Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1905-09-07
where's the hotelY demanded Ha-

Behind the trees" said Carol. This
IL the back of the island The landing
is on the other side"
II told Captain Haskell that you'd
probably prefer to land here" said
Tom. "Your arrival will be beautifully
inconspicuous, whereas if you go to the
wharf,
II hoped that Mrs. Earle would go
with me just for moment" said
Carol, until find grandma"
"Now, why should we put Mrs. Earle
to this Inconvenience and delay her
from her supper?" protested Haven.
I'm this unconventional region Will
anybody question:
"Of course not" exclaimed Gladys.
"You will stroll up through the pretty
path, and no one will know that there
are not forty chaperons at your heels.
Still, if you'd rather, we'd take you
around to the wharf,
"Not for the world" said Jack Ha-
ven.
So they were set ashore upon the lit
tie pier, where they waved farewells as
the launch drew away.
1--WE may row over after supper"
called Gladys. "Come down to the
wharf"
She had Tom by the arm, and both
Of them were struggling with mysteri-
GUS mirth. Haven exchanged ques-
tioning glance with Carol.
TOO deep for me-" said he. 81 don't
know what's the matter with them"
Carol answered with a shake Of her
head as they began to ascend the path
which ran diagonally up the side Of
the bluff. The evening seemed to close
upon them suddenly among the tall
and somber trees.
1--WE must hurry" said Carol as they
reached the top. "Yet it's only little
way. and it will be light again when
we come to the end of the path"
Il hope we shan't meet lot of peo-
ple."
"They'll ali be on the other side Of
the house or on the tennis court. I
wonder we don't hear voices"
The path sloped downward and made
a sudden turn. They saw an arch of
green as sharply outlined as the mouth
of a tunnel.
''Why, where's the house?" cried the
girl. And she began to run.
Haven overlook her in stride or
two and helped her mount knoll at
the edge of the grove. The green cres-
cent of the wood curved to the shore
on either hand, embracing little bay,
with Il pier and boathouse, the roof
Of which was blackened and partly
stripped of shingles. In the middle of
this picture heap Of ruins marked
the place where Clavering's hotel had
stood. 1t had been consumed like a bit
of paper and it's ashes scarcely suf-
feed to fill the shallow cellar.
Haven whistled softly.
"This is indeed merry Jest" said
he
"But I had telegram from grand
father this forenoon!" exclaimed Carol,
bewildered. "He said Shall expect
you this evening. We are very nicely
located thought that last sentence
was odd"
This house burned down yesterday"
said Haven. "Your grandfather sent
you word Of it to Toronto, not knowing
that you had gone on to Annandale.
Your mother had the message forward
ed, but ii missed you. And Tom learn
ed all this at Muskoka after l appear
ed, and he and Gladys put up this job"
But surely Mrs. Earle
you may depend upon it that she
doesn't know Tom brbed that old
Il vii cI-nli ie, INV
set ashore on the back of the island.
It's why we took the launch, in the
first place"
"They can't mean to leave us here
long"
mo. indeed" said he you'll see
the launch come around that point in a
minute or two. At the worst, they'll
send it for us after it has put them
ashore at The Bluffs, and that won't
be more than twenty minutes to wait"
They waited twenty minutes by Hat
vens watch and then ten more for
good measure, but the launch did not
appear. In the meantime they had
visited the ruins and the wharf and
had made up their minds that the is
land was entirely deserted except for
their own unwilling presence.
'Do you suppose that Gladys really
meant to leave us here until after
supner?" asked Carol. you remember
what she said"
! Haven answered in a vaguely reassur-
ing manner. for his real opinion was
too alarming for expression. He per-
! ceived clearly enough that this jest
/ had gone beyond the intention of the
Z inStars opd that Soma occidpnt had do