The Irish standard., 1906-01-13
4< 1-
| The Hermit
" A Story of the Wilderness u
~ By CHARLES CLARK MUM y
Author Of Pocket lslard ""Uncle Terry"
ard Roekhaven'
CHAPTER XXvm.-coxr1SuEp.
Copyright. 1903. b, Lee and shepard.)

SAA%AA AIN AN 1l."NONTlSUE
They'll follow, fast enough" re-
turned Levi, taking his share of good
things. now that the need of haste was
evident, they want to earn that ST.
COO ez has been offered for MCGUIRE
We've got good six hours start on
'em, even lowin' daylight paddlln', :"
he added, slancing at the sun, IN
time enough to hide the hermit where
they can't find him, that is, 'lowin' he's
the man you want
Martin looked at his guide in sur
prise. He had confided to him the OH
jcct OF his trip: what Levi knew of this
McGuire's history he had impaired be.
fore that long night journey. but no
definite plan OF action had been agreed
upon so far.
I'm going to let you manage this
affair" replied Martin, after pause
You know the woods. you know the
danger, and what want. If the her.
NIT is the man think. We must keeJ,
him out of these officers hands if we
have to tie him hand and foot and
carry him off bodily"
Il wished we'd got more time" TO-
turned Levi, thoughtfully; we're in a
sort o pocket up thar. n bout the
only chance O gittin ont is down the
way we go in. n that means runnin'
right into these ossifers, sure pop.
Thar's small stream comin' into tina;
lake whar he is, but We can't WORT; ",
1t more II mile N it ends in IL beaver
Gam. D-n EN-" he muttered a little
later, Il wish we could start 'em NY
toward the Moosehorn n the hut with
the signal wire. That's one O. Nc
Cures hidin'-spots. I've notion"
But time was flying, Martin uneasy
10 he Off, and the moment breakfast
was eaten. the smouldering fire was
drelschcd with water to leave no smoke
Sign. and the canoes pushed off.
AND now came an exhibition OF
woodcraft new even to Martin. Levi,
always the last to get into his canoe,
waited until the other had moved out
then, stepping into the water, reached
back with his paddle and levelled every
track in the sand and smoothed down
the burrows cut by canoe bows when
they landed, then with tin cup he
threw water over them all.
'They may find somebody built a
fire." he said, as he took his seat, "but
they cant tell when"
And now forward once more into and
up the slow-running stream, Martin
and the doctor had assembled, as they
supposed In pursuit of wild man. 1t
seemed longer now, for pursuers were
hot after them. 1t lent vigor to their
padding. however, and when the quick
! water was reached, and they halted for
breathing spell, Martin consulted his
watch and was astonished to find it
not yet ten. He had been SO keyed
up with excitement, the night journey
the brief sleep and all. that he had los,
sense of time. He hac not even mo-
ticed the sun. 1t was reassuring in
one way, for they must still be many
hours in advance of their pursuers,
and they pushed on with rising spirits
For over two months now Martin
had been slowly reaching the conclu-
sion that this old hermit must be the
long-missing AMI. At first vague
suspicion. then a probability. and at
last-so many times had he thought of
1t, comparing and shifting all data and
gossip, recalling the old hermit's loo, $
and nature as he found them, with all
reports, that now he was ready to stake
his life almost that the long mystery
would soon be solved al.J the hermi,
found to be Angles father. There
were other and stronger chords than
curiosity. His memory Of boyhood
days and Angie-his more mature and
deeper love for her now-the realiza-
ton of how she had been wronged, and
beyond these, burning desire to teach
that miserly hypocrite. her uncle, a
lesson in common honesty and man.
hood, moved him to action.
And just ahead, shining in the sun
light, was the little lake across which
might be the one who could solve all
mystery and serve Justice.
Martin could hardly wait, and, al
though weary by loss of sleep and long
hours of steady padding, when tho
Prov Of his canoe emerged from the
tangle of alders and glided into the
lake. he fixed his eyes on the thicket OF
spruce where the hut stood, and never
lowered them until his canoe bow
grated on the sandy landing.
Then, leaping ashore, he halted.
"You had better go first" he said to
old Cy, "the shock of seeing you may
waken his memory. It's only a few
rods up this path to the hut"
Half dreading, and yet longing to
end the suspense, Martin followed his
companion. Up the steep bank, among
the thick-growing trees they crept
stealthily until the stump-dotted gar
den opened into view, and beside it
the hut. The fence was still in place.
weeds and dried corn stalks filled the
garden, and as old Cy opened the little
gate and halted before the cabin, the
squirrels frisked and chartered with
sudden interest.
But the door was closed, and what
was more discouraging, bank of dry
leaves had gathered at it's foot. eau
tiously, and with sinking heart Martin
crept up, pushed the door open and
looked in.
The hut was empty.