Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-02-16
(continued from last week.

This Is the Glenarm dock, sir; and
that's the boat house"
lie waved his lantern toward low
structure that rose dark beside us. AS
40 stood silent, peering out into the
starlight. ! heard distinctly the dip Of
q paddle and the soft gliding motion o:
q canoe
It's a boat sir, whispered Bates,
hiding the lantern under his coat.
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 inexphcable con
txivanee Of man. With it's paddle you
may dip up stars along quiet shores or
steal into the very harbor Of dreams
knew that furtive splash instantly
and knew that trained hand welded
the paddle Ny boyhood summers in
the Maine woods we're not find
wholly wasted.
The owner 81 the canoe had evident
" stolen close TO the Glenarm dock,
but had made Of when alarmed by the
noise Of cur approach through the
wood
Have you a 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," I re-
Joined. full Of anger At his tone Of IRE
proaehable respect, and at my own
a 1.
place by daylight and the woodland
behind me and the lake AT my feet
were things Of shadow and mystery.
In my rage I stamped my foot
lead the way back I reared
had turned toward the woodland
when suddenly there stole across the
water a voice. womans voice deep.
musical and deliberate
Really. ] shouldn't be so angry If
were YOU il SAID with a lingering
note on the word angry
who are you? What are YOU doing
there I bawled
"Just enjoying little tranquil
thought" was the drawing, hooking
renly.
var out upon the water ! heard the
dip and glide Of the canoe. and saw
family it's outline for moment: then
IL was gone The lake. the surround.
ing VOID. were an unknown world
the canoe. a boat Of dreams Then
again came the voice:
Good night. merry gentlemen'"
1t was a lady sir. remarked Bates,
after we had waited silently for a full
minute
How clever you are!" l sneered.
7 suppose ladies prowl about here az
night. shooting ducks or into peoples
houses"
1T would seem quite likely. sir
] should have liked 20 cast him into
the lake, but he was already moying
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.
l stirred the fire on the hearth into
life and sat down before H. tired from
my tramp. was mystihed and per.
picked by the incident that had al
ready marked my coming II was pos
sible. 60 be- sure that The bullet which
narrowly missed my head in the little
dining room had been wild shot that
carried ne evil intent ] dismissed at
once the idea that h might have been
fired from the lake; Il had crashed
through the glass with too much force
20 have come so far, and. moreover. l
could hardly imagine even rifle ball
finding an unimpeded right Of way
through 50 dense a strip OF wood.
found it difficult to get rid OF the idea
that some one had taken pot shot
at me.
The woman's mOcking voice from
the lake added 10 my perpleXity. II
was not. | reflected such a voice as
one might expect to hear from coun-
try girl: nor could I imagine any
errand that would justify a woman's
presence abroad on an October night
whose cool air inspired first coma
dences with Are and lamp. There was
something haunting In that last cry
across the water; il kept repeating H.
self over aud over In nv ears. II was
o voice OF quality. OF breeding and
charm.
Good night. merry gentlemen"
In Indiana reflected. rustics. young
or old. men or women. were probably
not greatly given 10 salutations OF just
this temper
Bates nov appeared.
Beg pardon. sir; but your rooms
ready whenever you wish 20 retire"
looked about in search OF clock.
There are no tlmepieces In the
house. Mr.. Glenarm, Your grandfather
was quite opposed 20 them He had
o theory. sir, that they we're conducive.
as he said, 10 idleness He considered
that a man should work by his con-
science sir, and not by the clock.-the
one being more eAacting than the
other"
smiled as I drew out my watch
as much az Bates solemn tone and
grim. lean visage az a. his quotation