The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-01-28
Copyright 1905 BY BObbs-Msrrill Co.
CHAPTER Iv.-continued.

pates swung along cOnudenIIy enough
ohead of me, pausing occasionally to
hold back the branches. l began to
seel as my rage abated, that had set
ont on a foolish undertaking. l was
utterly at sea as to the character of |
the grounds; 1 was following man
ybon | 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
lnrk about, and, moreover, the light Of
the lantern, the crackle of the leaves
and the breaking of the boughs adver-
tised our approach loudly.
bush slapped me sharply and l
stopped to rub the sting from my face.
"Are you hurt, sir?" asked Bates so
licitousiy, turning with the lantern.
"of course not" l 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, 1 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
Marshall Glenarm, my grandfather.
We came out presently upon a grav-
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 low
structure that rose dark beside us. AS
we stood silent, peering out into the
starlight, heard distinctly the dip of
paddle and the soft gliding motion OF
a canoe.
IT'S a boat, sir" whispered Bates,
hiding the lantern under his coat.
l 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 ineKphcable 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, l 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," I re
Joined, full of anger at his tone of ire
proachable respect, and at my owr
helpfulness. 1 had not even seen the
place by daylight and the woodland
behind me and the lake at my fee
were things of shadow and mystery
In my rage stamped my foot.
Lead the way back" roared.
l had turned toward the woodland
when suddenly there stole across The
water a voice,-a woman's voice, deep
musical and deliberate.
Really, shouldn't be so angry If
were you!" it said, with lingering
note on the word angry.
who are you? What are you doinl
there?" bawled.
Just enjoying a little Tranquil
thought" was the drawing, mocl1inI
reply.
Far out upon the water l heard tn
dip and glide of the canoe, and saw
family its outline for moment; thel
1t was gone. The lake, the surround
ing wood, we're an unknown world
the canoe, boat of dreams. The
again came the voice:
Good night, merry gentlemeni"
1T was a lady, sir" remarked Bates
after we had waited silently for ful
minute.
How clever you are!" l sneerec
I suppose ladies' prowl about here a
night shooting ducks or into people
houses"
1T would seem quite likely, sir"
| should have liked to cast him int
the lake, but he was already movin
away the lantern swinging at his slde
followed him, back through the Wooo
land to the house.
My spirits quickly responded to IN
cheering influence of the great library
! stirred the fire on the hearth int
life and sat down before it, tired troI
my tramp. l was mystified ana PEI
picked by the incident that had
ready marked my coming, 1t was po'
sible, to be sure, that the bullet whic
narrowly missed my head in the llttl
dining room had been wild shot tina
carried no evil intent. l dismissed
once the idea that it might have bee
nred from the lake; it had crashe
through the gS~ss with too much fore
to have come NO far; and, moreover
could hardly imSsaO even a rife ba