Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-21
CHAPTER ".
A Voice from the Lake.

ran to the window and peered out into the night. The wood through which we had approached the house seemed to encompass it. The branches of a great tree brushed the panes. I was tugging at the fastening of the window when I became aware of Bates at my elbow.
 Did something happen, sir?"
 His unbroken calm angered me. Some one had fired at me through a window and had narrowly escaped being shot. resented the unconcern with which this servant accepted the situation.
 Nothing worth mentioning. Some body tried to assassinate me, that's all," said, in voice that failed to be calmly ironical. was still fumbling at the catch of the window.
 Allow me, sir,"-and he threw up the sash with an ease that increased my irritation.
 I leaned out and tried to find some clue to my assailant. Bates opened another window and surveyed the dark landscape with me.
 "It was shot from without was 1t, sir?"
 "Cf course 1t was; you didn't sup pose I shot at myself, did you?"
 He examined the broken pane and picked up the bullet from the table.
 Its rife ball, should say"
 The bullet was half fattened by ita contact with the wall. It was cart. ridge ball of large caliber that might have been fired from either rife or pistol.
 Its very unusual, sir!" l wheeled upon him angrily and found him fum bling with the bit of metal. troubled look on his face. He at once con tinued, as though anxious to allay my fears. Quite accidental. most likely Probably boys on the lake are shoot ing at ducks"
 laughed out so suddenly that Bates started back in alarm.
 You idiot!" l roared, seizing him by the collar with both hands and shaking him fiercely. You fool, dc the people around here shoot ducks al night? Do they shoot waterfowl witf elephant guns and fire at people through windows just for fun?" I threw him back against the table SO that it leaped away from him, ana he fell prone on the floor.
 Get up!" I commanded, land fetcl a lantern"
 He said nothing but did as bad, ] him. We traversed the long. cheerles! hall to the front door, and sent hin before me into the woodland. My no tions of the geography of the regior were the vaguest. but I wished to ex anime for myself the premises, tha evidently contained dangerous prov Ter. I was very angry and my rag increased as I followed Bates. wh, had suddenly retired within himself We stood soon beneath the lights O the refectory window. The ground was covered with leave which broke crisply under our feet.
 What lies beyond here?" I de manded.
 About a quarter of mile of woodi sir. and then the lake"
 GO ahead" I ordered. straight t the lake"
 was soon stumbling through rougl underbrush similar to that througl which we had approached the house Bates swung along confidently enougl ahead of me. pausing occasionally t hold back the branches. l began L feel. as my rage abated. that had SC out on a foolish undertaking I va utterly at sea as to the character c the grounds; was following a ma whom I had not seen until two hour before. and whom I began to suspec of all manner of designs upon me. was wholly unlikely that the perso who had fired into the windows woul lurk about. and. moreover. the light c the lantern. the craekle of the leave and the breaking of the boughs advel tised our approach loudly | A bush slapped me sharply and stopped to rub the sting from my fac
 -Are you hurt, eir.- asked Bates ., licifously. turning with the lantern
 -Of course not I mapped Tr having the time of ny life Are ther 10 paths h this junsisr No< t1t here. slr. M - Mf. Qa