The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1908-01-09
THE HOUSE OF
A THOUSAND
CANDLES
By MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Author Of THE MAIN CHANCE" ZELDA
CAMERON" Etc.
CHAPTER Iv.-Continued.
Copyright 1905 by Bobbs-Merrill Co.

Bates swung along confidently enough
ahead of me, pausing occasionally to
hold back the branches. | began to
feel, as my rage abated, that had set
out on foolish undertaking. | was
utterly at sea as to the character of
the grounds; | was following a man
whom | had not seen until two hours
before, and whom | began to suspect
of all manner of designs upon me- 1t
was wholly unlikely that the person
who had fired into the windows would
Turk about, and, moreover, the light of
the lantern, the crackle of the leaves
and the breaking of the boughs adver-
tised our approach loudly
A bush slapped me sharply and
stopped to rub the sting from my face
Are you hurt sir?" asked Bates So
Iicitously turning with the lantern.
"Of course not" snapped. I'm
having the time of my life. Are there
no paths in this jungle?"
mot just here, sir 1t was Mr.. Glen
arms idea not to disturb the wood at
all. He was very fond of walking
through the timber"
mot at night, hope! Where are
we now?"
quite near the lake, sir"
Then go on"
/ was out of patience with Bates,
with the painless woodland, and
must confess, with the spirit of John
Mapchal1 GInporY,, Y,oy
We came out presently upon a gray
ely beach, and Bates stamped sud
denly on planking.
"This is the Glenarm dock, sir; and
that's the boat house,
He waved his lantern toward a low
structure that rose dark beside us. AS
we stood silent, peering out into the
starlight, heard distinctly the dip of
a paddle and the soft gliding motion of
a canoe.
ITS 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 inexpllcable con-
trivance 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. My boyhood summers in
the Maine woods were not | find,
wholly wasted
The owner of the canoe had evident
ly stolen close to the Glenarm dock,
but had made off when alarmed by the
noise of our approach through the
wood.
Have you boat near here, Bates?"
| 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," / re-
Joined, full of anger at his tone of ire
proachable respect, and at my own
helpfulness. had not even seen the
place by daylight, and the woodland
bChiAiO iDC dIlu Llit ldht dJ lily It6L
were things of shadow and mystery.
In my rage | stamped my foot.
Lead the way back" roared
| had turned toward the woodland
when suddenly there stole across the
water voice,-a woman's voice, deep,
musical and deliberate.
Really shouldn't be so angry If |
were you'll" 1t said, with lingering
note on the word angry
who are you? What are you doing
there?" | bawled
Just enjoying little tranquil
thought" was the drawing, hooking
reply
Far out upon the water / heard the
dip and glide of the canoe, and saw
family it's outline for moment; then
it was gone. The lake, the surround
ing wood, were an unknown world ,
the canoe boat of dreams. Then
again came the voice:
Good night, merry gentlemen" ,
ut was lady, SIR remarked Bates. )
after we had waited silently for full !,
How clever you are!" | sneered. :
II suppose ladies prowl about here at !
night, shooting ducks or into peoples q
houses" j
TT would seem quite likely sir" @
/ should have liked to cast him into 8
the lake, but he was already moving
away, the lantern swinging at his side. Y
followed him, back through the wood
and to the house. 7
My spirits quickly responded to the O
cheering influence of the great library g
stirred the fire on the hearth into
life and sat down before it, tired from n
ny tramp. / was mystified and per- Ii
)lexed by the incident that had al
'eady marked my coming 1t was pos s,
'ible, to be sure, that the bullet which "
missed my head in the little
lining room had been a wild shot that Il
,arried mo- evil intent | dismissed at b,
nee the idea that it might have been
ired from the lake; 1t had crashed Y,
through the glass with too much force Il
o have come so far; and moreover, nj
ould hardly ilnsgd.s even rife ball 81