Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-08-03
CHAPTER ".
A VoIce - - -.


7 ran 90 the window and Deered out
into the night The wood through
which we had approached the house
seemed 20 encompass t. The branches
OF "A great tree brushed the panes.
was Juggling at the fastening OF the
window when I became aware OF Bates
az my elbow.
Did something happen. sir?"
His unbroken calm angered me.
Some one had fired at me through a
window and I had narrowly escaped
being shot ! resented the unconcern
with which this servant accepted the
situation.
Nothing worth mentioning. Some
body tried 90 assassinate me. that's
all" said. I'm a voice that failed 20 be
calmly ironical I was still fumbling
az the catch OF the window
ALLOW me. sir."-and he threw up
the sash with an ease that increased
my irritation.
leaned out and tried to find some
clue 20 my assaIlant. Bates opened
another window and surveyed the dark
landscape with me
1T was a shot from without. was
It. sir?"
"Of course It was: You didn't sup
! pose 1 shot al myself. did you?"
He examined the broken pane and
picked up the bullet from the table
It's a rifle ball, ] should say"
The bullet was halfhattened by SIS
| contact with the wall IL was a cart
ridge ball Of large caliber that might
have been fired from either rife or
pistol.
It's very unusual. sir" wheeled
upon HIM angrily and found him fun
bling with the bit of metal, a troubled
4 look on his face. He at once con
/ tinued, as though anxious to anay my
( fears. Quite accidental most likely.
? Probably boys on the lake are shoot
/ ing at ducks"
laughed out so suddenly that Bates
4 started back in alarm.
! You idiot" l rOared. seizing him
by the collar with both hands and
shaking him flercely. you fool. do
the people around here shoot ducks at
night? Do they shoot waterfowl with
elephant guns and fire at people
through windows just for fun?"
/ threw him back against the table
so that II leaped away from him, and
he fell prone on the floor.
Get upi" I commanded, and fetch
a lantern"
! He said nothing but did as I babe
him. We traversed the long. cherries
hall TO the front door, and sent him
before me into the woodland My no
tons Of the geography of the region
were the vaguest. but I wished to ex-
anime for myself the premises. that
evidently contained a dangerous PROV.
Ter. / was very angry and my rage
increased as / followed Bates. who
had suddenly retired within himself
We stood soon beneath the lights OF
the refectory window.
The ground was covered with leaves
which broke crisply under our feet.
What lies beyond here?" 1 de-
manded.
About quarter OF mile of woods,
sir. and then the lake"
Go ahead" l ordered. straight to
the lake"
! was soon stumbling through rough
underbrush similar to that through
which We had approached the house
Bates swung along confidently enough
ahead of me. pausing occasionally To
hold back the branches. began 70
feel. as my rage abated. that had set
out on a foolish undertaking. was
utterly at sea as 10 the character OF
the grounds; / was following g man
whom ] had not seen until two hours
before. and whom l began 20 suspect
OF all manner OF designs upon me. II
was wholly unlikely that the person
who had fred into the windows would
Turk about. and. moreover. the light oi
the lantern. the crackie OF the leaves
and the breaking OF the boughs adver
tisec our approach loudly.
] A bush slsDgec me sharDiy and
~wumaH9~=rp&~- N