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She sniffed disgruntledly Things ca in Ten days ago she had decided on the spur of the moment--a decision suddenly crystallized by a weariness of charitable committees and the noise and heat of New York--to take a place in the country for the su season--even the ordinary difficulties of finding a suitable spot would have added some spice to the quest--but this ideal place had practically fallen into her lap, with no trouble or search at all Courtleigh Fle, president of the Union Bank, who had built the house on a scale of co had died suddenly in the West when Miss Van Gorder was beginning her house hunting The day after his death her agent had called her up Richard Fle's nephew and heir, was anxious to rent the Fle house at once If she ain Miss Van Gorder had decided at once; she took an innocent pleasure in bargains The next day the keys were hers--the servants engaged to stay on--within a week she had moved All very pleasant and easy no doubt--adventure--pooh!

And yet she could not really say that her ht her no adventures at all There had been--things Last night the lights had gone off unexpectedly and Billy, the Japanese butler and handy man, had said that he had seen a face at one of the kitchen s--a face that vanished when he went to theServants' nonsense, probably, but the servants seemed unusually nervous for people ere used to the country And Lizzie, of course, had sworn that she had seen a row hysterical over a creaking door Still--it was queer! And what had that affable Doctor Wells said to her--"I respect your courage, Miss Van Gorder-- out into the Bat's hoain There was a map of the scene of the Bat's most recent exploits and, yes, three of his recent crimes had been within a twenty-ave a little shudder of pleasurable fear Then she disht live in a lonely house, two --and the Bat would never disturb her Nothing ever did

She had skiht her eye Failure of Union Bank--wasn't that the bank of which Courtleigh Fle had been president? She settled down to read the article but it was disappointingly brief The Union Bank had closed its doors; the cashier, a young man named Bailey, was apparently under suspicion; the article ic death in the best vein of newspaperese She laid down the paper and thought--Bailey--Bailey--she see man named Bailey orked in a bank--but she could not remember where or by whom his name had been mentioned