Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-10-20
CHAPTER w1x-continued.


/ When Tankerlane Lett Black Hall
after his interview with John Shil, he
walked towards the west gate of the
Park, and, as good fortune would
have it, he encountered one OF the
underkeepers, who was just returhlhs
from his round on the hill farm. lie
stopped the man, and, under pretence
Of asking his way, engaged MIN III
conversation.
The man, who did not suspect that
Tankerlane had any other motive than
that of idle gossip and who scented
a possible tip from friend OF MS
masters, spoke freely, and 1t was not
long before the subtle mind OF the
baronet led the conversation round
to the subject on which he required
information. Then, without asking any
actual question, he ascertalned what
he wished to find out namely, that
John Shil had been away all the pre-
yious night in the marshes, and had
not returned till four o'clock IN the
afternoon.
He gave the man five shillings, said
good night, and followed the road
which ran outside of the park. He was
~ $780,
amount of common sense, and was
capable of drawing a reasonable IN
ference from the facts in his posses
sion. There was nothing peculiar IN
John Shil spending his night IN the
marshes to shoot wild duck, but
man usually returns from such an eS-
petition in the morning and not in the
afternoon Now Tankerlane had al
ready learned that woman resem'
bling Laura had been seen in the vi
cinity of Black Hall shortly after day
break, and, putting two and two TO-
gcther, he came to the conclusion
that she had encountered John Shil
before he returned to Black Hall, and
that the latter had taken her to some
hiding place in the marshes, and then
sailed back to his own home. The
only thing he could not understand
was how Laura was able to undertake
journey if she were dangerously i'll.
He was half inclined to think that
Shil had lied to him.
The result OF his conclusions was
that he resolved to watch the park on
the side which faced the marshes.
He kept to the road as long as it ran
: ClOSS 10 llle wall, dlu, NhGll ~ luilSd
off inland he followed a narrow path
till it came to another road, one that
bounded the park on the east. He
followed this till he reached the little
quay at the end of the creek.
It was moonlight night and he
could see everything clearly. He no
ticed the punt, and his first impulse
was to get into it and row towards
the sea. He pictured John Shl's face
when he came down to the quay and
found that the boat had gone.
But few moments thought con
such an enterprise. He knew nothing
of the creeks, and the desolation of
the mershland did not appeal to him
He conjured I'D visions of what might
happen to him if he lost his way ann
found himself stranded on mudbank
And there might be other dangers
lurking in that wilderness of marsh
and water. OF which he. a landsman il
ever there was one. could not even
guess the magnitude. It would be only
waste of time to grope about fol
Laura's hiding place without a guide
and in craft which appeared to pos
Bess neither speed nor safety.
He resolved, therefore, to wait il
the shadow OF the trees and see il
Ehil went down to the creek If the
latter rowed off in the punt. he coulG
leave at once for the nearest village