Show LADY L aj ff L j P Y LARKSPUR L A R SPY U T R I 1 by MEREDITH NICHOLSON by charles scribners bove BOB CHAPTER I 1 continued 3 As I 1 went about my unpacking I 1 was sorry that aliat I 1 had discouraged An Antol nos confidences that these old hotel servants nants Be flung upon a farin arm with little to do should fall to quarreling was waa not surprising but what ho had said as to the inquiries for mrs alra Il Kash ashford ford had roused iny curiosity in spite of rny my legal right to itro on tile the farm I 1 had bad no intention of re it my uncles widow turned up she could hardly fall to regard rile mo ns is an intruding poor relation no matter how strictly I 1 kept to my own quarters I 1 whistled myself into good humor its as I 1 dressed ond and started for the house along the driveway which followed the shore veering off on for a look at tile the sunken garden ono one of tile few tea feno tures of the place lint had over ever interested my uncle As I 1 paused on oil tile the steps I 1 caught sight of a man sitting dejectedly on a stone bench near a fountain foun talu whose jet tossed and caught a ball with languid iteration Iter atlon I 1 had identified him film as nn an old bellhop bell hop known familiarly ns as dutch before lie ho heard my S tep step and sprang to its his feet grabbing a pitchfork whoso choso prongs lie presented threateningly oil oh its you sir lie he faltered dropping the implement excuse mo file your trouble dutch youre not expecting burglars are you well no sir but things on oil tile the place aint what they auz its rny my name which aint my name not nr an im camp lill in the tool house an ali mo me born right there in new york nn an american clean through sty aty grand grandpa pap came across when lie he auz A n kid but it aint my fault lie he auz colman mr fr singleton I 1 dont know no golman except pretzel sauerkraut wiener and them kinds ow 0 wolds olds 1 those belong to tile the universal language an dutch I 1 answered consolingly I 1 what Is your name anyhow augustus and I 1 say pay it aint no worsen longfellow lie protested the point was delicate find and not one that I 1 felt myself qualified fled to discuss I 1 bade him dicer up find passed on As I 1 readied reached tile house housa I 1 heard a sharp command in an authoritative voice and saw nt at a curve of the driveway a number of men in military formation performing evolutions in the most slik kightly manner they carried broomsticks and tit nt sight eight of roe me the commander brought ills company to a very ragged present arms I 1 their uniform was that of the linni hani bellhops bell hops and waiters and it dawned upon me that tills this was roe an army of protest representing represent ink the allied armies on the lie shores of connecticut there was a dozen of thorn them and the captain I 1 as aa scotty n bop who had bad long worn the liam livery I 1 waved my hand to them find turned to find antoine awaiting me fit at the door its tho file troops sar ho he explained its to keep dutch and Gret clien and elsie slips the ilia wife of that flynn r in proper order sir troops was a large term for tile the awkward squad of retired waiters and bellhop bell hop j and it was with diffly culty that I 1 kept rny my face straight ili its in ant 01 t unfortunate but we e was forced to it dinner tg Is served sir air from the dining ale in the long dining room I 1 caught glimpses through the gathering dusk of Sc scottye scottys Scott ottys ya battalion nt at its Ati loinel I 1 said sharply shar Vly what v h a t flo do voil ait oit diwi hy these hints of trouble on lie ho place youre not silly enough to imagine that dutch and 4 couple of women can do anything out here to aid americas enemies and as for those these inquiries about tire mrs dashford bashford they possibly have anything to do with the tha war specia cally who are ara lie persons persona naked asked for her theres tile the party I 1 told you about most persistent chos motored ino here three times and another iother ni person who seems to 0 o bo be looking for or him sir its most singular its ita singularly ridiculous nil all probably plano tuners or rival agents for a rug house or something of that hat sort they bo be agents but not that kind sar bar lite 1111 lips quivered elther cither from fear or vexation tit nt my refusal to take lilg ills story seriously if anything tangible happens antoine Antol nc I 1 said kindly anything we can really put our hands on well certainly deal with it hut blit you get nervous or allow yourself to suspect everybody who turns tit tip here of ovll evil designs against tile the republic ive conio collie here for quiet you know and we e cant have hao every passing stronger stranger throwing tile the place into a panic I 1 lint imd no sooner reached ren clied the library ft where hero lie gave gao me in a coffee lint linn I 1 heard a slow blow measured ensured ni trend on tile the broad briele balc terrace that lint ran along the house lionso on oil the aide toward the ho sound the window a were open and tile guard was in plain view I 1 glanced nt at antohne Ant olne attitude toward mo me was that of one ne benedo bently tolerant of lie meant to save tile nie in spite of w n tell tile picket to himself where I 1 wont hear him if you please antoine Ant olne ile iio disappeared through one ile of ho french windows tint and in n moment I 1 saw tho guard patrolling a walk somo bonio distance from the house I 1 now ninde mado myself comfortable comfort ablo with a book and gigar cigar but I 1 had hardly settled myself I 1 I 1 I 1 rl 1 I 4 the house Is in order I 1 judge tor for a quiet hour before I 1 heard a commotion front from tile the direction of the gate foil followed Owed a few minutes later by a shout shou and tand colloquy after which a roadster arrived lit in hasto haste tit nt tho the front door mr torrence sart sir announced antoine Ant olne im sorry 11 sir jr but lie he ran by the guard at the gate bate nril our roan maik below the house stopped him film its a precaution weve been taking sir Torrence Torren ces 8 sense ot of humor aris always a little feeble and I 1 hastened into the hall to reassure him us as to ills file welcome for pods sake singleton happened hero here A band of pirates jumped on roy my running board and after afler id knocked them off a road agent stopped me right there in sight t ti of the house and poked file lie muzzle of t a shotgun in my face mighty blighty sorry you were but there hayo bave been some borne queer char peters about tramps and that sort ot of thing and the people on the place anre merely a little anxious have a 11 cigar all I 1 can say any ts to that better send jour your friends the password I 1 that fool out there with tile the gun Is likely to kill somebody antoine Ant olno lie he turned to the lie butler buffer who was ans drawing the c nt at the windows qt if the property been threatened you should bare informed me immediately 1 yes sir but its only been quite recent and ki knowing owIng bir singleton was van coming coining we like to bother you we ran can only apologize torry terry I 1 interposed the employees have bren been alarmed but were bound to commend mend their zal humph I 1 he ejaculated the to life dignity still rankling I 1 forced a cigar upon blin and talk vit cd of the went lier to cover An antoinet Antol nos re retreat trent I 1 resolved not to tell tc 11 the real cause of tile the servants oppre heris folis knowing ills disposition to magnify trifles rides and nicil fearing lo lie 10 might send bond the tiu police to investigate ile ho lived only ivo ave aniles from barton a tact fact to which lio lie now referred hoard heard of tiny tramps over my yay way ile ho said fluid frowning these old lun lunatics atles your uncle left hero here aro ara simply hipped nil all its ita ti a wonder yon son think of upsetting its ills will mill on tho the grund of mental unsoundness oil oh chuck chuch lit well mean 1 ing hol helpless pless people and its bully tint hat undo uncle bosh provided n homo home for them theres nobody else to uso use the place life ills cigar lint proved soothing sooth log but my last remark caused him film to sit up str straight night in ili ills his chair illy hy I 1 my holdup almost ninde me ine forgot what I 1 camo for I 1 finyo for you yon Single torl good or bad as aa you yon may take it mrs lIns bashford Hash ford liford Is in fit america mrs airs lIns liford I 1 repented futility faintly here to do you get these pleasant tidings this ho he answered producing icIng a telegram la is nil I 1 know about it ito ho to sense my d discomfiture t tire the nies sago rend read mass sept 20 13 J tl 13 torrence torence trust co now new york at seattle n Q anik ago tit and linao been motoring east from chicago to sen see tho the country vi all rench barton in four or ive five days please wire me 1110 nt at ilia washington inn lenox whether house Is in ili order for alice Il ashford well what to do you say to ti eliat bilat lat lie ho 1 I 1 say its ita taking unfair advantage I 1 ed savagely I ivo got to clear out tho the art thing not your right to lie garage Is IB settled she oust you yen it she bhe wanted to youve rot got to stay here anyhow till she collie theres tl no ducking du elling that there are many little cour courtesies testes she would tint ant trully expect from you ini ill delighted that hat you see my lily uty fifty so no if I 1 you assured nio file that site she was M safe nt at lio lie end of tho world I 1 would ll nj have set act fo foot ot liero here tile tho house Is tn in order I 1 jud juda go lie glancing about nhoun lio lie room ive got to wire litre her that were realy tor for tier her you most certainly havo I 1 yon ron inight odd add that ashes causing serious inconvenience to her late it fi only nephew you iou really dont acan flint lie ho inquired anxiously oh thunder not no I 1 lad had forgotten liow how trying torrence could be ile he now Bug suggested that hat we e summon antoine and take it look at the hoap torrence isa conscientious fellow with tit n exact and orderly mind and there ans no corner of the iw place from cellar to garra that we explore it was highly to the old linin servants that tho the house was waa thoroughly habit tible As an wo nye were on our way downstairs down stairs the old fellow detained we roc a moment have you ion told him film about tile alio va parties relm I 1 shook my lily liend hend in angry rejection of the lie iden idea that I 1 should tell torrence ton enco about ilia parties and dismissed ns no soon na as wo we reached tho the ball 1 I suggest said torrence that when she alio comes you have blowers in till nil the rooms the ho conservatory will supply enough and it occurs to rue nio that lie he anore inconspicuous you make this bunch of lazy dependents tile ha more agreeable it will ft he be tor lor mrs li ashford you dont expect much of me it was never in the ho contract that I 1 should become tile the patriarch of these venerable relics hut but ill warn morn them to conc concool etil themselves as much ns as possible sible I 1 fully expect to leave the reservation for good just one hour after tile the ady arrives 11 flints your affair of Co course lirse an aa klica motoring we cant just time tier arrival but when j I 1 get a ware amt ashes on ilia lie way il ill telephone you and of course after site sho gets here ill como at once to pay my respects respect i you cant conie come too boognl I 1 answered spitefully |