The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-12-16
But Lizzie was not to be put of

your brains fly out the windOWT
Miss Cornelia quelled her with q
gesture and turned back to the young
man. He was standing just where she
had left him, his cap in his hands
but, while her back had been turned,
his eyes had made stealthy survey
of the living room-a survey that
would have made 1t plain to Miss
Cornelia, If she had seen him, that
his interest in the Fleming establish
ment was not merely the casual inter-
est of a servant in his new place of
abode. But she had not seen-and
she could have told nothing from his
present expression.
"Have you had anything to eat late
ly?" she asked, in a kindly voice.
He looked down at his cap. mot
since this morning." he admitted, as
Billy answered the bell.
Miss Cornelia turned to the impas-
sive Japanese.
BILLY, give this man something to
eat and then show him where he is
to sleep"
was some distance from the main
building, and with the night and the
approaching storm she felt her own
courage weakening. Into the bargain,
whether this stranger had lied about
his gardening or not, she was curl
ously attracted to him.
81 think" she said slowly, "that I'll
have you sleep in the house here, at
least for tonight. Tomorrow we can
the housemaid's room, Billy" she told
the butler. And before their departure
she held out a candle and matches.
Better take these with you,
Brooks she said. 1.-THE local light
company crawls under it's bed every
time there is a thunder storm. Good
night, Brooks"
"Good night, ma'am," said the
young man, smiling. Following Billy
to the door, he paused. you're being
mighty good to me-" he said, diffident-
ly, smiled again, and disappeared
after Billy.
AS the door closed behind themr
Miss Cornelia found herself smiling,
too. "That's a pleasant young fellow
no matter what he is" she said to
herself, decidedly, and not even Liz
zie's feverish Haven't you any sense
taking strange men into the house?
How do you know he isn't the Bat?"
could draw a reply from her.
Again the thunder rolled as she
Slaughtered the papers and magazines
on the table and Lizzie gingerly took
up the ouija-board to replace 1t on
the bookcase with the prayer-book
firmly on top of it. And this time,
with the roll of the thunder, the lights
in the living room blinked uncertainty
for an instant, before they recovered
their normal brilliance.
"There go the lights !" grumbled
Lizzie, her fingers still touching the
prayer-book, as if for protection. Miss
Cornelia did not answer her directly.
"Well put the detective in the blue
room when he comes" she said.
YOU'D better go up and see if it's all
ready"
Lizzie started to obey, going to-
ward the alcove to ascend to the sec
end floor by the alcove stairs. But
Miss Cornelia stopped her.
"Lizzie-you know that stair rails
Just been varnished-Miss Dale got a
stain on her sleeve there this after
noon-and Lizzie"
"Yes'm?"
"No one is to know that he is a de-
tective. Not even Billy" Miss Cor
nelia was very firm.
swell, what'll say he ISL"
"It's nobody's business"
"a detective" moaned Lizzie, Open
ing the hall door to go by the main
staircase. 'Tiptoeing around with his
eye to all the keyholes. A body won't
be safe in the bathtub." She shut the
door with a little slap and disap-
peared. Miss Cornelia sat down-she
had many things to think over-"if
thing again." she thought, because
with gardeners coming who aren't gar
deners-and Lizzie hearing yells in
the grounds and"
She started slightly. The frcnt-door
bell was ringing-a long trill, uncan-
nily loud in the quiet house.
She sat rigid in her chair, waiting.
Billy came in.
"Front-door Key, please?" he asked
urbanely. She gave him the key.
Find out who it is before you I'M
lock the door," she said He nodded.
She heard him at the door-then
murmur of voices-Dale's voice and
anothers-"Won't you come in for a
few minutes? Oh, thank you.' She
relaxed.
The door opened-it was Dale.
SLOW lovely she looks in that evening
wrap" thought Miss Cornelia. "But
how tired, too. 1 wish I knew what
was worrying her."
She smiled. Aren't you back early,
Dale?" ..... .
Dale threw off her wrap and stood
for a moment patting back into its
smooth, smart bob, hair ruffled by the
wind
II was tired" she said, sinking into
a chair.
''Not worried about anything?" Miss
Cornelia's eyes were sharp.
''No," said Dale, without conviction,
''but I've come here to be company
for you and don't want to run away
all the time" She picked up the eve
ming paper and looked at it without
apparently seeing it. Miss Cornelia
heard voices in the hall-a mans voice
-affable How have you been, Bill
ly?'-Billy's voice in answer, every
u-oIl III