Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-03

cover him with confusion but again 1 was
mistaken. He didI nett even deny the
charge, as weaker-maTI-w would have done.
Ms some 1 mlsehancsL has helped you, dear
would never have found sout so much for
yourself-no, not if Souhad stumbled over
the carriage, horses and coachman on your
way to the kirk. But, after all, what are
you the wiser? You haveI come long road
and tired your back with, 1 fear me, but
little gain to yourself. q What might your
detectiveship be going to do with yourself
now?"
II do not stir from your elbow" I cried,
here!' j a
He raised his eyebrows with an air of
Weil-bred surprise, exceedingly insolent
Mop he said. You are, indeed, generous
OF your society. Well. since 1 am to have
the pleasure OF your company if l do not
tell you the truth, 4 will cen humor you.
What l am going to do now L am here is
far beyond your comprehension But since
even asses nave an ear for music, so, per-
maps, niue tune may do you no i'll.
"nlch Things are an allegory!'
where he learned the knack of 1t know
not, as it were not from his own familiar
spirit. For no one of the Glendonwyns
ever had an ear for music sufficient to en-
apie them to follow psalm tune in church
without making all their neighbors turn
around to look at them. But certainly
tnere was never heard anything in this
countryside like the playing of my brother
Rupert.
First he played an air. simple and quaint
ly marked In rhythm like the overword of
BARN hymn. Then, striking into a high
er, bolder strain with birdlike turns and
aihorous aliurements, he led on to such
tumultuous and soul-shaking back-and-
1orth OF hurrying sound that scraps of
melody seemed tumbled together headlong,
as II some heavenly Songsters had been
caught f1uttering in a net, whence they sent
form plteous appeals and wing fappings-
all gradually subsiding into the burden Of
an ancient psalm, slow, sustained and SOL
emn as burial march
Inc musician stopped, unscrewed Lis in
strument again and turned upon me.
There you have it-that is my parable"
he said; you are a professional inter-
prefer of such. What do you take out of
that?''
You have come here" 1 answered him
as quietly as l could, ION an errand the
purport Of which l can only imperfectly
guess at. But this 1 do know, that 1 shall
not let you out of my sight till l discover
the mystery Of the disappearance Of these
two poor innocent girls!'
lnnocent?" he cried, laughing, chow do
you know they are innocent?'
would answer for it with my life!' I
cried, starting as If an adder had Kissed at
me out of bush. Then sudden as an in
spiration there came into my head a way
to answer him.
You Of all men, said, drawing a bow
at venture, have the best reasons for
knowing that they are innocent as children
newly bornp'
No" he said. quite calmly. my father
has betterv'
''Or hadv' he added, looking at his watch
while 1 was struck dumb by his assur-
ance.
Now, parson," he went on, with the
same quiet lnsolence as before "a year
ago 1 should have smitten him In the teeth
for it, but of late the Lord had begun to
speak to mel, now, most holy churchman,
l will tell you what 1 am going to do.
You have obtruded your company upon
me, but after all blood Is thicker than
water l will not turn you out, 1 am go
ing to stay here another two hours-no
more and no less. Then If you will accom-
pany me, why you are at liberty to do So
If you can. Good night, John Knoxr'
So saying my brother deity pushed a
chair under the calves of his legs SO that
the little silver spurs on his heels might
not embarrass him, drew a lace-edged
pocket handkerchief over his face and ap-
peared to go to sleep.
From the kitchen of the inn 1 heard the
measured rack rack of the old woman's
nursing chair and her low moaning Gloon.
After about an hour she came in and look
ed keenly about Then having lit another
farthing dip she went as noiselessly out
again. Il
1 must have dozed from that point on
ward, for the next I knew was Rupert
standing over me, tapping my shoulder
with the key of the stable door.
You are but poor spy he said; mo
detective force would employ you for
week. For all you knew might have been
six long miles away by this time, with
Sabine maiden over each shoulder and
scalping knife between my teeth. But 1
kind to you, my good stupid police
officer. Take glass before we go, and
1 will try the mettle of your cart horse
along the road. There Is eight miles be-
tween us and the ancestral towers Of
Cover. Come, 1 will give you mile start
and beat you at the gates for a hundred
guineas"
How long he had been awake and watch
ing me asleep 1 could not tell. But 1t
did not take much penetration to see how
he had been employing his time. There
was already one empty bottle upon the
table, and as he spoke he poured out
other full tumbler for himself together
with a glass for me, which, of course, 1
did not touch. Yet all that he had drunk
seemed to have no effect upon him that
night save for the extraordinary lightness
and vivacity 1t impaired to his motions and
the briliancy of his eyes, which at times
burned with Jambent glow, as If the fires
of hell were already alight behind them.
1T is no use waiting longer" he said,
with mock gravity. THE friends whom l
have been expecting have evidently played