v im
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KEZEIOAB
CHAPTER XIII.
At the Atolando Again.
I
SET off nt once for Pepperton'a
office, where 1 learned that the
architect was out of town. But
his chief clerk greeted me cour
teously. I told him frankly that 1
wanted to look at the plans of Hope
field Manor to enable me to learn the
exact lines of the chimneys. Ue con
fessed surprlso thut tbey were causing
trouble and expressed ri-et that they
were not in the oltlce.
"Miss Holllster sent for thorn thia
morning, and I have Just given them
to a young woman who bore a note
from her."
I was taken aback to tind that she
had anticipated me in my rush for the
plans of the house. Clearly I was
dealing with a woman who was not
only immensely amusing, but exceed
ingly shrewd as well. Could it be pos
sible after all that she was herself
f laying ghost merely for her own en
tertaiumeut? She was capable of it.
But I had satisfied myself that she
could not have performed the tricks of
which I had been the victim the night
Irevlous unless she possessed some
rare vanishing power like that of the
East Indian mystics.
"May I ask who came for the
plans?"
"I judged the young woman to be a
tnald, or perhaps she was Miss Hollis
ter's secretary."
I had given little heed during my
short stay at Hopefield Manor to Miss
Holllster's personal attendant. I bad
passed her la the halls once or twice,
a young woman of twenty-Ave, 1 6hould
my, fair haired and blue eyed. She
might herself be the ghost now that I
thought of it. But this seemed the
most unlikely hypothesis possible.
At my own office my assistant pounc
ed upon me wrathfully. He was half
wild over the pressure of vexatious
business and had just been engaging
in a long distance conversation with n
country gentleman at Lenox which ,
bad left him in bad temper. I was ex-1
plaining to him the seriousness of my !
errands at nopefleld, rather uucon
vlnclngly, I fear, and the fact that I
must return at once when the office 1
boy entered my private room to say !
that three gentlemen wished to see me ,
Immediately. They had submitted
cards, but had refused to state the na-1
ture of their business. It was with a
distinct sensation of surprlso that I
Tend the names respectively of Percival
B. Shallenberger, Daniel P. Ormsby
and John Stewart Dick.
"Show the gentlemen In." I said
promptly, greatly to the disgust of my
assistant, who retired to deal with !
several clients whom I had passed in
the reception room fiercely walking the
floor. -
I had imagined all the suitors estab
lished at the Prescott Arms. As Ifee
three appeared clad in light outomobil
lng coats I could not forbear a sile
at their grim appearance. Shalleu-
merger, me novelist, anu urmsoy, tue
knit goods manufacturer, were big
men. Dick, tho Nebraska philosopher,
was much shorter, though of compact
Knd sturdy build. They growled surlily
In response to my greeting, and Orms
by closed the door behind them. Dick
seemed to be the designated spokes
man, and he advanced to the desk be
hind which I sat with a stride and
manner that advertised his belligerent
frame of mind.
"Mr. Ames," be began, "we have
come here to speak for ourselves and
certain other gentlemen who are stay
ing for a time at the Trescott Arms."
"Gentlemen of the committee, wel
come to our oBlce," I replied, groatly
amused by his ferocity.
My tone caused the others to draw
in defensively behind him. - .
"We want you to understand that
veur conduct in accompanying a lady
that I shull not name to the city is
n act we cannot pass in silence. Your
fonduct in going to Hopefield Manor
nas in itself an affront to us, but your
behavior this morning passes all
bounds. We have come, sir, to de
mand an explanation!"
At a glance this was a situation I
Inre not take seriously.
"Mr. Dick and gentlemen of tho com
mittee, you are meddlesome persons!"
I said.
"Meddlesome!" cried Dick heatedly
md leaniTig toward me across my desk.
'Do I correctly understand, sir, that
rou mean to Insult us?"
"Nothing could be further from my
The Siege
of the
Seven Suitors
By
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright. 1910. by Meredith Mcboltoi
"Do I correctly understand, air, that
you mean to intuit ut?"
purpose. But I cannot permit you to
Imagine that I'm going to allow you to
beard me in my office and criticise my
conduct In regard to Miss Cecilia Hol
llster or anybody else.
As a phlloso-
Cher from the fertile corn lands of Ne-.
braska I salute you with admiration;
as a critic of my ways and manners
I show you tho door."
I This I did a bit jauntily, and I had a
feeling that I was playing my part
well. But the young man before me
ftnemed to swell with the rage that
urged within him. He broke out fu
riously, beating the air with his fist;
then he controlled himself with pain-
f ul effort.
"You insult me, but my personal
grievances must wait," said Dick bro
kenly; "but, speaking for the commit
tee, I wish to say that your attentions
to the young lady whom you have
dared, sir, to name are obnoxious to
us
"Nothing less than that!" added
Shallenberger.
"We will not stand for It," growled
Ormsby's heavy bass.
"Mr. Shallenberger," I replied even
ly, "as a member of the great Hoosler
school of novelists I have the most
profound respect for your talents. My
office boy Is dead to the world for
wceks after the appearance of a novel
from your pen. But your Interference
in ray private affairs Is beyond all ren
Bon. And as for you, Mr. Ormsby, 1
dare say your knit goods are worthy of
the fame of the pentup Utica from
which you come. But to you and all
of you I bid defiance. I return to
Hopefield Manor by the 4:14 express."
I rose and bowed coldly in dismissal,
but the trio stood their ground stub
bornly. "I tell you, sir. our organization Is
complete! declared Dick. "We sign-
ed a gentleman s agreement only last
night for the express purpose Of eX -
, ciuumg jou. uuu juu cauuui umer u
competitor. You are only an outsider,
and we don't Intend to have you inter
fering with our affairs."
"By the pink left ear of Venus," I
blurted, "is it a trust?"
"You put it coarsely, Mr. Ames,
but"-
"A suitors' trust? Then, If I rend tho
newspapers correctly, your organiza
tion is against public policy and in
contravention of the antitrust law.
But may I inquire why, if you havo
perfected a combination of Miss Hol
llster's suitors, I found Lord Arro
wood this morning sitting on a stone
by the roadside, evidently In the great
est dejection. Can it be possible th-it
an insurgent has crept Into your organ
ization and incurred the displeasure of
the regulars?"
"We ruled him out," Shallenberger
burst forth, "because be was a for
eigner' and uot entitled to a place
among freebvrirAmerlcans! That is
one reason, ond,; for another, the col
ors of his half hose were an offense
to me personally " "
"And for another reason,'' interposed
Ormsby. "he had no money "with' which
In HA I.I- I -A .X IL. . . I
u. imjr ius uuuru ui xoo i tcscott: Arms.
For this Just cause tho landlord ejected
him shortly after breakfast this morn
ing."
"Then there is olready a rift In the
lute!" I returned. "No trust of suitors
Is stronger than its weakest link. My
hand is raised against your unrighteous
compact, and I am In the fight to stay!
Go backjo tho Prescott Arms, gentle-
men, and assure your associates Ta Oils
hideous compact of my most distil,- 1
gulshed consideration and tell them to I
go to the de il.'"
I had gone to tin St. Parvenu hotel
to call upon a Washington lady who
had been making life a burden to my
assistant and on coming out Into Fifth
avenue shortly after 1 bethought me of
the Asolanilo tea room. My Interview
with the committee of the suitors had
driven from my mind practically every
consideration and every Interest not
centered In Hopefield Manor. My
thoughts turned gratefully to the Aso
lando. where ouly a few days ago I
had been precipitated Into the strangest
adventures my eventless life had
known.
j A strange face was visible at the
cashier's desk as I entered the tea
' room. I passed on, finding the place
I quite full, but I took it as a good omen
J that the seventh table from the right
j was unoccupied, and I hastily appropri
ated it. A waitress appeared murmuring,
"There are no birds in last year's nest,"
and recommended a Locker-Lampson
sandwich, whose contents the girl told
mo were secret, but it proved to bo
wholly palatable. As I drank my tea
and ate the sandwich I surveyed the
decorated menu card with interest and
found pleasurable excitement in discov
ering an Item directing attention to
'Tickles a la Hezeklah, 15 cents." The
delightful Hezeklah must, then, have
Impressed herself upon tho deus ex
machlna of the Asolando on her brief
day there, thus to have won this recog
nition. And further on I noted, among
the desserts, Feche Cecllie with even
greater luterest and satisfaction.
Cecilia occupied my mind now. Tho
visit of the furious Buitors to my office
had stirred in me thoughts and aspira
tions that had never known harborage
in my breast before. The presumption
of those fellows had exceeded any
thing I had known in my contact with
human kind, and instead of frighten
ing me away from Ilopclleld Manor
they had called my own attention to
the strategic importance of my pres
ent position as a guest In Miss Oeta
vla's house.
' As tlrose thoughts ran through my
mind I was finishing my Peche Cecllie
(I spurn all sweets ordinarily) when I
became interested In the unusual con
duct of a young woman who had en
tered the front door briskly and walk
ed with n business-like air to the cash
ier's desk. The girl within the wicket
rose promptly, opened the screen and
without parley of any sort emptied
the contents of her till Into tho vis
itor's reticule. With a nod and a
emlle and a moment's careless survey
of the room, the girl departed, swing-
Ing the reticule in her hand
A long
roll sho carried under her arm
con
firmed my identification. It was Mis!
Octavla Hollister's Swedish maid, and
the roll beyond peradventure contain
ed the plana 6he had obtained at Pep
perton'a office.
The-girl was well featured, neat of
figure and becomingly gowned, and as
I watched her leave the shop the light
ness of her step, something smooth
flowing in her movements. Inter
esteu me. i uiti not Know wnni imsi-
no:s she had to lie robbing the Aso
!;ui;lo moeey drawer, but it whs alto
gether possible that she was thell ipe-
lie!;! ghost:
CD the whole, when I 11 1 I finally
ti.:i my.self .n'vuy from my assistant,
w'.rt made no attempt lo eoneeal 1)N
I'.oiilits as t my s.inily. md had set
tied lii' self in the 4:11 express with
t'.ie afttviiuon pipers I wn f illy
I: ;d -.vit'i the daj's adventures. I had
t"!:l the ''!',,i!iian In the morning iiit
t; trouble to meet me on my return,
and I engaged the village liverymnu
to drive li e to the li.tuse for hire.
"There's a heap o" talk la the vil
lage." lie observed. "They do say the
old lady's cracked, if 1 may so sneak
i of her, niiil that there's ghosts in the
house. And the conduct of the gentle-
men at the Prescott in most remark
able. The word's passed that they're
all dippy about the young Miss Mollis
tor that lives with her mint. I reckoti
nil rich people are a bit cracked. It
j appears to go with the money. Mr.
i P.assford Holllster he's the old lady's
I brother he's Just us bad us any of 'em.
Yesterday he sat In the village street
. -... 'Ml(J .,.. nf ,., ., Knw
chewln. BUm. Told our doctor In tho
v, ue waa flgurll). the nmount of
. hnrsnn,VPP . American nennle not
,nto , cl,ewn. every .-ear and ex-
pects to find some way of usin' it to
run machinery. It;s harmless, Doc
says. He calls it just the Holllster
idiosyncrasy, if that's the word. But
I reckon It's idlotsyncrasy all right I
wish you good luck of your place, sir."
He evidently believed me to be some
sort of upper servant, and this added
to my Joy of the day. With my good
humor augmented by the interview I
entered the bouse. A strange footman
admitted me, and I went to my room
at once without meeting any one else.
The man followed me with a pencil
ed note, signed with Cecilia's initials,
requesting my presence below as soon
as possible, as she wished to see me
before dinner. The thought that she
wished to see me at any time filled me
with elation, and her few lines,
scratched on a correspondence card,
were a pleasing addendum to our con
versation of the morning. The finding
of my assistant's telegraphed resigna
tion on my dressing table, to take ef
fect In January, had not the slightest
effect upon the lofty minarets in which
my fancy now found lodgment. It
pleased me to believe that fighting
D00(l till p,llspj ,n tne ,agt of the
j h0U(!P of .- nm1 tlint t h,,.,.A
defiance at the organized haul of suit
ors that guarded the Hopefield gates
and picketed the surrounding hills.
.(To He Continued.)
FOREST ROSE The best Hour
on the market, dive it a trial.
. ,
1? I
NEHAWKA. 4
. ... ?
, News. .J.
Fretl Nntzinan flipped throe
loads of call If and J. M. Palmer'
ne of hogs lo Soul h Omaha Mon- 1
!a.
tlooigo Sheldon shipped lo
cats of call le and one of hogs to
Sonlh Omaha Tuesday, going up
with tlietn.
Frank Sheldon is having a cel
lar excavated and will build a
coin fort able e ipht-rooni house
down on tlio farm occupied by
Henry DuClos.
Word lias been received from
Nick Opp, who is taking treatment
for rlieumal ism in a Lincoln san
atarium, that lie is steadily im
proving and hopes to soon bo
home, cured of his trouble.
I he men on both sections quit
work Monday because of I lie small
pay. Just now they can pull down
per at tho iiuarries wilh sumo
extra time, and this makes $1.50
on the section look like no job.
E. M. Pollard lias been dis
tributing his oil pots through tho
big orchards in preparation for
any drop in temperature .that may
bring a frost. Tho troos arc just
on tho verge of blooming and tho
next ten days will bo tho critical
I imo.
Tho many friends of (ieorgo
MeContiell will he pleased lo know
thai lie is aide to bo out again af
ter an illness that lasted all win
ter, lie lias certainly had a siego
'f il and admits that it fools
prelly good lo gel out, again.
I. S. tries, who has boon in
.-out hern Texas since .January, re
turned liniiie Monday. Mr. Fries
looks as though he had not only
enjoMMl his trip, but that il had
agreed wilh him. lie admits
though that he is glad to gel back
In Nebraska.
Mr. and Mrs. K. M. Pollard
entertained about lil'ly of (heir
friends and neighbors last Friday
uiglil at cards and divers de
natured games for those who do
mil play cards. Refreshments
were served and a very pleasant
evening spent.
JJJJaJ
UNION.
Ledger. J
Joseph, Lynn and wife arrived
yesterday from Wausa, Neb., for
'isil with their brother-in-law,
(i. X. J, aline, wlio is seejoiisly j,
James Hainey departed Wed
nesday evening for Perkins coun
ty lo spend a few days looking af
ter a land deal in which ho is in
terested. Frnesl Anderson had the mis
fortune to puncture his left hand
on a nail Tuesday, and I ho result
was a w sore hand and sonic
fear of blood poison.
Will I'.. Hopkins was in Omaha
Monday, haxing a specialist treat
his lame hand, which has boon
iriviug him a great deal of trouble
I he past few weeks.
Mrs. Mori Carter, whoso condi
tion has been very alarming for
some I imo, appears lo bo gaining
though very slowly, and at pres
ent there .seems to he good pros
pect for her recovery.
R. II. t rans and family will not
travel the wagon and train routes
altogether hereafter, hut will en
joy their journey in n ."no new
model liuick louring car, which
I hoy purchased this week.
fleorge N. Lallue, who has been
very seriously ill for the past two
weeks, has been gaining some
what this week, and at latest re
ports there appeared to ho a
chance Unit ho may recover. Ho
has been very weak, hut it is
hoped that the favorable change
may result in continued improve
merit.
Tho Shetland ponoy taken up as
an estray by Alex Eaton and ad
vertised in the Ledger last week,
found its owner, Mr. Ioty of near
Weeping Water, who came down
Sunday and gladly paid all charges
and got the pony. It was a fine
little animal for which Mr. Doty
had paid $140, and it was good
luck for him that it strayed to Mr.
Eaton's and was taken care of un
til the owner was found.
Mrs. IMty Ingle and her son,
Woodard, who resided near here
the past few months, departed last
Friday for their former homo at
Hagan, Virginia. They came out
from Virginia a few months ago
intending to make their homo per
manently with Mrs. Ingle's sister,
Mrs. Margaret Ruthrnan. on the
hitter's farm, southeast of town,
but the change of climate had a
bad effect upon Mrs. Inglo's
health and they decided to return
to Virginia.
Accidents will happen, but the
best regulated families keep Dr.
Thomas' Eclectic Oil for such
emergencies. Two sizes 2oc and
50c at all stores.
t"H - H4H - K - H - H -
' V
LOUISVILLE,
Courier.
Mrs. hewey is ill at the homo of
tier mother. Mrs. J. T. A. Hoover.
Little I.eona, the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Henry (iaebel, is ill
with pneumonia.
We are sorry lo report the ill
ness of Herman Dolling, who is
suffering from an attack of the
grippe.
Ami Hoover came down froni
Omaha Wednesday evening. Ami
would move back if ho could tind
a house lo live in.
lr. Peters of Spring!'' 'ul was
called here Monday afternoon to
see Mrs. E. C. Twiss, in consulta
tion with Dr. Woitlinian.
Scott Met! row left Tuesday for
Marvin, S. 1)., where ho has se
cured a position with tho Roberts
Const ruction company as en
gineer.
Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Richoy en
tertainod a largo number of
friends at their beautiful homo
Monday evening, at a Vietrola
concert. Several readings wore
given by Miss Foierstoin, inter
spersod between the musical num
bers, which added greatly to tho
enjoyment of tho program.
number oi tine records were
played on the Vietrola, which was
a treat to the niusie lovers.
Light refreshments were served.
! WEEPING WATER.
Republican.
H-I-H HKI H-M-H- IW
Miss (iraee Teogarden returned
Thursday morning from a two
weeks visit with tier college
friend. Miss F.lhel Ludeinar, at
Sedalia, Mo.
Mrs. It. 11. Kwart and baby left
Wednesday for her home nt Man
derson. Vo. They were accom
panied as far as Lincoln by her
rather, Have Mills.
J. W. Sperry Is enjoying a visit
from one of the (I. A. R. boys,
William Newell, of Lincoln. The
two were boys together jn Van
Huron county, Iowa, and wore
comrades during the war.
Mrs. (ieorgo Askew received
word that her sister, Miss Emily
Ke nn, was very low at the home of
her brother, Nelson Fenn, at Tal
niadage, (. Miss Fenn is well
known in this community, having
made this her home considerable
of I lie time for years. Her friends
will regret to hear of her condi-'
tion.
William Duly returned Friday
night from Ml. Vernon, Ohio,
where he had spent several
months with his brother, who was
in poor health. Ho left him some
holler. Will says tho weather is
good (hero now and farmers are
at work in tho Holds. During the
Hood season it rained in inches in
.'i hours. Re says that wheat
looked belter from Omaha down
here than any ho had seen along
the way.
Mrs. It. I,', r.oglizer ami children
came down from Havclock Monday
for a visit with her parents, Mr.
and Mrs. R. I). McNurlin, She re
ceived (uile a bad burn on her
right hand while putting out a lire
that had caught I lie clothing of
one of her little girls while play
ing with some of the neighbor
children around a bonllro
IMW"WMI"H-MI H-W
CASS COUNTY ITEMS,
! PERU, NEB. .J.
Rachel Livingston sang a solo
at the Y. W. C. A. meeting Sunday
afternoon.
Saturday the Cot nor base ball
team plays Peru hero on our
Held. This gain,! promises to bo
a very interesting one. Clarence
Meal is proving himself to bo a
star player.
Dean E. L. Rouse gave an excel
lent talk in chapel on the "Hrpken,
Current." Mr. Rouse knows just
what to say and how lo say it, in
order to keep everyone intcrosleij.
1 1 is talk was enjoyed very much
by all persent.
The May Festival will be held
here May 22. Some of the talent
for this, occasion . are: Adelyn
Hlankenship, Peru, soprand;
Esther May Plum, Chicago, con
tralto; Moses James Drynos, Chi,,
cago, tenor; Herbert Wilherspoon,
basso of the Metropolitan Opera
Co., Now York City; Oratorio of
the Messiah, Adelphian Quartet.
This Arbor day will long be re
membered by I ho Peruvians
School was dismissed and at
chapel lime all the students,
faculty and citizens of the town
assembled, bringing a hoe, rake,
axe and jtpado, and immediately
proceeded to clean up all the
space surounding (he athletic
Held and campus. About twenty-
live acres were put into a showy
Mm
solved once
for all by Calumet.
For dally ose in millions of kitchens has
proved that Calumet is highest not only in
quality but in Icavtning fower ai well un
f ailing in results pure to the extreme and
wonderfully economical in use. Ask your
grocer. And try Calumet next bake day.
RECEIVED HIGHEST AWARDS
You Jon 7 mii money when yu tuy
thtap or big-tan taking powder. Don't
It milled. Buy Calumet. Il't more
economical more wholtiomt glvti
test mulls. Calumet li fat superior lo
our millt. anJ toJa.
condition. The fslato promised to
appropriate $700 for the better
ment of these grounds and inako
them into a lovely park, with
paved roads and walks, if tho
students would put in a day's
work, which they did willingly.
Porn is noted for its beautiful
scenery and the addition of this
park will make it still moro won
derful. Please Return Dish.
Will the person who removed
the granite baking dish from tho
church after tho last chicken pio
supper please return same to the
Presbyterian church or leave at
I he residence of Mrs. S. M. Chap
man, and groatly obligo tho
Ladies' Auxiliary of tho Presby
terian church.
The Whiskey With
out a Regret
Pure, mellow, with a flavor
that tickle th palate and
lingers in the memory.
FOR SALE BY
ED EGENBERGER
i
World's lur
fod lapotlllon, Oj-CKjpJ
CMoo, III. AvVtej'VA,
tlon.rr.nw. J .Vsl bVW!V
K WHISKEY
ftlUl 1 ! Ill llHI'ljj
6BI rrt . unt w . tir-.i II N
ciu i ne vvmsRev tvirn irk
IB !