Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-04-06
CHAPTER Iv.-continued.

DdICS ulIE dtOA6 COAudCAlly CAOu6A
ahead of me, pausing occasionally to
hold back the branches. l began to
feel, as my rage abated, that l had set
out on a foolish undertaking. 1 was
utterly at sea as to the character of
the grounds: / was following a man
whom I had not seen until two hours
before, and whom 1 began to suspect
of all manner of designs upon me. 1t
was wholly unlikely that the person
who had fired into the windows would
Turk about, and, moreover, the light of
the lantern, the crackle of the leaves
and the breaking of the boughs adver-
tised our approach loudly.
A bush slapped me sharply and I
stopped to rub the sting from my face.
Are you hurt, sir?" asked Bates So
licitously. turning with the lantern.
'tOf course not" I snapped I'm
having the time of my life. Are there
no paths in this jungle?"
Not just here, sir. 1t was Mr.. Glen
arms idea not to disturb the wood at
all. He was very fond of walking
through the TIMBER
Not at night, 1 hopei Where are
we now?"
quite near the lake, sir"
Then go on"
/ was out of patience with Bates,
with the painless woodland. and l
must confess, with the spirit of John
Marshall Glenarm, my grandfather.
We came out presently upon a grav-
ely beach, and Bates stamped sud-
denly on planking.
This is the Glenarm dock, sir; and
that's the boat house.
He waved his lantern toward a low
structure that rose dark beside us. AS
we stood silent, peering out into the
starlight, / heard distinctly the dip of
a paddle and the soft gliding motion of
a canoe.
It's a boat, SIR whispered Bates,
hiding the lantern under his coat.
I brushed past him and crept to the
end of the dock. The paddle dipped
on silently and evenly in the still
water but the sound grew fainter. A
canoe is the most graceful, the most
sensitive, the most inexplicable con-
trivance of man. With its paddle you
may dip up stars along quiet shores or
steal into the very harbor of dreams.
i knew that furtive splash instantly,
and knew that a trained hand welded
the paddle. My boyhood summers in
the Maine woods were not, / find,
wholly wasted.
The owner of the canoe had evident
1y stolen close to the Glenarm dock,
but had made off when alarmed by the
noise of our approach through the
wood.
Have you boat near here Bates?"
i asked.
THE boat house is locked and
haven't the key with me, SIR" he re-
piled, without excitement.
"Of course you haven't it, 1 re-
f,,n Ii,
proachable respect, and at my own
helpfulness. I had not even seen the
place by daylight, and the woodland
behind me and the lake at my. feet
were things of shadow and mystery
In my rage l stamped my foot.
Lead the way back" 1 roared.
1 had turned toward the woodland
when suddenly there stole across the
water voice,-a woman's voice. deep,
musical and deliberate.
Really, / shouldn't be so angry il
were you,' it sald with a lingering
note on the word angry.
Who are you? What are you doing
there?' 1 bawled
Just enjoying little tranquil
thought" was the drawing, mocking
reply.
Far out upon the water 1 heard the
dip and SllQe OF the canoe, and saw
family it's outline for moment; then
1T was gone. The lake, the surround
ing wood. were an unknown world
the canoe, a boat of dreams. Then
again came the voice:
Good night, merry gentlemen,''
TT was a lady, SIR remarked Bates,
after we had waited silently for a full |
minute.
How clever you are." 1 sneered. |
ct suppose ladies prowl about here at
night. shooting ducks or into peoples
houses
TT would seem quite likely, sir
/ should have liked to cast him into |
the lake, but he was already moving
away, the lantern swinging at his side. |
/ followed him, back through the wood |
land to the house.
MY spirits quickly responded to the
cheering influence of the great library. |
/ stirred the fire on the hearth into |
life and sat down before it, tired from |
my tramp. / was mystified and per-