Lady Larkspur

ng. Mrs. Bashford was not only in America, but with a motor at her command she might reach Barton at any hour. And the vigorous, dominating woman who had captur

that she would quickly weary of Barton and pine fo

moved briskly, and I read on as though enfolded in the air of a crisp spring morning. It was Searles's whimsical stroke, only with

a city, and her social contacts had been limited to the country folk, who viewed her with commiseration as the prisoner of her misanthrope father, who in the fifteen years of his exile had maintained a hostile attitude toward his neighbors. He had, however, educated the g

n of the mystery of the father's exile and an amusing complication of lovers afforded a suspensive interest well sustained to the end. There were innumerable charming scenes, as where the girl in the outlandish costume in wh

ing should be buried in a safety-vault was not to be thought of, and I sat down and wrote Searles a long letter demanding that he at once forget the lost star for whom he had written the piece, suggesting the names of sev

mity. On the third, still hearing nothing, I harkened to an invitation from friends at New London and drove over in the runabo

rom the darkness, and speaking under stress of d

that my aunt had effected her descent in my absence. "Well, she was expected; the h

ould; but it was most unfortun

ct the lady's sentiments? I'm properly humil

ughed when I took the l

utraged dignity! Go ahead a

hen the car didn't stop the boys chased her and fired at the tires of her machine. It was very dreadf

t her in-into her own house, we must remember-you did grant her

ir, to make her comfortable. She was not what you might say fussy, sir, but quite human-like. We was all re

unce the whole lot of us. An old lady fatigued from a journey cros

d about Antoine with their lanterns and garden implements and firearm

stress is not really what you wou

, I should say," volunte

d was a matter of conjecture. "Um," I

There was a maid, and they came in a machine? Did you

way. The driver was a good deal upset over the sho

have you all arrested to-mor

got her inside. We gave her tea, which was all she asked for. She takes her tea with cream, sir. We did our best to make

ipping widow who could corral so difficult a subject as my uncle would be quite capable of inspiring him with d

warn me of her coming; either way it was a pretty kettle of fish, and

s. My aunt was established on the premises, and her coming and the circumstances of her advent constituted a good joke of which I and not she was the victim. When I reached my quarters in the garage I s

ge as a warning to the Flynns to prepare breakfast, and was dressed when the Irishman

aving, sorr," he remarked,

soon,

omfortable they're making us-Dutch and the rest. That An

Satisfied as you and Elsie are of your entire loyalty to the United States and the associated P

we find it, the wife and

herself to restore peace on her property. When I call to pay my respects and make my adieus I shall speak to her of the situat

or an hour an' more. She's been all over the place an

ed out of me; clearly it had been my duty to be on hand to pilot her over the estate, or at least to receive her at

ordered a big car from New York and told me it wou

t definitely that she would remain for some time, perhaps for the winter. I poured a second cup of coffee, swallowed

orr, toward the Sound and s

t a glimpse of a woman on the beach-a slender, agile woman throwing a ball for the amusement of a fox-terrier. She threw the ball with a boy's free swing, occasionally varying a hot one down the shore with a toss high in air which she

after all, be the maid of whom Antoine had spoken; I advanced slowly, anxious not to break in upon her romp with the terrier-they made a charming picture-and trying to formulate an introduction. I reached a low stone wall that separated the lawn from th

imed. "I was blinded by the sunlight a

lint, her plain black gown with lawn collar and wristbands. It was her age, however, that roused me to instant speculation. Twenty-five, I decided, was a maxi

you are Mrs. Bashford?" unable for the life of

ex!" she commanded the dancing terrier; "lie down; school's over now"; whereu

urse, that any one was about. But you made a very nice catch of it! I had expected to receive you most formally in the dr

napped and married my uncle! Not only had she married my uncle Bash and in due course buried him; she had been a widow when she married him! I furtively studied her face-a face that invited scrutiny-and her candid eyes that met my gaze of wonder and frank admiratio

Mr. Torrence had promised to let me know when you would reach here, but he must have forgotten it. I had motored to a friend's house

there, but I found that by pushing on I could reach here yesterday. Then the machine I hired showed every weakness that motors are subject to and we were hours later than the Hartford garage man promised. And you know

nquiries had so alarmed Antoine and his comrades. Now that I saw Mrs. Bashford the idea that any one could entertain malevolent designs upon her was more preposterous than ever, and I resolved that she must be shielded fro

me for these people; wasn't he really the ki

etic tastes, and the girl was adorable. More remarkable things had happened in the history of love and marriage than that two such persons, meeting in a far corner of the world, would honestly care for each other. My respect for Uncle

began, breaking a long silenc

re to render my fullest homage. He has always been one of my heroes, you know." She laughingly lifted her hands and counted upon her fingers

" I said reverently. "Let's co

ven, mellow tones. "You know, we had your photograph out East-a

advantage! And I didn't know Uncl

aid gravely. "He was very proud

of me for refusing to go into business. He offer

iness with him was merely a means to an end. And it was doubly sad that h

ut nothing in her manner invited such a comment. Her grave moods were to be respected, and she tal

suddenly, jumping down from the wal

tions about the neighborhood, and promised to

shment, but eating alone is bad for the digestion. I shall think you resent my coming if you don't dine at the ho

ected in her youthful widowhood b

this way," she said, giving me her

the electric lights gave it the appearance of a prettily set scene. She came toward me, a slender figure in white. She seemed taller in white; as she took a few steps

worth, Mr.

eal. I instantly liked Mrs. Farnsworth. She uttered a few commonplaces in an uncommonplace tone without pausing in her knitting. Mrs. Bashford had been knitting too, and as she sat down she took up her yarn and needles. It

nd cousins, but"-her head bent lower-"that isn't for me to do any m

or of Englishmen I had known in Fr

s. The long dining-room, always a bare, forbidding place, had been reduced to cosey proportions by screens, and a small roun

we might as well enjoy them, and that Lang Yao jar you s

uch," I said, noting that the white roses she had chosen for the jar-I knew

I am told that such things are beautiful I am immediatel

shoes following him through museums and salesrooms, but he gave me up when he found that my pagan soul was aroused by not

so frankly," said Mrs. Farnsworth. "I have

they are nice,"

hymn pictured the heathen in his blindness bowing down to wood and stone; but I'm disposed to broaden my definition to include all who believe in fairies good or bad, and persons who honestly believe in signs, omens

shall see one some day. We shall find anything in this world that we believe in hard enough. Now a witch-the

commonest topic of conversation, but finding my eyes turn

each of hospitality, and you are all but a stranger, but we are curious to know whether you are of that small company of the favo

ut I might even boast o

nd Mrs. Farnsworth indulged in whims for the joy of it, and her zest in the discussion of witches, carried on while Antoine served the table, lips tightly compressed, and with an exaggeration of his stately tread, was the more startling from the fact that my aunt's companion was a woman of years, a handsome woman with a high-bred air who did not look at all like a person who would discuss witches as though they had been made the topic of the day by the afternoon newspapers. And when the shape of a witch's chin became the immediate point of discussion I knew it was in Antoine's mind that such conversation was unbecoming, an offense to the memory of Raymond Bashford.

ms of auntship, and it was a relief to have the relationship waived. She was simply the jolliest, prettiest girl that had ever crossed my horizon, and t

ed an excellent dinner, though the witch tal

would be nicer there), and as Antoine gave me

sir. If he

. "Mr. Torrence will be here shortly, and it would be annoying to have him ushered in on

e and the home of the brave," laughed A

shoulders, and I decided to meet squarely the

ld fellows haven't enough to do, and they are full of apprehensions. With

ould!" murmured

ent of some sort who wants to welcome you to A

g inside, and my remark

were not here and not expected. The second time he said he was just passing on his way to the city and thought he would stop again. A very well-spoken gentleman, and we'd have thought nothing of it except that a few days later I caught a man I was s

n you saw him at the door should have returned in disguise and tried

t were true! Any one in disguise is bound to be interesting. A disguise sugg

ught I detected a white slipper cautiously reach out and touch

ell me anything of any stranger on the property, but I see nothing here to

rity of the premises: "It's a party with a limp; just a trifling limp, sir; you'd hardly notice it. It was wo

I thought there was a telegraphic exchange between the ladies,

, I seated myself beside Mrs. Farnsworth that Torrence might be free to talk business with my aunt. I was devoutly grateful that he had not been present at the dinner-table, for my own efforts to interest Torrence in anything but the most practical matters had always been highly unsuccessful, and the discussion of gh

ld me herself, which was precious little. Mrs. Farnsworth's talk was that of a cultivated woman. Her voice interested me unaccountably; the tones had a

ing for our dear country, but I want to keep her here a little while until she can readjust herself. You must not think, Mr. Singleton, that she has no feeling; you have no idea of the depths of that child's nature; they are unfathomable! It is

oked the terrier that lay quietly in a chair beside her. I was sure that his painstaking description of assets and market values was boring her. Once her v

hese people in their old age. And"-she laughed and turned toward me-"they can

d in me a desire to shock him. He was trying to assure Alice that his only concern was to

n, Torry," I said, lingering upon h

d. "I wasn't sure you meant to st

are hoping that he will like us well enough to share our exile on other accounts. We are

can jokes to me," announced Mrs. Farnsworth.

is wife would motor down to call shortly, I caught a glimpse of his face that indicated deep perplexity. I wanted to warn him that Alice Bashford w

ervously when we were outside. "I'

ouse he stopped abruptly and seized my a

what?"

" he exclai

t avow that she's ado

u know perfectly well he never married a young girl of that sort! Those wo

young woman of charm and wit like this girl. And it is hardly profitable or decent to speculate as to her interest in him. You mustn't forget th

of those women at the house is Raymond Bashford's

rst jump out of the box," I said, laughing at the

're playing a game of some kind and it's no laughing matte

ng them arrested as imposters, Torre

advise you to be on guard. Are you sure your uncle never sent you his w

tical-minded man, he expanded his views as to the unlikelihood of my uncle's marrying a girl but little beyond school age. I shrank from telling him that I didn't care a hang whether the widow was a fraud or not. If the two women who had settled themselves on the Barton estate w

e of letting a pretty girl pull the wool over your eyes. If we're not careful, we're all of us likely to get into trouble." He lowered his voice and added tensely: "Those women are under suspicion of something more serious than an attempt to rob

ell," I suggested as he beat the

to have a look at the woman first. He told me nothing except that the British Embass

mustache?" I asked, suddenly interested. "Such a per

ment just after the Lusitania business. He's a gentleman and a good fellow-I've played golf with him a good deal-and I hated to lie to him. Of course, with

e stood high, and even without the prestige of his official position he was not a chap to sneeze at;

d has lost a brother in the war, and I haven't heard any one talk more bitterly against Germany. And her companion ce

business," he de

Raynor has reason to suspect either or both

've got to advise him immediately that Mrs. Bashford is he

tempt to leave, I'll warn you and Raynor instantly, but they have settled themselves as though they expected to spend the

d he left on my promise to report to him daily at a given hour and instantly if anything unusual occurred. I waited for the guards to lock

what you think of it, sir?" he a

replied sharply, "I think she's quite charming and

d her so lately bereaved. And the older lady's quite as bad, sir. The maids tell me they keep talking

believing in fairies and goblins is no crime. Such pas

r never indulged in

It was probably the poetry and fairie

ed with a gulp. "I supp

the row you made last night. It could be done; in fact, Mr. Torrence

very sad, sir,"

you? Hasn't she taken pains t

her, there being two women in the laundry already; and she's told me Dutch must be g

spoiled; that's what's the matter with you. Elsie and

eeling; that

added: "We must take good care of Mrs. Bashford, Antoine. It would be your old master's wish. It will d

y change of tone about the unknow

set, sir; fro

no chances. Please tell the boys to send for me immediatel

is hat nervously-"if it wasn't for the ladies talking about spirits, we'd all feel better, sir.

ving in such rubbish. If they really believed in ghosts, you may be sur

s I was drawing down the shades in my bedroom, I saw