Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-11-01

maticS my new matron j. ne said In q
soft, almost paternal voice which filed
Janet with a vague resentment. "Wel-
comet welcomed Down that avenue
between the evergreen hedges you see
the new professor Of Psychologist
most like Hamlet in appearance. isn't
he? told him he suited the old
academy quite marvelously. Come in I
come in!"
They followed him into a broad, i'm
posing hall paved with lozenges Of
black and white marble, which at one
place bore an insertion in green stone
Of a laurel wreath surrounding the
letters In black marbles, "Lostland
Academy"
On the white-paneled side walls hung
dark oil paintings of stern and schol-
arly men in gown and bands, their yell
lowed hands resting on neat piles Of
books. Beyond them, one Of much later
date, and apparently executed by a
portrait painter of ability. 1t repre-
sented man In middle life. clothed In
the academic gown, with a crimson
hood, and wearing the mortar board"
The gown was flying in the wind in
dicated by bending treetops and wild
sky of cumulus clouds, and the artist
had put an expression in the eyes far
removed from academic calm - q
searching, hungry, sorrowful look. The
background was the savage scenery of
the neighborhood.
'The first three presidents of Lost
land" Haskell said, with a wave of
the hand toward the older portraits.
"Who is the fourth-the very sad
gentleman who seems to be running
from this spot" Arthur asked boldly.
Haskell changed color, flashing q
look almost Of hatred at his new
teacher. "The fourth is DR.. Jethro
Bracebridge," he replied CURLY.
II see lake in the background. Is
there lake near here" Janet ques-
toned.
Eyes, we have small but terrifical-
ly deep lake almost back of the
grounds; and from it recedes one Of
those wild gorges for which this mid
die section of New York state is just
ly famous"
1T has a waterfall, of course?"
Janet remarked.
Haskell gave her a piercing look.
"Are you clairvoyant? Yes, it has q
fall-rather a high and terrible fall
direct sheer drop Of two hundred
and twenty-five feet from an OUTPUT
ting ledge. Above this fall" he con-
tinued, his manner becoming more gra-
cious, 'the cliffs rise to a height Of
four hundred feet. Let me show you
into the drawing ROOM"
He ushered them into a long apart
ment filed with old-fashioned green
velvet covered chairs and sofa. Over
the fireplace hung a painting Of the
old academy, representing 1t in the
blandness of some forgotten summer, a
coach-and-four drawn up before the
pillared portico. and little girls in full
skirts and pantalettes rolling hoops
on the trim walks or playing battle
dore and shuttlecock on the shaved
green lawns. Some old samplers hung
on the wall, the work Of children gone
long ago to their rest. A large photo
graph album bound in green leather
lay on a handicapped console table.
Mechanically Janet raised its cover.
"Don't touch that, please" Haskell
said sharply.
She took her hand away-fushing
with embarrassment. II beg your par
don. really have no special interest
In the book"
mo matter, Miss Mercer. I suppose
I'm fussy. Perhaps the old things
shouldn't be about-but like to have
everything as 1t was in my stepfa-
theirs time-my stepfather, DIR. Jethro
Bracebridge. 1 was very devoted to
him. / watched over his last melan-
choly years when the old place was
shut up. Wen have tea here, and
then you can go to your rooms. You'll
dine upstairs tonight"
Janet was beginning to breathe more
freely. She removed her hat, and her
soft. FURNISHED brown hair released
made kind Of aureole about her face.
Her eyes with excitement and fatigue
were at once bright and dark, and
more deeply blue than Arthur had
ever known a woman's eyes. Even
Mrs. Denver looked at her with kind
Of maternal admiration; and Arthur
felt anticipatory jealousy Of "Ham.
let" They saw him pass the three
front windows walking slowly, his
cloak blowing In the wind. Then he
entered; young man with old eyes, a
very sensitive, slightly repressed mouth
and a rather puzzled, almost appre.
hensive expression.
II am Wilton Payne, the new teach.
er of psychology" he said simply.
Arthur shook hands with him, and
introduced him to Janet and Mrs. Den
yer. Upon Janet his eyes rested with
friendly quiet admiration.
"And you, believe. Miss Mercer
are to bring Crashaw, and Chaucer
Burns and Shelley to this ancient
academyT
II hope sow
'In all my life never knew a place
SO silent" Mrs. Denver announced ir