for had feeling
that there was some mischief in the
wind. and vet could not for the
life OF me think what II all meant.
What could there he to spy about In
Berwickshire. And besides. Major FL
iiott knew all about him. and he
would not show him such respect If
there was anything amiss.
had just got as far MS this In
my thoughts when ! heard CHEEKY
nall. and there was the major him.
self, coming down the hill from his
house. with his big bulldog. Bounder
held in leash. This dog was savage
creature. and had caused more than
one accident on the countryside. but
the major was very fond of It. and
would never go out without 1t. though
he kept II Tied with good thick
thong OF leather. Well. just Ms was
looking at the major. waiting for him
to come up, he stumbled with his
lame leg over branch Of gOrse. and
In recovering himself he let 60 his
hold of the leash. and In an instant
there was the beast of dog flying
down the hillside in my direction.
I did not like 1t. can tel! you.
for there was neither stick nor stone
about. and I knew that the brute
WAS dangerous. AS It came at me
with bristling hair and its nose
screwed back between its two rel
eyes. j cried out. "Bounder Bounder y
at the pitch of my lungs. It had
Its effect, for the beast passed me
with snarl, and flew along the path
on the traces Of Bonaventure de Lamp.
He turned at the shouting and
seemed to take In the whole thing
at n glance. but he strolled along as
slowly as ever. My heart was In my
mouth for him, for the dog had never
seen him before. and ran as fast as
my feet would carry me to dreg It
away from him. But somehow. as
II bounded up and saw the twittering
finger and thumb which De Lapp held
out behind him. its fry died suddenly
away, and we sew 1t wagging Its
thumb of tail nnti Gawsng at his
knee.
"sYour dog, then, najpr?" said he,
an fts owner came hobhiinp mn "Ah