Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-12-03

"Who fred that piatol?"
THE man in charge of the expedition
Tho Italian was trying to knife iao OF
tic deck, ana broke away from hin
and ran. His employer had zone back
&c the boat for safety and lie took q
crack at me as I ran across the platform
IT'S not tho fault of either that I'm not
quite out of business
An inner door hack Of me crcakod
slightly. My captor swung round at the
sound.
80 Rosaiinl! IFS all risht A gentle
man herelost his way aud I'm givins
him his bearings
The door closed gently, ana heard the
sound OF steps retreatIng through the
cottage. noted the anxious look in
Ilolhrooks's face as he waited for the
sounds to cease; then lie addressed INC
again.
"Mr. Donovan, this IS Il Guict neighbour
hood. ana am a peaccablc man. whose
worldly goods could tempt no one.
There were undoubtedly others besides
yourself down there at the creek. for one
man couldn't have made all tint row
hut as you are the one caught must
deal with you. But you have protested
1ppecanoc creek is crcdijahle to your
imagination. but IT doesn't appeal to my
common sense. don't know about your
lcinE guest AZ Glcnarin IIousc-evon
that is ninsy. y guest ia the absence of
the host Is jus; 81 little too fancl'ul I'm
strongly disposed to take You to the
calahooso at Tippccanoe village"
4 Having been in Jail royerll timc In
Il t,ft, E .
anxious to ada to my experiences in that
direction. Moreover, had come 10 this
/ Lonely house ON the Tlppecanoe to rain
Information touching the movements o.
Henry 1iolbrook, and dii rot relish
tho !don Of being thrown into a country
Jail by him. | resolved to meet tho stu
auon boldly
"Nou seem to accept my word rcI5ct-
antly, even after ! have saved YOU from
being struck down at your own door.
Now ! win be frank with YOU. I had a
purpose IN coming here"
He stepped back and folded Iii: .~rs
Yes thought So" lie looked about
uneasilN. before his eyes met mine. HIS
hands heat nervously on his SLEEVES as
h" waited, and I resolved to bring mat
ters to an issue by speaking his name.
He hands went into his pocket AGAIN.
and he stepped back and laughed
You are a remarkably md r>csgcr. Mr.
Donovan If you had visited me ny day
light instead Of coming like a thiof at
midnight, YOU would have saved Your
self much trouble. My name is displayed
over the outer gate. 7 am Robert Hart
ridge u canoe-maker."
He spoke the name carelossly. his man
ncr ana Zone implying that here could
be no debating the subject. was pre-
Pared for evasion but not for this cool
denial ot his Identity
But this afternoon. Mr. Uo,hrook,
Glanced to fellow the creek to this point
ana ! saw"
you probably saw that house-boat
down there, THAI IS my shop As | tell
YOU, am maker Of canoes. They have.
| hope. some rputation-honost hand
work, ana my output is limited. shall
be deeply chagrined If you have never
heard of the Hartrldse canoe"
lie shook his head in mocl1 grief. walk
ed to caharette and took up pipe and
filled It. He was carrying off the sltua-
ton well; but his coonoss angered me.
YOU. | am maker of canoes. They have,
believe that heretofore you have been
known as Iiolbrook. The fact was
"N'. cartridge, I am sorry that must
clinched for mo this afternoon. quite
late, as I stood IN the ratch below here.
heard quite distinctly young woman
call you father"
SO? Then you're an eavesdropper as
well as trespnsser!"-and the man
laughed
I'VE Will admit that am both"
la;ed anerily.
you are consderate, Mr. Donovan"'
The young woman who called you
father and whom you answered. from
the deck of the house-boat is a person
know"
The devil"
He calmly puffed his pipe, holding the
bowl in his fingers, his idle hand thrust
into his trousers pocket
at Was Miss Helen Holbrook that
saw here, Mr.. Hartridge,"
He started, then recovered himself and
-csrcd into the pipe bowl Tar q .ccona
then looked at me with an amused smile
Oh his face
you certainly have a wonderful i'm
aginatlon. The person you saw. IL you
saw any one on your visl. to these
premises to-day, was my daughter
Rosalind IIartr!dge. Who're do you think
you knew her, Mr. Donovan?'
II saw her this morning, az ST. Aga
tha's School. | not only saw her, but /
talked with her, and | am neither deaf
nor blind"
lie pursed his lips and studied me, with
his head slightly tilted to one side, in a
cool fashion that ! did not like.
Rather an odd place to have met this
Miss what name did you say?-Miss
and that sort of thing"
'You may ease your mind on that
pCint; she was with your sister, her
aunt. Mr.. Uolhrock; and want you 10
understand that your following Miss
Patricia llobrook here Is infamous and
that have no Other business hut 10
protect her from you"
He bent his eyes upon me Gravey ana
nodded several times.
mir. Donovan" he BEGAN Il renoa.
that am not Henry Iiolbrook, ana my
dauEhtcr-is my daughter and not your
Miss Helen IIolbrook. Moreover, If YOU
viii 90 to Tippocauoe or to Annandale
ond ask about me you will learn that
have long been a resident of this conf
mnUity working At my trade that of a
canoe maker, That shop down there by
the creek and this house, l built my
self"
"But the girl"
"Was not Helen Holbrook but my