Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-05-02
CHAPTER vlIl.-continued.

Inc HAL was lOOhluS IOT CdIue 10
the door quickly In response to my
knock.
Good afternoon, Morgan"
Good afternoon, Mr.. Glenarm," he
said, taking his pipe from his mouth
the better to grin at me. He showed
no sign of surprise, and I was nettled
by his cool reception. There was, l
felt, certain element of recklessness
In my visit to the house of a man who
had shown so singular an interest in
my affairs, and LIS cool greeting
vexed me.
Morgan" began.
Wont you come ii. and rest your
self, Mr.. Glenarm?' he interrupted.
II reckon you're tired from your trip
over"
Thank you, no." snapped.
"Suit yourself, Mr.. Glenarm." He
seemed to like my name and gave it
disagreeable drawing emphasis.
Morgan, you are an internal black
guard. You have tried twice to kill
me-"
Wen call 1t that, If you like,
he grinned. But you'd better cut
off one for this"
He lifted the gray fedora hat from
his head, and poked his finger through
hole in the top.
You're pretty fair shot, Mr.. Glen
arm. The fact about me is,"-and he
winked,-"the honest truth is, I'm all
nj nf cir xuhn w
you padding out on the lake this after
noon l sighted you from the casino
half dozen times with my gun, but
I was afraid to risk It." He seemed
to be shaken with inner mirth. IF
I'd missed, / wasn't sure you'd be
scared to DEATH"
For novel diversion heartily rec
ommend meeting with the assassin
who has, only few days or hours be-
fore, tried to murder you. l know of
nothing in the way of social adventure
that is quite equal to it.
Morgan, | hope you understand
chat l am not responsible for any in
jury my grandfather may have inflict-
ed on you. hadn't seen him for sew
eral years before he died. l was never
at Glenarm before in my life, so it's a
little rough for you to visit your dis
pleasure on me-"
He smiled tolerantly as / spoke.
knew-and he knew that l did-that
no Ill feeling against my grandfather
lay back of his interest in my affairs.
you're not quite the man your
grandfather was, Mr.. Glenarm. You'll
excuse my bluntness, but l take 1t
that you're frank man yourself. He
was a very keen person, and, I'm
afraid. he chuckled with evident
satisfaction to himself,-'I'm really
afrsid, Mr.. Glenarm, that you're mott!
There you have it, Morgan! fully
agree with you! I'm as dull as an
oyster; that's the reason I've called
on you for enlightenment. Consider
that I'm here under flag of truce, and
let's see il we can't come to an agree
ment."
Its too late, Mr.. Glenarm; too late
There was time when we might have
done some business; but that's past
q
fellow, too, and I'm sorry didn't see
you sooner; but better luck next time.
"Well." said, seeing that should
only make myself ridiculous by trying
to learn anything from him, Il hope
our little spats through windows and
on walls won't interfere with our
pleasant social relations. And / don't
hesitate to tell you'll was exerting
myself to keep down my anger,-"that
If l catch you on my ground again I'll
fill you with lead and sink you in the
lake"
Thank you, sir" he said, with sc
perfect an imitation of Bates voice
and manner that smiled in spite OF
myself.
"And now, IL you'll promise not to
Gre into my back I'll wish you good
day. Otherwise"
He snatched off his hat and bowed
profoundly. It'll suit me much better
to continue handling the case on your
own grounds" he said, as though he
referred to a business matter. Kill
ing a man on your own property re-
quires some explaining-you may have
noticed it?"
Eyes; / commit most of my murders
away from home" l said. Il formed
the habit early in life Good day, Nor
gan"
AS / turned away he closed his door
with a slam.-a delicate way of assur
Ing me that he was acting in good
Earth, and not preparing to puncture
my back with rife ball. / regained
the lake shore, feeling no great dis
couragement over the lean results OF
my interview, but rather fresh Zest
for the game, whatever the game
might be.
The sun was going his ruddy way
beyond St. Agatha's as / drove my
canoe into a little cove near which
the girl in the tam-o'- shanter had dis
appeared the day before. The shore
was high here and at the crest was a
long curved bench of stone, boldly
reminiscential of Alma Tadema, and as
clearly the creation of John Marshall
Glenarm as though his name had been
carved upon 1t.
1t was assuredly a spot for a pipe
and mood, and as the shadows crepi
through the wood before me and the
water, stirred by the rising wind, be
gan to beat below, invoked the one
and yielded to the other. Something
In the withered grass at my feet
caught my eye. bent and picked ur
a string of gold beads, dropped there
no doubt, by some girl from the schoo
or careless member of the sumrler col
ony. / counted the separate beads