The House of a Thousand Candles

will which gave me his property conditionally, Pickering wrote, and it was necessary for me to return immediately to qualify as legatee. It was the

me to Italy, where I had gone to meet an English financier who had, I was advised, unlimited money to spend on African railways. I am an engineer, a

in the Alexis Building and listened intently while he read, with much ponderous emphasis, the provisions of my grandfather's will. When he concluded, I laughed. Pickering was a serious m

all Glenarm's will into my hands. I read it through for myself, feeling conscious meanwhile that P

roperty known as Glenarm House, with the land thereunto pertaining and hereinafter more particularly described, and all personal property of whatsoever kind there

an orderly and temperate manner. Should he fail at any time during said year to comply with this provision, said property shall revert to my general estate a

is hands upon the arms of his c

ame town in Vermont; we had attended the same preparatory school, but there had been from boyhood a certain antagonism between us. He had always succeeded where I had failed, which is to say, I must admit, that he had succeeded prett

arm had taken a friendly interest in him. It was wholly like my grandfather, who was a man of many whims, to give his affairs into Pickering's keeping; and I could not complain, for I had missed my own chance with him. It was, I knew readily enough, part of my punishment for having succeeded so signally in incurring my grandfather's displeasure that he had made it necessary for me to treat with Arthur Pickering in this matter of the will; and Pickering was

I was a child, and he had cared for me as far back as my memory ran. He had suffered me to spend without restraint the fortune left by my father; he had expected much of me, and I ha

isurely following the Danube east of the Iron Gate-Laurance Donovan always with me, while we urged the villagers and inn-loafers to all manner of sedition, acquitting ourselves so well that, when we came out into the Black Sea for further pleasure, Russia did us the honor to keep a spy at our heels. I should like, for my own sa

f Broadway, discussing the terms of my Grandfather Glenarm's will with a man whom I disliked as heartily as it is safe for one man to di

heir money. They imagine that every kindness, every ordinary courtesy shown them, is merely a bid for a slice of the cake. I'm disappointed in my grandfather. He was a splendid old man, though God knows he had his queer ways. I'll bet a thousand dollars, if I have so much money in the world, that this scheme

plied coolly. He did not look upon me as likely to become a formidable litigant.

I abide by the terms of the will. My grandfather was a fine old gentleman. I shan't drag

rthy of a good man,

succeed to my rights,-I do

sing that you nev

f the family,-no long-lost cou

met her through an old friend of his,- Miss Evans, known

about to marry. The name of Miss Evans had been mentioned in this connection. I had heard it spoken of in my family, and no

ux,-is she an el

nun at present. Still, she's almost alone in the w

r Theresa isn't the one I mustn't marry, is she? It's the other ecclesiastical embroide

oud this

of marriage between said persons within five years from the date of said John Glenarm's acceptance of the provisions of this will, the whole est

urn over to you all my right, interest and title in and to these angelic Sisters. Marry! I like the idea! I s

all you a marrying

e hardly contemporaries. And the other lady with the fascinating algebraic climax to her name,-she, too, is impossible;

ts, and she ought to have some money of her own if her a

p are these lovely c

ink some of your own weakness for travel. Sister Theresa is her neares

abor valiantly to bring confusion upon Satan and his cohorts. J

miled at my

you in their net. Sister Theresa is said to have quite

outh and that sort of thing, with a good-natur

rned the stem with his heavy fingers. He was short, thick-set and sleek, with a square ja

that I was irritated. I drew out my ciga

made quite special

I never use tob

basket, to his obvious annoyance. "Well, I'm the bad boy of the story-books; but I'm really sorry my inheritance ha

sement of him, generosity had not been represented in large figures. "It's not in keeping with your grandfather

want anything from you. You undoubtedly share my grandfather's idea of me that I'm a wild man who can't sit still o

h a pencil. I never liked Pickering's hands; they were thic

ortune. Sister Theresa wheedled large sums out of him, and he spent, as you will see, a small fortune on the house at Annandale without finishing it. It wasn't a cheap proposition, and in its unfinished condition it is

. My conscience pricked me as I recalled an item of forty thousand dollars that I had spent-somewhat grandly-on an exped

supposed to be rich, and yet you tell me you find little property. Sist

n open account. His books show th

claim is

nst her individuall

, go

as annoyed at my persistence and

says Mr. Glenarm made h

king gifts to churches. Schools and theologica

s among the assets of the estate. It's

worth sixty thousand dollars, plus the value of the l

you h

tness he had shown, a

ts value. Even an unfinishe

ifty dollars an acre. There's an even hundred acres. I'll be g

ent, Pickering. The loose st

. Your grandfather's wea

my stormy interviews with John Marshall

lection of books relating to architecture to be found in this country. That was his chief hobby, after church a

better to laugh than t

ently Glenarmian! And all I get is a worthless house, a hundred acres of land, ten thousand dollars, and a doubtful claim against a Protestant nun who hoodwinked my gr

out the si

Perhaps my grandfather planted old plate and government bonds just to pique

g's eyes bent upon me with curious intentness. I had never liked his eyes; they were too steady.

lly packed with treasure," he said, and laugh

dea seemed to gi

thing else?" I asked. "N

ilities. I'll admit that the provisions of the will are unusual; your grandfather was a peculia

eartache that I had not known often in my irresponsible life;

dly authentic; it bore the certificate of the clerk of Wabana Cou

sked, pointing to t

trustworthy fellow. He's a fair cook, among other things. I don't know where Mr. Gl

aded staff, and said puzzling things at which everybody was afraid either to laugh or to cry. He refused to be thanked for favors, though he was generous and helpful and constantly performing kind deeds. His whimsical philanthropies were often described in the newspapers. He had once given a considerable su

r whether his estate was great or small, I could, at least, ease my conscience by obeying the behest of the old ma

ething of Mr. Glenarm's la

old village cemetery. I saw him last early in the summer. I was away from home and did not know of his death until it was all over. Bates came to report it to me, and to sign the

d the sea that had lured me since my earli

" remarked Pickering consoli

I don't care a curse what my inheritance is! I never obeyed any of my grandfather's wishes in his lifetime, but now

it will be safer to keep our most agreeable acquaintance on a

d man's last wish! I gave him enough trouble in his life without disappointing him in his

so heartily; he was so smug and comfortable. His office breathed the v

t there has a high death

ne side of Lake Annandale. The place is really supposed to be wholesome. I

ould make a man of me. Must I do my own vi

me you'll not have many guests,-in fact,"-he studied the back of his hand intently,-"while that isn'

n my cheerfullest tone. "No; my conduct shall be exe

prepared it in advance of my coming, and this assumption that I would accept the terms irritated me. Assumptions as to what I should do under given conditions ha

ssession?" he asked. "I hav

or Indiana to-mo

I had just signed. "I hoped you might dine with me before going out; but

had spent my patrimony; I had tasted the bread of many lands, and I was doomed to spend a year qualifying myself for my grandf

to go Pick

ine, say once a month, to let me know you

ostal cards in the village and arrang

e that way," be

n, if I don't die of star

erence to me whether the market rose or fell. Something of the spirit of adventure that had been my curse quickened in my heart as I walked through crowded

ow I ran into the arms of the last

in October of the year of our