Show The Fhe House of the i V Whispering Pines 1 By Anna Allna Katharine Green Greet P P. PUTNAM'S SONS Copyright 1910 1310 b by 0 4 york Tork end nd London ANNA KATHARINE E rT CHAPTER XI in the Coach House s that we ordained festival iram their office to black funeral instruments to melancholy bells cheor cheer to a sad burial feast dl All things change e them to the tho con con- tran Romeo and Juliet minutes later ho lie stood in a aV av v V wooded street before an open w roy y guarded by a Show Show- is II b badge d e ho passed in and entered D ng DR and slightly curved driveway ho did Jid so he took a glance galco at the Vt C It was as not as s pretentious as he lit but infinitely more more inviting and rambling covered with vine nestling amid Shrubbery which eu gave mo it a a. habitable air air au ild it il It td d as much mch the 1 abode odo of comfort luxury and gave in gave in outward ap- ap to at least no no hint 1 nt of the darko dark nark o ow which ha had 1 so lately fallen across LC e ceremonies had bad been set for fork 3 ck k and it was now half past 2 2 reached the hea head of the Wart Iwo bo he saw aw the first of a Ion long of ot carria carriages es approaching up tip the tho pt t. t Lucky that my business ta takes k es mo mc hc I stable thought lie he IC What is is coachman coachman's 5 name I o 1 ought to reiber reiber re re- iber ber it Ah Zadok Ah-Zadok Zadok Zadok Brown r res re's s 's a combination n for you y u P j had reached this point in iii III his so so- uy a bad habit of his bis for it some sonic Ma lee took look audible expression when Iran nn against another policeman set i uaral the tho side sido door A moments moment's jey ey and he ho left c t this man behind but butt t ho lie had noted this door and nud II wido rind hospitable veranda which it from the dr driveway I U I am willing to go all odds odus that that I I Im ill m find that veran veranda a the most inting in- in ID ting feting tin part of the house he re- re ted Ked in in quiet conviction to himself o noted its nearness to the st blo the tho easo case with which one ope could step Jit ait into a n passing passin down the tho thoI theL L I ha another point of interest or er the tho win wing had to which it was at at- d As his eye eyo traveled back across swing Jiving in hi his hie lively walk towards ler stable stobIe he ciu caught ht a passing passin glimpse nurses nurse's face and figure in one of upper r windows This located the tho chamber and unconsciously he lie ze bed ed bi his step nn and moved with the test caution though ho 10 knew that i kness was not one of the nerves the loudest sound would fail to b ars J lapsed in a blessed if alarm alarm- unconsciousness nee flee around the tho corner ho lie 10 resumed rc pace and perce perceiving that table door was closed but that a alow low OW w. w well up the garden ardell side sido was wasa a d encountering no watchful eye ec lV up to tho the former one ono and Jin li jau uIa sat t WI with ll z his liS b back ae k t to Olin b. b him po poi pol- I bit abit of harness This was probe Zadok the coachman As his was Ie less s with him hint than with Us beyond ho he let et his eye CO travel tra b heir h dirc direction tion when ho suddenly Deed a momentary confusion b by ring ing Jn tho the head aniL shoulders of oford t ord leaning towards him him front from an window window window-in in much the same sallie sameon on n n and certainty certainly with exactly the Ilic i intent ns as himself As their Ses cs crossed rosed both flushed and drew diew Vonly only to return a again ain each to his cra cral prep peep hole Neither meant nt to toV V the Hie advantage ail of the moment Both l l of the gray ra horse and wished Id identify it for his llis own o 8 water as the first link Jink l the chain leading him into the m mys- mys EO ous S course mapped out for him by by cn each h was more or less ices under r surveillance of t the e other did not either cither h here rr were three stalls stans and in each IIa house stamped and fid ered Only their attention This was a aron r ron on the tIle extreme left a hU large Q gray ra I mal rual with a curious black patch on near hear shoulder The lie faces of both hoth l as they the reco this die die- mark anti ami in instinctively met across cro s the width of the tile separating ug them s 's crt Cf rose roc to his mouth but hut Sweeter Sweet Sweet- tr er r needed no such hint Ho lie stood nt Ut as ns his own shadow while whilo tho the ebman rubbed away with Ic less s and anti until his hands stood Quito quite hand lland his whole figure drooped with despondency As ho raised face moved perhaps by bp that sense watchful a presence to which all of are lucre or less susceptible they the surprised to sec 80 tears on Thc next instant he lie had started to teet and the bit of harness had liati tied from front hi his hiJ j hands to tho the floor I he lie asked with nr arc you I a b o of anger Jn er quite natural under the thc Ca Cant nt in you 1 0 come by door and not nol creep creen sneaking Deakin up to toa toc c a man at a 3 disadvantage thc spoke he lie dashed away the tears teara I his checks were still wet weL a heap of mv my young youn miss mis- mis 8 Bj s hc ne added in evident ident apolo apology y for display of what such men call II I I I didn't know that it me inc to cry crr for nothing anything but hut I r II I lt that at T I can cry for her rexford exford left his Ius window and Sweeter Sweet Sweet- ocr er CT slid from his next minute they fat t the stable door doer Had luck whispered the local of of- Sr TT rt Enough to lo lui-lii lui bring mo inc here bere ac ac- cd the thic theother other I So Ro you mean to this house or to Stable stable T this stable le Have c you 1 heard that the horse was Ith that l ni night T TYes V Yes she pras 1 out W o driving f Ali Ah that's that the tho question ThiS man cant can't t loll ell you vou jerk of thumb in 71 s direction emphasized this state state- ot ti S Tm Im going to talk hk to lo him for fiat life wasn't here that night niJ-ht he e was danee Ho lie only knows that the was out But 1 Im I'm in going oin to talk to him jay Ia fa I eon come cOllie j in in n too Ill I'll r ii not t ill in- Ive I've 1 just fifteen minutes to if 1 q can ean do do do as you Oti please Ive I've z to hide from hide from you ou a at any ht 11 wasn't quite true lint but Sweet Sweet- t It H stickler for truth ox- ox rL n. the c he gave hi his suf su- su TI f threw thi the stable tabe door hey 1 both walked in Th Tho rho coach coach- l 3 no not ot visible vi but they could im about alove aho grum H lt I in none too wa ly Y ho lie was is j iu hi i no io o mood for J down in a a- a ho lie railed out a as their steps sounded ou on the hardwood floor sauntered over o to the tho stalls Sweetwater stopped near t the he doorway and glanced very carefully about him hum Nothing seemed to to escape his his eye CC Ho lIe Hoeven even took the trouble to peer into into n n a waste bin and was Va just on the point of lifting down a bit of broken bottle from an open cupboard when Brown Drown ap appeared appeared ap- ap on the staircase dressed in hi his Ius Sunday Sunda coat and carrying a bunch of or fresh hothouse e roses Ho lie stopped midway as Sweetwater turned towards him from the cupboard hut but immediate resumed hi his descent and was ready with hi his reply whon when accosted him from the other end of or tho the stable An Au An odd beast this Ids They The thou dont don't t drive her for her beauty th that's ts t's evi e dent n S fast and she's knowing grumbled the coachman enough for overlooking o her spots Who's that man man mane ho lie grunted with si a L drop rop of his his' lantern jaws anti and a slight gesture towards tIle the unknown interloper Another of us HI Bedard with a shrug Were both rather interested in iu ilk in this horse another time do 1 pleaded plead plead- ed the coachman looking gravely cly down at nt tho the flowers he held lucId Its most mast time for the funeral and m I r dont don't feel like Jike talking indeed 1 I dont don't gentle genUe men We c wont won't keep you It was Sweetwater who spoke e. e liTho Tho mares mare's company enough for us Ul She knows a alot lot this tins mare marc 1 I can see set it in her eye I r understand horses horse well we'll have a Ji little chat the sho and T I T. T wh when n you yon arc are gone Brown Drown cast an au uneasy glance at Hex Hex- ford Hed better not touch her ber ho lie cau cau- He lie don dont don't t know the beast well enough enouch for tor that He lie wont won't touch her her assured assured as as- him She does docs loeR look knowing dont don't she Would like to tell teB us something Was as as out that ni night ht Ive I've heard you ou sa say Curious How did you von know it it t r rIe Ive Ie said and said till tiJI Im I'm Im I'm tired Brown answered with sudden heat This is in a man at a very unfortunate unfortunate un un- fortunate time Look the Iho people aro arc coming I must go o. o My y poor mistress mistress mis mis- tress and anti poor Miss liss Carmel Cannel I liked ed rem cm do ye e understand 7 Liked em cm anti and I tb do feel fecI the tho trouble at the house I do V His distress was vas so o genuine that 1 Hex Hex- cx- cx ford was inclined to let him him go JO but hut Sweetwater with a n cock of his keen eye put in his word and held the coachman coachman coach coach- man where ho was The old is all gal a telling me about it muttered this thil sly shy y adaptable fel fel- fel low 10 He lie had sidled up to the mare and ana their heads were certainly er very close together Not Not ot touch lien her See here laid had his arm round the fill filly files file's s fl neck and was as looking straight into info her ller fier fiery anti and intelligent eye e. Shall ShaH T I pass her story on oaf f ho he af asked ask with a 1 magnetic smile at the a astonished coachman which not only softened soften him hint but bat seemed to i the watchful Rex Hex Rexford ford quite a now now new idea of or this gawky y interloper V U You You II oblige me mei if you can put her knowledge into words th the n Ina man Zadok declared with nn mie fascinated eye ee on ou the horse an and the thc other on the tho house where he evidently felt that his presence pres pres- ence once was wanted She She was out that night ni sad I know it as ag any coachman would know who doesn't come home stone drunk But whore where she was and anil who took her get et liar her to tell if you can cita for T I dont don't know no moron the dead The dead flashed out Sweetwater Sweetwater Sweet Sweet- water wheeling su suddenly about nail pointing straight through h the open door towards toward the house where hero the young yount m mistress the tho old servant mourned lay mv in u her funeral casket Do Du you rou mean her thic the lady 1111 who is about to be e buried 1 Could sh she tell teH if her lips were 11 not ot scaled b by a rim murderers murderer's s 's shand hand She She The word woid camo caine low Jow ami awesomely lu IRude e and ana uncultured ns IS man Juan wat was he lie seemed to be strangely eh af af- footed by 11 this unexpected suggestion tI l V haven lla I the wit t to tu answer anwer that flint sa said d he How Iron can we tell what she knew The man who killed her i is is in in He lie m might ht t talk lk to sonic some purpose Why don don't dont t YOU vou question tion him hini I 1 i For Fol a aery very ery good reason renson replied Sweetwater with an 0 cas easy v good that thit was vei very reassuring lie He He was TaR ar arrested tr- tr 1 rested rete on th the spot so 50 that it wasn't t ho who drove ro o this mare home her hel put her hor back hack in her stall stahl locked the he stable d door dufor or and hung up tip tho the 1 key ey in in its place in iii the kitchen else ese did that that true truc enough h an and what does cloes it show That the mare marc was 8 out on ott some other errand than the one which ended in iii blood a and murder was the s unexpected retort t. Is rs that so RO whispered S into info the mares marcs cocked car ear She not quite ready to commit herself he drawled with another her enigmatical smile at the lingering a lok keep keep- inc ing hack back Arc ro ire you von he inquired the tho stalls stall and arlit walking briskly up t to Zadok The Tho coachman c fr frowned and aud hastily re retreated retreated re- re treated a n step but in in another moment he leaped heaped in ill a ra rage e upon when the si sight bt of the flowers he held recalled him to himself and he let et his hand hanu fall again with the tho quiet remark Youre o overstepping ng yo ir your dooty I dont don't know ImO who ho you are aro or what you ou want with me mc but youre you're OU re overstepping your OUI oot Hes lie s 's ri right ht muttered I Better 4 let lot the fellow fello See Sec go O one olle of or tho the maids is beckoning to him V He lie shall shan go and welcome if he heiJ will iJ tell me where ho gets ets his taste for this e especial pecia brand of whisky JJ Sweetwater Sweetwater Sweet Sweet- water had cro crossed to tho the cupboard and taken r down ou the lower Iwer half of the tite lJ which it had hind attracted hi his notice on hits Ills first t entrance and was hOW v holding it lIV out with a quizzical look n at itt t t the c departing nJ coachman n. n T as at his shoulder er with n a I spring and to together they inspected the label still ticking to it which t-which which was wag that that of or tho the v vcr r rare and expensive spirit found missing from rout the clubhouse clubhouse club club- house vault This Thi is a t find muttered mutten into his fellow detectives detective's ear car Then with a quick move towards Zadok he shuttled shouted out nut You 11 better answer V that question Where did this hit bit of bottle bottlo come ome from They lucy dont don't give Livo you ky like this to drink drink- That they the don dont ont t muttered the coachman not DOt no so much h aba abashed as they huRl had expected And Anti I r wouldn't care c-aro for it if they y did I found that bit of bottle lOttle in the ash barrel outside and anti fished it out to put varnish in I liked the tile shape Broken this Yes Ye cs its it's just uis as s good oo Is T Is s it 3 1 W Well never mind i n run un alon along Well We'll close the stable door boy Tor toi you vou 4 IM I ii rather do o it myself and u d carry cally in iu tho the kc key kev J 4 V Here here then ive wen ic going to I the he funeral fu funeral too You'd Youil Him liko iko to fI This hatter lat hat ter tel in in a whisper to Sweetwater The answer m er was wa a l fervent one cite Noth Noth- ing in in all nil the tile world worM would this lila mun quito so o well ell To ro be he 1 V V |