Amador ledger., 1906-06-15

her entrance-a bulPs-eye lantern
throwing its powerful rays on the floor
beside him-knelt the late arrival-her
fathers friend-before her fathers
safe.
Facing her, beside a window, from
whose curtained recesses he had evil
IDENTIFY just stepped, covering the other
with the point of cleaning pistol-bar-
rel, stood her nameless cavalier of the
early evening. His eyes. bright and
steady, were immovably fastened on
the man before him.
Hands up!'' he said.
An inarticulate sound came from the
other mans throat; his face grew livid.
He flung up his hands, palm outward.
"Who the devil are your he cried, be-
meath his teeth. His eyes were fixed
with deadly hatred upon his foe.
For a moment no sound but that Of
the falling embers of the dying fire dis
turbed the stiffness that reigned within
the library.
Anne stood motionless, her heart
humping wildly, wondering what the
end would be. Then, suddenly the 81
lence was broken by the distant sound
of horses roofs coming nearer. A noise
of wheels on the gravel outside, a
some one came along the porch, through
the hall and into the room. Anne gave
quick little cry of relief and joy.
Daddy" she cried.
He stopped in amazement, looking
from the men to Anne, and then from
Anne back to the men. The nameless
one did not relax his vigil. He was
rather pale, but perfectly self-possessed,
and kept his eyes on the man before
ole 0rU Of
dyi" slight smile crossed his face.
Then suddenly, unexpectedly, across
the grim quiet of that awful silence
came an unmistakable chuckle, and the
doctors voice:
Nothing surprising, Rexall, warned
you things were pretty lively herein
March,"
The day, begun so strenuously. was
| fast drawing to an end. The shadows
closed softly in on the white world out
side; inside the bright light of the
great pine fire streamed cheerily over
the room.
Anne tucked herself comfortably in
one corner of the huge Davenport. ''If
this thing keeps up much longer" she
announced, dramatically, 81 shall lose
my voice.
"As bad as that?" laughed John Rex
ALL
EVERY bit. This last narrowing re-
cital to Tom makes the third since
luncheon.
"I can understand" she went on, re-
fectively, "that that man might have
| gotten hold of your telegram in some
way, either at the station or on the
road, and so discovered that you were
expected and delayed, and in that way
conceived the idea of impersonating
you. That part is clear enough. But
what I cannot understand is how he
knew we did not know you by sight"
"HiS face was familiar. I have seen
him somewhere before. Probably he
was hanging around the camp last fall,
and judged 1 would know only the doc
tor. He had to take some risks-prob-
ably conceived the whole idea at once
when he saw the doctor leave. Sort of
spontaneous Inspiration as it were.''
you had come"
"He did not know it at first. fancy
he had a fairly clear idea Of my pres
ense later in the game"
| "But is he
"Never mind him now" he pleaded.
"By your own statement you are in
danger of losing your voice over him;
and I want you to save your voice, -
he continued, softly, "for better pur-
poses"
Anne looked up at him. "Yes?" she
Queried. \
81 want you to save it to talk to me
to promise me something" he went on,
earnestly.
A wave of delicate color dyed Anne's
face from brow to chin. Her eyes fell
before his.
ITO let me know you better-to write
to me. Then, perhaps, next year, when
the crocuses come again, you'll promise
me more-when you know me-"
His face was very grave.
"Well, perhaps, ,"-Anne's dimples
showed in sudden mischief-'in March,
she added, when the crocuses come ir
March-again. THE Star.