Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-08-20
eY NIhhIHN r. NICHOLS.
{ Copyright. 1905. by J. B. LIppIneott Company:


a glimpse of this visitor. DR.. Banks
had sent me an urgent message to
hasten to one of his patients, and was
driving briskly toward the sick mans
residence when l met the carryall,
homeward bound from BASKERVILLE.
Mrs. Loring and her niece were slowed
away under q multitude of bundles in
the stern of the old ark on wheels,
while the forecastle was shared by the
youthful John and n stranger, of whom
l could make out little, except that he
was dark bearded man, clad in fash
ionable raiment. At the time, l sup
posed him to be some stray traveller
bound for the village and profiting by
the happy accident of the carryall voy-
aging in that direction.
The evening was far advanced when
I returned to Mrs. Weston's, and, al
though that lady enlightened me as to
the arrival of Mrs. Loring and her guest,
l was quite willing to avoid intrudin5
upon them. Mrs. Weston could tell
very little about the newcomer. She
thought that he was n foreigner with
one of those outlandish names that no.
body but an alien could understand. It
was easy to conjecture that Mrs. Lor-
ing had CHANGED to meet him in Trent,
and had insisted upon bringing him to
Rodneytown, to talk over old times and
to gossip about people they had known
in the Lord knew what distant land.
In the morning, no doubt, an oppor-
tunity would be given me to pay my re-
spccts.
But the morning brought no oppor-
tunity of the sort. When l called upon
Mrs. Loring she was alone, and her
guest-Col. Mendoza she called him
was out for ramble about the neigh
borhood. He had expressed desire 10
visit the beach, she explained, and, in
asmuch as he had taken Johnson's boat,
was probably cruising about the bay or
some of the many channels branching
off from it. She expected him to re-
turn in an hour or two, and she was
anxious, so very anxious, that ! should
meet him. Couldn't l arrange to dine
with them? Really it was distressing
that another visit to Banks patient
would prevent an acceptance of the in
vitation. The colonel was such
charming gentleman. so very, very
charming, so courteous, so erudite, 50
widely Travelled, and so on through the
list of applicable adjcctives. However,
that afternoon or evening, or at supper
yes, that would be capital time
the meeting could be brought about.
OF course ] acquiesced, and then, as
Miss Gray was not in sight, parted with
her aunt rather abruptly. After 4
quarter Of an hour with Jones, whose
case showed no unfavorablc symptoms.
came TIE call upon Lamar. Contrary
to his custom, he was pottering about
his domain that morning, lured from
the house. perhaps, by the beauty of
the day, which, however,was not potent
enough to change his manner for he
gave me his stereotyped greeting, and
our talk was as brief and formal rs
usual. He asked no questions as to the
progress the injured man was making,
md | volunteered no information on
the subject. Then, in turn, came the
ride on Banks business. returned
from it early in the afternoon, and after
n hastv mcal--I challenged any man TO
lingcr unnecessarily over country
dinner gone cold for couple of hours
i spied Miss Gray on the porch OF
Mrs. Clark's residence, and strolled i'll
her direction.
1--WE come to make call, said |, TAX
ing a seat beside her.
"IIow nattering to u.s. she answered.
with smile. III bear the news TO
my aunt at once"
ooh, there's no hurry. Let me catch
nv breath. I'm here to see your visitor
this time"
"But don't you know that he has
gomez she asked.
NO l supposed him good for two
or three days at least. Certainly Mrs.
Loring didn't expect him to bid good
by so speedily. lie must be genuine
bird of passage"
"He surprised US. Really, we saw
very little OF him; for he started out
early this morning and didn't return
until nearly noon. And then he was
off to Trent without waiting for dinner.
lie explained that he had recollected all
important engagement, which must
have escaped his memory when, carried
away by the pleasure of meeting my
aunt, he accepted her invitation
That's odd" said I, idly, a good deal
relieved, on the whole, to find that |
need not meet the stranger, who, no
matter how agreeable he might have
been, would have lesscned my chances
for a chat with Dorothy. Come, let
us solace ourselves for his flight by a
cruise in your boat. You'll be COM
Portable in the shade of a parasol."
She readily agreed to the plan, and
in ten minutes we were standing on the
bank above the skiff, looking down at
it with pretense at critical inspec-
ton.
1T is surprising that Johnson de-
livered the boat with SO much mud on
the seats" said |. Let me brush it OIL
before you try to embark. I'm amazed
at his carelessness."
"Pcrhaps the fault is Col. Mendoza's,'
she observed. "He used the boat this
morning, you know"
Most of the muss is out of the way
now" said /, assisting her into the stern
sheets and settling myself at the oars:
"but I'll speak to Johnson about it,
anyway. One expects more neatncss
in an old man-of-war's- man"
"The colonel is far more likely to be
the guilty person" she objected, as |
bent to the oars and the boat gathered
headway.
"Who is he? Is he a mystery or a
plain everyday body? Tell me about