Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-08-21
CHAPTER Il-Continued.

Antoine departed with a reSentfui
twist Of the shoulders, and l decided
20 meet squareiy the matter of the
visitors who had so troubled him.
"Please don't be frightened" ! said
as lightly as possible, "but these old
follows haven't enough 10 do, and they
are full of approximations. They have
been alarmed by an agent Of some
, sort who wants 10 welcome You to
America by selling you piano on
easy payments"
Antoine had been lowering inside,
and my remark brought him to the
door.
BEG pardon. Mr.. Singleton, but
that party Is not an agent, but quite
different, sir. He came to the house,
quite like a 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 weli-spoken gentleman, and
we'd have thought nothing Of 1t except
that few days later | caught a man
was sure was the same party. but
dressed In rough clothes. sneaking
across the veranda right there where
you're sitting When ] called to him
he ran az hard as he could. and
Graves-he's the vegetable gardener
saw him leaving the property by the
back way"
"Its hardly possible that a man
who impressed you as a gentleman
when you saw him at the door should
have returned In disguise and tried 70
brenk into the house"
ooh" exclaimed Mrs. Farnsworth,
ut would be so much more delightful
n that were true! Any one in dis
guise Is bound to be interesting. A
disguise suggests most beautiful pos
sfbilitfes."
could not be sure In the dim light
of the veranda. but thought detect
ed white slipper cautiously reach
out and touch black one. At any
rate, Mrs. Farnsworth iapsed into ST.
lence.
Thank you very much. Antoine"
said Alice. at Is very proper for you
C. tell me anything Of any stranger
on the property, but I see nothing
here TO he alarmed about. If the
same gentleman calls again, let me
know instantly"
VERY good madame" And then,
turning as .hough comforting upon me
q part of his responsibility for the Sc
curity of the premises: ITS party
with a limp; just a trifling limp. sir ;
you'd hardly notice IL. A smallsh
man, rather dark. with little mus
tache turned up at the ends"
II have noted all these details, An
tome" ] replied; and again | thought
there was telegraphic exchange be-
tween the ladies though this time a
hinck slipper was the means of COM
nunicatton.
Terrence arrived in a moment. and
nothing has ever given me keencr joy
than his shock of surprise at beholdihg
Mrs. Bashford. | was devoutly CRATE
fuI that he had not been present at
the dinner-table. for my own efforts 10
iaterest 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 took up the recent
movements on the western front
overheard Terrence putting all the
machinery Of the trust company at
Mrs. Bashford's disposal 1t seemed
almost a blasphemy TO be talking Of
Income and like matters to woman
Alike Alice Bashfordl
They continued their conference for
some time. but ! got nothing out Of
Mrs. Farnsworth that shed any light
on my aunt's history beyond what she
rad told me herself, which was pre-
eious little. Mrs. Farnsworth's talk
was that of a cultivated woman. Her
voice interested me unaccountably ;
the tones had all manner Of shadfngs
and infections; II was curiously mu-
sical, but In speaking Of the great war
q passionate note crept int It that
stirred me deeply.