New Britain herald., 1929-09-03
VERONICA SENRROki.

never seen Veronica. Before 14 minutes to four l found myself embracing her tightly and she had clasped her arms about my neck. Veronica is a very charming girl. She has a slight, athletic figure, a mop of light brown hair. blue eyes, very red lips and a perfectly won derful complexion. The sort of girl one likes to embrace.
 It happened thus. 1 had been sketching and was walking back to Blackwater. X mile from home l heard a frantic clicking of hoofs ahead. Round the bend of the road came a little roan horse at gallop with a girl spraWled on his ack and on the point of falling every moment, l dropped my easel and paint box and stood in the middle of the road with arms stretched out. As I caught at the bride the girl shot off and landed in my arms. Fortunately I did not fall; there had been just a moment to notice how blue were Neronica's eyes.
 Well, I'm blowed" said Neron- lea.
 Another chatter of hoofs pre- luded the appearance round Herods- foot Corner of another rider-he was a very short man and his tubby little body bobbed about on the saddle. Then I perceived that the rider wore a short black beard and 8 ferocious expression.
 At the moment 1 failed to under stand the special fcroCity with which he glared at me. Having persuaded his horse to a standstill. he shouted. What Coes this mean and who the devil are you?"
 I glanced at Veronica. Are you acquainted with this gentleman?" Slightly" she replied. Allow me to introduce him. My father my deliverer."
 Veronica explained how I had checked her runaway steed Then the cause of the little mans feroc- ity appeared. He had come round the corner expecting 10 find Neron- ica dead or missing. Instead, he had found her with an unknown person and her horse standing by as if waiting for her to mount again. He suffered an angry re- yulsion that the runaway had been got up by Veronica on pur- pose to annoy him. The language he used was so rich in variety and pungent in quality that I really re- gretted Neronica's intervention with
 Now, Bill. You know the rules I'll tell mother if you don't stop, Whereon he stopped.
 This was the manner of my first acquaintance with Commander Sea broke (retired) and Miss Veronica Seabroke. I had to name myself Tom Grenofen, who had lately come to live at Blackwater.
 I suppose that I must sooner or later have become involved in the mystery of the keyhole in Fothcr- bury's library door and the tragedy of Roger Pell. But when Com, mander Seahroke first mentioned Pell's name to me, l was very busy absorbing the beauty and charm of little Veronica.
 For some unexplained reason Seabroke seemed to resent my very presence in Blackwater.
 ''Why d you come here, eh?" h' asked, rudely.
 ,.a' ,ryi cal face. I carefully explained tha my father having died thrc, months beforn, my mother haC wished 10 leave her house to avoic reminders of her loss. We ha( bought Woodcot because it had ; large garden.
 The commander was nakin! vague noises and I turned to see fiercer frown on his face.
 Cant see why the devil anybod, should come to live in that mold, hole" said he. with queer aggres siveness. Are you mixed up witt that chap Pell?"
 "Pell?' l exclaimed, "Who i Pell 2"
 It was the first time I had hear the tatefuI name. If only Neronic and l could have toreseen wha Pell would mean 10 us.
 However my denial of an knowledge of Pell failed at once { appease the suspicious of Neron icas fiery parent
 If you don't know PelI." sat he, T now warn you against Pol l won't tolerate any associate c Fell's-Ill be damned if do."
 Yet he attempted an approach { oordiality before we parted - bu with obvious labor and anxiety.
 resumed my walk and foun myself unconsciously failing int the Seabrolian dialect; who tr devil was Pell?
 The day after the encounter Wi' little roan horse I set up m easel at a point above the brida over the Blackwater River wh"l the walls of Newplaec Abbey can down to it in an angle,
 I had sketched for half au ho,
 
 and man came out. He pull' the door fast. turned and walk, almost into me.
 "Oh," he jerked ont, sorry"
 He was about to walk on, b thought better of 1t and pulled | to stare coolly Ut mo. ] rcturn' the stare. They were gray, pen trating eyes in a sharp foatur' face.
 Lovely corner this," ne sai Then as l was dismounting n easel: "I'm afraid I've hutted in
 "Oh, no; I'd just finished ,cr | day"
 He fingered while l strapped T box. He walked with put inyitati' by my side when l set off down t path.