HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1913-08-14, Page 7;cAsToRIA
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he Siege
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'Seven Suitors
By
MEREDITH NICNOLSON
Copyright 1910. by Meredith Niche'soo
truted- retit•lt '.ulnael who wa hang-
ing about that we named cities hi
America for I(ismarek-1t was there at
the inn that Mr. Wiggins confided to
me his belief that Hezekiah b'u's a
strong resemblance to the common or
domestic peach. As a single peach at
ihnt place was charged in the hill at
10 francs, the remark was ill timet., to
.say the least. But air. Wiggins was
so contrite when I rebuked hint that 1
Allowed 111111 to pay fur our luueheuu-
no small natter. indeed. for Line-
kiah's appetite is nothing if not ro-
bust."
Miss llollister gave so many tarns to
the conversation Hint I could reach uo
e0UCIUsiou as to hot feeling toward
Wiggins or-Ilezeicialt Hollister, and. as
for Cecilia, I was unable to detertuiee
whether she was a prisoner at Hope -
field Manor or the trilling nail devoted
companion of Iter aunt,
In this bewildered state of mind,
while we lingered over our coffee, the
servant appeared with a cardfor each
of the ladies. 1 s11W Cecilia start as
she read the name.
"Mr. \Wiggins! ilow remarkable that
he should have appeared just as we
were speaking of hila:" said Miss Hol-
lister. "Be sure the gentleman is com-
fortable in the library, .lames. We
shall be in at once. Mr. Ames, you
will, of course, be delighted to meet
.your friend here, and you will assist us
:in dispeusing our meager hospitality."
CHAPTER V.
fiC,The Strange Behavior of a Chimney.
THERE was no reason in the world why Hartley Wiggins
should not call upon two 111 -
dies living in Westchester
-county, and I must say that he ap-
peared to advantage in Miss Hollister's
'library.
He had got into his evening clothes
:somewhere, perhaps at a neighboring
inn or. maybe at the house of a friend,
for he could not possibly have motored
into town and back since bis interview
iti Cecilia in the highway. He bad
Impressed the clerk at the Hare and
tortoise with the idea that he had
left New York for a long absence, and
he had apparently camped at the gates
of Hopefield to be near Cecilia.
When he had paid his compliments
to the ladies he turned to me with an
almost imperceptible lifting of the
-brows, but lie was cordial enough. If
be was surprised or disappointed at see-
ing me hfs wanner did not betray the
feeling.
' "Glad to see you, Ames. Rather
nice weather this."
"Even Dakota couldn't do better," 1
:affirmed with a grin, but be ignored
the fling.
Cecilia stirred restlessly, and I felt
decidedly ill at ease. Miss Hollister
crossed to the fireplace and poked the
logs.
, Just what part Hezeitiah Hollister
played in the situation was beyond me.
If I had not witnessed Wiggins' clan-
destine meeting with Cecilia matters
would have been clearer to my com-
prehension, but his appearance at the
hpilse after the colloquy I had over-
heard from the brier patch was in it-
self inexplicable. Miss Hollister's sin -
Vier references to Hezekiah-a person
about whom my curiosity was now a
good deal aroused -added to the mys-
tery that infolded the library.
,Responsive to Miss Ilollister's ener-
getic prodding. the flames in the fire-
place leaped into the great 'throat of
the chimney with .n roar. She turned,
her back to the blaze, and looked upon
her guests benignantly.
"if all your flues draw like that one
they are not seriously in need of doe -
tering," I remarked.
"Flues are nothing if not erratic," re-
plied Miss Hollister. The subject did;
not appear to interest her, nor had
sbe, by the remotest suggestion, refer-
redto the object of nay coming. I had
'sniffed vainly in the halls above and
below for any trace. of 'the stale breoke
Which usually greeted me at once on
MY arrival at the house of a client
"The housewas built, you may not
know, for a manufacturer of umbrel-
. las, who died before be had occupied
it, in circumstances 1 may later dis•
elose to you, which accounts, Mr.
Miles, for that figure of Cupid under
a pink parasol on the drawing room
ceiling. At the • first opportunity I
shall remo\+e it, as baby Cupids are jlf'
• reeencilabie with the militant lotte-
inking I admire. 1 Consider umbrel-
Itt'1 detestable and never carry one
When I can command a mackintosh."
"When I'm on the ranch I wear a
slicker," said Wiggins. "It's bullet
proof, and that 1 have found at times
a decided advantage."
We discussed mackintoshes for at
• least ten minutes with far More
,s�trightliness than I had_itnagined. tlig
night is perfectly quiet, and the wina
Is hardly responsible. 1 think we had
better abandon the room until 1 can
solve this Addle in the morning."
The prompt opening of the windows ,
and doors caused the slow dispersion
' HEZEBIAR
itibject could evoke. Then nisi' Hol-
lister, after a turn up and down the
room, paused beside me.
"Mr. Ames," she said, "would you
care to join me in n gatne of billiards?
I'm not in my best form, but 1 think
we might profitably knock the balls
for half an hour."
I acquiesced with alacrity. I assum-
ed it to be Miss Hollister's purpose to
leave Cecilia and Wiggins alone. 1
should be rendering Wiggins and Ce-
cilia a service by withdrawing, and I
was glad of a chance to escape.
'1'o toy infinite surprise they both pro-
tested, not in mere polite murmurs, but
with considerable vehemence.
"It's quite cool tonight, and I don't
believe you ought to use the billiard
1 Seized the Tongs and Poker and Be-
gan Adjusting the Logs.
of the smoke, but the lights iu the
room still shone dimly as through a
fog.
"It's beastly!" ejaculated Wiggins,
coughing. "I didn't suppose Pepper -
ton would put a flue like that into a
bonse. He ought to be shot!"
"It is fortunate," said Miss Hollis-
ter, "that Mr. Ames is on the ground.
He now has a case that will test his
most acute powers of diagnosis."
The logs that had burned so brightly
before the chimney choked still held
their flumes stubbornly, and 1 had ad-
vised against pouring water upon
them, fearing to crack the Wick and
stone work. We were about to adjourn
to the drawing room. Miss Hollister
and the others had in fact reached
the door, leaving the alone before the
hearth. Then, as I stood half blinded
watching the stnoke pour out into the
room and more puzzled than I had
ever been before in any of my em-
ployments, the chimney, with a deep
intake of breath, began drawing the
smoke upward again. The flames caught
and spread with renewed ardor, and
when the trio still loitering in the hall
returned in answer to my exclamation
of surprise, the fine had recovered its
composure and was behaving in a sane
and normal manner.
"A swallow undoubtedly fell into the
chimneypot and then got itself out
again," suggested Cecilia.
"The logs must have been wet. The
sap hadn't dried out yet," proposed
Wiggins.
"The wood was as dry as tinder,"
averred Miss Hollister, not without
irritation. "And one swallow does not
make a summer or a chimney smoke.
It must have been a changing current
of air. 1 was reading a book on bal-
looning the other day, and it is re-
markable how the air currents change."
"That is quite possible, as the air
cools rapidly after sunset at this sea-
son, and that is hound to have an ef-
fect on the quality and resistance of
the atmosphere," I replied sagely.
"Perhaps," suggested Miss Hollister,
with one of those flashes of animation
that were so delightful in her, "it was
a ghost. The presence of a ghost in
this house would give me the greatest
pleasure. I should look upon a ghost's
appearance at Hopefield Manor as a
great compliment. If any reputable,
decent ghost should by any chance
take up his residence in this house I
should give him every encouragement."
Miss Hollister seemed to have for-
gotten the proposed game of billiards.
The chimney's lawless demonstration
had, in fact, given a new turn to tbo
evening. We discussed ghosts for half
an hour, and then, without having en-
joyed any opportunity for a single pri-
vate word with Cecilia, Wiggins rose
to leave. He shook bands all around
and bowed from the door. It was in
my mind to follow, making a pretext
of walking with him to the station or
1 of helping him find bis car, but noth-
ing in his good night to me encouraged
such attentions, and as I pondered the
outer door closed upon my irresolu-
tion.
At the stroke of 10 Miss Hollister
rose and excused herself, "We break-
fast at 8, Mr. Ames. I trust the hour
does not conflict with your habits."
I assured her that the hour was
wholly agreeable, and she gave me her
band with great dignity.
When I turned toward Cecilia she
had moved to a sent close by the
room until the plumber has fixed the hearth and was gazing dreamily into
the fire, now a bed of glowing coals.
radiator," said Cecilia. I "It was odd," I remarked.
"And if you knew Mr. Ames' game "You mean the chimney?"
I'm sure you wouldn't care to. 'waste I "Yes. It was quite unaccountable.
time on him," piped Wiggins, whom I I confess that I never knew a ehim-
had frequently vanquished in billiard ney's mood to change so abruptly."
bouts at the Hare and Tortoise, where, She sat silent for several minutes
I may say modestly, I had long been and then she lifted ber bead and her
considered one of the most formidable eyes met mine.
of the club's players. "pardon me, Mr. Ames, but did my
Both be and Cecilia htld risen, and aunt ask you .here to examine the
we stood, I remember, just before the chimneys? I didn't quite understand.
hearth during this exchange. At this We have been here only a week; the
moment a singular thing happened. weather bas been warm, and I believe
The fire that had been sweeping in a this fire bad not been lighted before
broad wavelike curve into the chin- today. You will pardon my frankness,
ney was checked suddenly. 1 had re- but I can't quite understand why my
peatedly remarked the admirable draft, aunt invited you here if you caste pro -
the facile grace of the flame as it rose fessionaliy. 1 thought when you ap-
11nd vanished. The cessation ofthepeered this afternoon that you were a
draft was unmarked by any thoseofguest-nothing more -or less."
premonitory symptoms by which n fire "You bad beard nothing of any trou-
usnnlly jives wanting of evil lutea ble with the firepinet's? 'Then I=am In
.[loos. 'I'ho•ufyt'artt teirreut cd air: had the dark as mueh'as you. As I under -
ceased utterly and without impart'tit stood it, I was called here to examine
ease, we were all a,t';tre uta chukin the flues; but, now that I think of it,
a gasping in the deep tine. which could she did not say explicitly that ber
not be accunnted tor by any natural chimneys were behaving badly, though
stoppage InotdOut to chimneys the that was, of course, implied. I nate-
dislodging of masonry ora ptteking of rally assumed that she summoned me
sunt. 1110 Miner was hardly possible here in my professional capacity. I
anti the house tt as mut old enough to was a stranger to your aunt; she would
make the tauter !leery plausible From hardly have invited me otherwise. I
uty survey lit the tine on sty arrival in
tienlnr t•hhnuey 11:111 been little used good deal on impulse. Her asking
the afternoon 1 judged that this par imegine, however, that your aunt acts
gone to his ranch. He left the 'Bare
and Tortoise very abruptly a few nights
ago just after we had dined together,
He must be stopping somewhere iu
the neighborhood.'
"It's quite possible. And there's an
inn, you kuow. I fancy he drove over
from there."
"I hadn't thought of that -the Pres,
cott Arms i suppose you Mean."
She nodded, but she was clearly not
interested in ate, and when I found
myself tailing disrnaily to divert her
thoughts to cheerfnler channels 1 rose
and bad, her good night,
The seri ant who had previously at-
tended me appeared promptly when 1
reached my roost, bearing a tray, with
biscuits and n bottle of ale. Ile gave
me 'an envelope addressed iu a hand
1 already knew as Miss Octavirt's, and
I opened and read:
The following 1 either detest or distrust,
so kindly refrain from mentioning them
while you are a guest of llopeileld Manor:
Automobiles.
lashed potatoes.
Whiskers.
Chopin's Concerto in I] minor (op. 11).
Bishop's Coadjutor.
Limericks.
Cats. OCTAVIA IIOLLISTER.
Before 1 slept 1 threw up my window
anti stepped out upon a narrow bal-
cony that afforded a capital view of the
fields and woods to the east. The uigbt
was tine, with the sky bright with
stars and moon. As my eyes dropped
from the horizon to tile near landscape
1 saw u man perched on a knoll in the
midst of a cornfield. He stood as rigid
as It sentry ou duty, or like a forlorn
commander counting the spears of his
tattered battalions. 1 was not sure
that he saw tae, for the balcony was
slightly shadowed, but, tit nuy rate, he
was sharply outlined to my vision. His
derby hat and overcoat gave him an
odd appearance as lie stood brooding
above the corn. 'Then lie vanished sud-
denly, though as be retired toward the
highway I followed situ for some time
by the shaking and jerking of the corn
stalks. 1 detertnined to make every ef-
fort to see Wiggins the next day and
learn the exact status of his affair with
Cecilia Hollister.
The smoke now rolled out in billows me here may have been only a whim."
unl 11rotus heel: from the hearth L 1 "Please don't Imagine that your corn -
and e seized the tones anti poker and began ing has not been agreeable to me," Ce -
readjusting lee lugs, without. bow• eilia protested. "My aunt is quite
ever. any hope of cormv•lh>g a ditticulty capable of inviting a stranger t. the
that lay patently in the upper regionshouse. She met you, i believe, at the
of
the Itself I lie smoke, after aAsoiando. I hope son understand that
he the.
vntU:+rcuus :rturt to rise, encountered it is only because I am in deep trou-
u1 ni.U'ucton uT ,mute sort'hthd, ebbed bie, Mr. Armes, trouble of the gravest
barn upon the he:uf11 and out into the nature, that I have ventured to speak
room \!y Ousts to stop the trouble to you In this way of my aunt, for
by shifting the i,;t were futile, :+s 1 whore I have all respect and affec-
exl:.ed them to be. and 1 retreated tion.'
•t
gnicl:ly, malclug, 1 f0ar, no very gal- '• She bad never, I was site, been
and eve,
butt appearance as 1 mopped wy Encs loveliereyesllIl et1
than at this tnoment, er
1 , but she lifted iter head
"Weil," exclaimed Miss Hollister, proudly. Whatever the trouble might
who had rune, rut' Al servant to open I be I was Sorry for it on her own ac -
the doors and windows, "tits is :erg ,II count, and if It involved Hartley Wig -
thinly most extraordinary. 11'hat sat gins my sympathy went out to him
luttuu flu yon oder, Mr..\men's" I also. On an impulse I spoke of him.
"The matter requ11'es htvestigatioe. "I was surprised to meet Hartley
I can't venture an opinion until 1 leave I Wiggins here. He's a dear'triend of
made thorough investigation, Thi 'mane, yon know; : thetlgiit ire had
CHAPTER VI.
I Deliver a Message.
IWAS aroused at 6 o'clock the next
morning by the sound of gun
shots, and, springing out of bed,
I beheld in an open pasture be-
yond the stable yard the indomitable
Miss Hollister engaged in the pleasing
pastime of breaking clay pigeons with
a fowling piece. Her Swedish maid
stood by with a formidable pad of pa-
per, keeping score. A boy pulled the
trap for her, and she threw up her gull
and blazed away with a practiced
hand. Her small, slight, tense figure,
awaiting the launching of the target,
the qnick upbring of the gun as she
sighted, and the parse following the
firing of the shot, in which she bent
• forward rigidly watching the• result,
were features of a picture which I
would .not have missed.
1 will write it down here and be
done with it, that it had been my good
fortune to know many delightfulwo-
men, but I have never known one more
interesting or charming than Miss Oc-
tavio. Hollister. The spirit of deathless
youth was in her heart, and youth's
gay pennants fluttered about her as the
reports of her guu fell cheerily upon
the crisp morning air, a rebuke and a
challenge to all indolent souls.
I made myself presentable as quickly
as possible and went forth to report to
her. She nodded pleasantly as 1 greet-
ed her immediately after she had scor-
ed a capital shot. A second gun was pro-
duced, and 1 saw that it was not with-
out satisfaction that she observed my
lack of prowess. One out of five was
the hest I could do, whereas she smash-
ed three with the greatest ease.
"1f 1 had known you would be up so
early 1, should have sent coffee to your
room," she remarked as we walked to-
ward the house. "Very likely your lack
of luck with the birds is attributable
entirely to the impoverished state of
your stow:tell."
Ilrealcfat was served on a delightful
stat porch that I had not before seen.
Cecilia eppeared promptly, having, in
fact. been gothering fall flowers for
some time, I judged. from The consid-
erable :111111ul of chrysantheunrtus, as-
ters, dahlins and marigolds which we
found her nrrang!ug for the table. She
seen:() in excellent spirits fl id greeted
us most amiably.
The mail :it'd vett and 4•as played by
\llos 114)11!ster's plate before we left
The •tante; She opened first a bulky en -
ever he might be, but threw -the notes 1
upon the titunes that blared merrily in
the fireplaee.
I suggested immediately that as I bad
come 11) ilupetield Manor to inspect the
tines 1 should now be about my busi-
ness, but to my surprise Miss Hollister
evinced no interest whatever in the
matter. Her toue and manner implied
that the condition of her chimneys was
whnliy negligible.
"'There is no haste, Mr. Ames. I
have sufierell all my life front the ill
considered and hurried work of pro-
fessional met). As for my chimneys, I
beg T hat you give me the result 01' your
most serious deliberations. At, this
hour t ride. Cecilia, will you dress im-
mediately and at'compnny me'l."
She disappeared at olive, and 1 stared
amici)' atter her. I not by no means
an idler, and this t•ou1 Indifference 10
the +':tine of wy time would ordinarily
hove enraged too, hitt 1 believe 1 laugh-
ed, :tut. „vben 1 Hawed to Cecilia 1
found her smiling. I`
"I'm glad, lir. Arses, that you are a
person of humor. it is no joke that
my aunt is a believer In thoroughness,
and one of these Clays when she is
ready to talk of chimneys she will
subject you to a most rigid examina-
tion."
"Use of these days? Why, 1 have
looked at the timetable, and it is nig
present intention to take the 12:113
into town. 1 have appointments at
uty ottjee for the afternoon. 1 assure
on. Miss Hollister, that I'm a roan of
eugngeuteuts, particularly at this sea -
so n,"
1 remembered what Jewett had told
ate of Fortner, the painter, and his
detention at Newport by miss Octevia
Hollister. I had no intention of being
!utmntred 111 any such fashion, and 1
was about to prat::'t further when
('eciliat
iti, St
t', toward
me and
after a gI:Inte at tit.' fluor spoke in :t
Iuw Ione anti with great t'nruestness.
•':dr. :Noes, 1 have every reason to
hebc.�
that you are a gentleman, and
111 that confident ieltef I'm going to
ask a favor nt you. ;on have said
that you knutt' Bartley Wiggins well."
"1 I:Alit no man better. Von might
not have inferred it from his manner
last night, but he was undoubtedly
surprised and embarrassed by my
presence and did not act quite like
himself."
"I think I understand the cause of
that. 1f I should ask you to see him
today and give him a message for me
could you do so?"
"It will be an honor to serve you
and a very simple matter, as 1 should
see him on my own account if be is
still in the neighborhood."
"He is doubtless at the Prescott
Arms. My message is a verbal one.
Please urge him not to make any ef-
fort to see me and not to call here
again. But at the same time, as 'the
chimney smoked just as we were
about to be left alone last night, I
think -I think" -she hesitated a mo-
ment -"you may say that his interests
have not been jeopardized by his te-
merity in calling."
In her pause before concluding this
curious commission her eyes searched
mine deeply, and 1 felt tliat she had
not lightly intrusted me with this
singular errand. Her dark eyes held
mine an instant after she had spoken.
Then she smiled, and her face showed
relief,
"Asti for anything you want. Aunt
Octavia despises motors, so there's no
car here, but you will find plenty of
horses and traps. Order whatever
pleases you. 1 shall expect to meet
you at dinner .if not at lugcheon, and
so" -she smiled again -"will Aunt Uc-
ta via."
She nodded to me from the door, and
1 beard her running lightly upstairs.
Left to my own devices 1 rang the
bell and ordered the library fire extin-
guished and the hearth cleaned. This
required a little time, but the house
tllait obeyed me readily, and soon,
clad in my professional overalls and
juniper, 1 was going carefully over the
flue whose behavior had been so unac-
countable the previous night. Guided
by the servant, 1 inspected the three
fireplaces In the upper chambers that
were served by flues in this chimney
and finally dropped my torch and
plumb line from the chimney pot.
Never in all wy experience had 1 seen
better flues. But 1 had the ashes
thrown out of the dump in the cellar
and found the chute in perfect order.
I learned by inquiry that the other
fines worked perfectly, but 1 never-
theless scrutinized them easefully.
My freedom of the house afforded an
excellent opportunity for a study of
its beautiful construction. It muss
relope containing cuttings from a cilp-
,ting bureau, and she mused aloud upon
These as she read:
"This persistent story of a sunken
galleon off the Built'!:tn coast sounds
,tlausible, but 1 fear it is the work of
some height young journalist, Our min-
ister in that benighted country doesn't
cake any stock in it 1 bad a cable
from him yesterday."
She handed Cecilia a number of let-
ters. width the girl opened and then
10 toy surprise meekly turned over to
her aunt. Miss Hollister surveyed
1 Itetu vritic:i113.
"I thought; she remarked, "that that
,unug Henderson who was so attentive
10 you at 'Madrid was an imposter, and
this note settles the matter. He flirted
outrageously with Hezekiah belhind
3 4)111 bac.:. Ile asks if he may call
upon you here, if he were the nephew
of Colonel Abner Heltdel'$on of itoa-
uoke, as he represented himself to be,
he would not ask if he might call upou
;vett. but would btri'e appeared at once
In his proper person to pay his ad-
dresses. As for these other gentlemen,
we need not discuss them. Their ac-
tions must speak for them."
Miss Il.ollister, having thus dismissed
her uiece'S correspondents, rose and
led the way to the library. Cecilia
seemed in no wise depressed by her
aunt's fling at AXr. Henderson, who -
modern in every sense, with no dark,
mysterious corners in which goblins
might lurk.
My professional labors were finished.
1 was quite ready for Miss Hollister's
most searching inquiries. As for the
library flue, I had decided that a little
care in piling the logs in the hearth
would obviate the possibility of any
recurrence of the difficulty. And 1
thereupon hurried to my room and
after a tub (my vocation encouraged
frequent tubbing' chose from the sta-
ble a neat trap for one horse. Thus
equipped 1 set out to find Wiggins at
the Prescott Arms.
As 1 drove into the eutrapce 1 saw
Wiggins pacing the long veranda. He
waved :t hand and came out to nieet
inc. :hid when I Intd rid myself of the
trup he sukgestecitilnt we'take a wails.
His manner was not cordial, and he
wore the haggard look of a mum on bad
terms with his pillow. 1 attributed bis
appeara11ce to prern'cupatton with bis
love affair. When we had withdrawn
a little way from the inn he turned
on ate sharply.
"Well?" he demanded.
"Well," I laughed.
"Oh, you needn't take that tone about
it! Your being here is something that
requires explanation, and your being
there" -lie flung quthis arm toward
7
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The Iliad Yon Have Always Bought, and which has beets
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All Counterfeits, Imitations and "Just -as -good" are but
Experiments that trifle with and endanger the health of
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What is CASTORIA
Castoria is a harmless substitute for Castor Oil, Pare-
goric, Drops and Soothing Syrups. It is pleasant. It
contains neither Opium, 'Morphine nor other Narcotic
substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms
and allays Feverishness. For more than thirty years it
Las been in constant use fbr the relief of Constipation,
Flatulency, 'Wind Colic, all Teething Troubles and
Diarrhoea. It regulates the Stomach and Bowels,
assimilates the Food, giving healthy and natural Sleep.
The Children's Panacea -The Mother's Friend.
GENUINE CASTO R IA ALWAYS
Bears the Signature of
The Kind You Have Always Boughf
In Use For Over 30 Years
THE CENTAUR COMPANY, 77 MURRAY STREET, NEW YORK CITY.
"Your presence there is not a laughing
matter."
llopetield Alauor-"your breseuce there
is not a laughing matter."
"My dear Wiggins, 1 came here in a
spirit of friendship, and you trent ine
like a pickpocket. I must say that if
you bad not acted like a clam the other
night at the club, but bad told me what
was in the wind we might not be meet-
ing now like ancient enemies instead of
old and intimate friends."
He vouchsafed no reply, but threw
himself down under a scarlet maple
and began to whittle a stick. while I
went on with my story, concluding
with:
"And now 1 have finished my work,
and after 1 have made my report 1
shall probably not meet her again. As
for Aliss Cecilia Hollister, 1 can only
say, my dear 1Viggius. that she is a
rarely beautiful woman, and that if
you wish to marry her you hare my
very best wishes for your success and
happiness."
"It struck me that you were pretty
well established there," he blurted. "I
confess that I took it for granted you
were not there wholly on a professional
errand, and i won't deity, Ames, that I
was not pleased to see you."
"You honor Ilse in assuming that I
might aspire to the hand of so splendid
a woman as Cecilia Hollister; but, my
dear Wiggins, 1 tell you 1 never laid
eyes on her until last night."
"But you had been to the Asolando,"
he persisted, hacking away doggedly at
his stick.
"Of course I had. 1 told you I had.
I told Son the whole story. But 1 did
not see Cecilia Hollister there. She
wasn't there. 1 fancy tbat after you
saw her there last spring and became
infatuated with her and followed her
to. Europe instead of going to Dakota
to harvest your blooming wheat -after
that bit of history she never returned
to the Asolando. Your lack of frank-
ness in all this has pained me, and you
left it for a gossiping chap like Jewett
to tell me the whole story,"
He threw the stick lit a sparrow
whose chirp irritated 111111 from a stone
fence beyond us and turned toward
mo a countenance on which dejection,
humiliation and chagrin were written
large.
"Hang it alit" he bellowed. "I be-
lieve I'm losing my mind. 1 don't know
what l'm doing. That old woman up
there is responsible for all this. She'S
as , craze as a March hare -crazier[
Aud she's made a prisoner of that gt1F1.
I tell you Cecilia Hollister is the grand+
est girl in the world."
"Go it, son! Those descendants o12
Caesar's legions at work in the road
down there are pausing to listen. Try
to affect calmness if yon don't feel it.
I agree to all you Say of Miss Cecilia.
tend please get it into your noddle that
1 have no intention of becoming your
rival for her hand. But 1 must beg et
you also not to speak in such terms of
her aunt. She is the most deligbtfus
woman 1 ever .net"
"Mad, I tell you, quite mndl i tele
you, Ames, that woman is a malevolent.
being. She's perfectly fiendish."
There is no way of answering a man
to this humor save by laughter, and 1
laughed long and loud, to the conster-
aat3on of the Hellen road laborers, who
wore now swallowing their luncheont
a short distance away Prom us.
Wiggins sulked awhile and then ad-
dressed me seriously.
"1 didn't tell you I was going abroad,
because the situation made explana-
tions difficult. I could hardly tell you
that 1 was about to race over Europe
after a waitress I had seen in a tea-
room. You're :::ways so confoundedly
suspicious. It would have :1n odd
sound even now if she were -well, if
she 4'01.0 a waitI•csS Llsteati of what
you know her to be. And toy animos-
ity toward bliss Ootavia llollister is
due to the feet that after 1 bad been
ns courteous to her all summer long
as I could and thought thyself toler-
ably established in her mind a5 a de-
cent person and 0 gentleman, she sud-
denly shuts Cecilia up in that house -
bought it on purpose, 1 f:uhey-anti Ce-
cilia .herself is compelled to take on
an Mr of mystery, warning the to keep
away, suggesting the darkest possibili-
ties, but giving me no (tint whatever
of the reason for her conduct."
"Let us confine ourselves to Miss Oe-
tavia fur a moment. While yon were
acting as cavalier to her patty abroad
she was friendly -then she suddenly
changed. Now there must be some ex-
planation of that"
"Well, for one thing, she flew off at a
tangent about my ancestors, We were
in Merlin 011 the i'otn't11 of init and
got to t:liking about the American rev-
o!ution. She asked me what toy peo-
ple had done for the patriotic cause.
The painful fact is that most of them
were Tories, but my great grandfather
broke with his father and brotherq.
joined Washington's army and fought
ITO BE CONTINUED.]
Cured Eczema
Like Magic
Suilbred for bears -Tried All lands
of Treatment--Snrptised at Itesuitst
From Dr, Chase's Ointment.
You can seen tell when people are
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Indeed, it is surprising the healing
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