Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-12-03
ROSALIND At
RED GATE
ny Meredith Nicholson.
CHAPTER V.
A FIGHT ON A HOUsE-BOAT.
ny Meredith Nicholson

Al ten o'clock | called for horse en-,
rode out into the night, turning into th
country with the intention of rollowin.
the lake-road to the region had eXporcr
In the launch II fcw hours before. Al
was dark at St. Agatha's az | passed
No doubt Helen Iiolbrook had roturne
IN duo course from her visit to he
father and, after accounting plausiby t,
her aunt for her absence, was slconius
tho sleep OF the Just. Now that | though
of the matter in all It's bearings. | &C
cused myself for not having Cone direct
~ TO St AEathG's from tho lonely hous.
on Tippecanoc Creek and waited for hc'
there, demanding mn explanation Of ho,
perfdy. She was treating Miss Pat H.,
famous,y; that was plain; ana vet il
my heart | was cxcus,ng and defending
her family row about money wa.
Ugly at best; ana an unfortunatc-ovcf
criminal-father may still have some
claim on his child
Then as against such reasoning. tht
vision of Miss Pat rose before me an,
I felt whatever chiyalry there is in m,
arose with 4 rattle Of spears. Pau
6toddard. in committing that dear old
sentlev oban TO my care. had not asscl
ME to fall in love with her niece: So
impatient to be thus swayed between two
!nclinations. I chirrurcd to tho horse
end galoped swiftly over tho silen,
white road.
had learned from the Glcna,n
eta hlc-hoys that Il was sevcra. miles
overland to tho Tippecanoc. \ Sabbath
quiet lay upon the world. ANA I seemed
to be the only person abroad. rode NJ
sharp pace through tho cool air. rusA-
ing by heavy woodlands and broad fields
with an occasional farmhouse rislne
somberly in the moonlight The roa
turned gradually, followed the line Of
the lake which now flashed out and then
was lost again behind the forest There
is nothinS Ike Il gaNop to shake the
nonsense out OF d man. and nay spirits
rose as the miles sred 10y. The village
OF Tippecanoc lay off somewhere IN this
direction. as gude-posts several timas
gave warning; and my study of the map
on the launch had given M good idea
Of the whole region. What | sought was
The front entrance of tho green cottac re
above tie houso-hoat by the creek. and
when, far beyond Port Annandale. tho
road turned abruptly away from tho
lake. took my bearings and dismountc6
and tied my horse in strip Of unfenced
woodland
The whole region was very lonely. and
now that the beat of hoofs no longer
rang in my ears the quiet was oppres-
sive. struck through the good ana
found the creek. and the path beside #.
The little stream was still mlrmurng rs
own name musically. with perhaps a
softer note In Difference TO the night;
ard following the path carefully I came
IN ffvr tn tr1p .l,,, tn,
tage with the house-boat at the creeks
edge. 1t was Just there that ! had seen
Helen Holbrook, and I stood quite still
recalling this. and making sure that she
lad come down those steps in that quiet
out-of-the-way corner Of the world. to
keep tryst with her father. The story
and-a-haf cottage was covered with
vines and close-wrapped in shrubbery I
followed a garden walk that wound
among bits of lawn and flower beds un-
I'll came to a tall cedar hedge that cut
the place off from the road semi
circle OF taller pines within shut the cot
tage Off completely from the highway.
l crawled through the cedars and walk
ed along slowly TO the gate near which
. post supported q sign-hoard struck
q match and read:
RED GATE
r Hartridge.
Canoe Maker,
Tippecanoc. Indiana.
This, then was the nome of the canoe
maker mentioned by lima | found his
name repeated on the rural delivery
mail-box affixed to the sigu-post Henry
Holbrook was probably a hoarGer at the
inouse-it required no great deductive
powers to fathom that. ! stole back
through the edge and down to the house
boat. The moon was coming IN over the
eastern wood. and the stars were heauti-
fully clear walk the length of the
platform. which was provided with d
railing on the waterside, with growing
curiosity. Several canoes, carefully coy
cred with tarpaulns, lay about the deck,
and chairs were drawn up close to the
long, low house IN ship-shape fashion
II this house-boat was the canoe makers
shop no had chosen secluded and
picturesque spot for il.
As I leaned against the rail STUDYING
the lines of the house, | heard suddenly
The creak Of an oar-lock in the stream
behind, and then low voices taking
The deep night silence was so profound
that any sound was doubly emphasized.
md l peered out upon the water, Mt once
alert and interested. | saw Il dark
Shadow in the creek as the boat drew
nearer, and heard words spoken sharply
rs though in command. ! drew back
against the house ana waited. Possibly
the canoe-maker had been aboard or
more likely Henry Holbrook had gone
forth upon some mischief, and my mlnl
new at once TO the two women at st.
Agatha's, one of whom at least was still
under my protection. The boat APP
preached furtlvely and heard now very
distinctly words spoken in Italian:
Have care: climb up with the rope
and I'll follow"
Then the boat touched the platform
lightly and second later man climbed
nimbly up the side. His companion fol-
lowed and they tied their boat to the
railing. They paused now TO rcconnoiter
so close to me that | could have toucn-
ed them with my hands-and engaged
In colloquy, The taller man gave a.
rections, the other replying in monosy-
hbels to show that he understood
go to the side porch of the cottage
end knock. When the man comes TO the
door tell him that you are the chauffeur
from an automobile that has broken
down In tho road. and that you wait
help for woman who has been hurt"
'Ycs, sir"
~Then-you know the rest"
THE knife--t shall be done"
] have made N tho rule of my life