The Cairo bulletin., 1905-03-16

of which was blackened and partly
stripped OF shingles. In the middle of
this picture Il heap of ruins marked
the place where Clavering's hotel had
stood 1t had been consumed like q bit
of paper, and its ashes scarcely suf-
feed to fill the shallow cellar.
Haven whistled softly.
'"rhis is indeed merry jest" said
he.
'But 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 il to Toronto, not knowing
that you had gone on TO Annandale,
Your mother had the message forward
ed but it missed You. And Tom learn
ed all this at Muskoka after | 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 bribed that old
villain. Haskell. This is why we were
set ashore on the back Of the island.
It's why we took the launch, In the
first place."
gThey 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
send ii for us after ii has put them
ashore at The Bluffs, and that won't
be moro than twerbty minutes TO wait"
They waited twenty minutes by Ha-
ven's 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
SUPERB asked Carol. "You remember
what she said"
Haven answered in a,vaguely renssur-
ing manner, for his real opinion was
too alarming for expression. lie per
ceived clearly enough that this Jest
had gone beyond the intention OF the
testers and that some accident had de
layed a rescue How serious the mis-
hap had been he could mot know.
Lets walk over this way" said he,
pointing toward the right horn of the
4 l.
out toward The Bluffs and see them
coming"
The suggestion suited Carols impa-
fence, and so they crossed tine aban-
doned tennis court and struck into the
woods by a path that Carol thought
that she remembered. The path deceiv-
ed them, and they gotlost and wander
ed aimlessly, hearing bewildcrfng voices
calling from the lake, as II seemed to
them, and answering as best they
might from the smothering depths of
the grove.
At last they came,out upon theshorc
somewhere, and the lake before them
was all black and as strange as a new
sea Carol sat down upon a whiteyrock
and sobbed. while Haven walked along
a little way in the hope of seelngtlights.
Suddenly he uttered n cry, and then he
laughed.
saved, savedr he shouted. "A boat !
This Is indeed miracle!" hesadded as
Carol came up beside him.
"a miracle? Where are the people?"
Aha said he. THAT'S the wonder |
of it, This boat wasn't tied. She was
just grounded. She's been adrift. or I'm
no Judge. See the broken twigs where |
she's bumped along the,shore. She's lit !
tered with them. ! tell you, Carol, the /
angels have sent her"
"They couldn't have sent her where /
she would be more welcome said the !
girl as he helped her aboard. (which |
way shall we go?"
At that moment they heardtthe sound I.
of steamers whistle. II came from |
behind point that doomed darkly n
mile away.
That's the Nip" said Carol. refer |
ring to one of the Muskoka steamers. |
"She's landing somewhere, and we'd |