He shivered slightly and cursed himself for
a fool. The silly thing COULDN'T be looking at him! What nonsense!
Still he breathed a sigh of relief when he turned the bend and was
safely screened from view by the grove of oaks that crowned the
hill above the village.
Several automobiles passed him as he trudged along the pike; an old
man afoot driving a little herd of sheep gave him a cheery "good
morning," but received no response.
"I wish I hadn't gone into that beastly house," he was repeating
to himself, a scowl in his eyes. "It gave me the 'Willies.' Jolly
lot of satisfaction I got out of it,--I don't think. I daresay he
kissed her a good many times up there in that,--But, Lord, what's
the sense of worrying about something that happened ten years ago?"
At the dinner table that noon, Charlie Webster suddenly inquired:
"Well, what have YOU been up to this morning, Court?"
Courtney started guiltily and shot a quick, inquiring look at the
speaker. Satisfied that there was no veiled significance in Charlie's
question, he replied:
"Took a long ramble up the pike. The air is like wine today. I
walked out as far as the old Windom house."
Charlie was interested. "Is that so? Did you see Amos Vick's daughter
hanging around the place?"
"Amos Vick's--you mean Rosabel?" He swallowed hard. "No, I didn't
see her. Was she over there?"
"Jim Bagley was in the office half an hour or so ago.
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