Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1908-01-03
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SSERlALA
GE9STORYGD
oOpyright 1905 By Bobbs-Merril CO.
CHAPTER lv.-contInued.

CHAPTER iV.-Continued.
was soon stumbling through rough
underbrush similar to that through
which we had approached the house.
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 I 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 fred 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
licitously, 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
1tFm lQSd HUI " u1cbuIO L1&O WOOu 6b
all. He was very fond of walking
through the timber"
Not at night, hope! Where are
we now?"
Quite near the lake, sir"
Then go on
I 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 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 a low
structure that rose dark beside us. AS
we stood silent, peering out into the
starlight, l heard distinctly the dip of
a paddle and the soft gliding motion of
a canoe.
TITS a boat. sir,2 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 inexplfcable 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.
MI <~R4 I,Oa 1aI MI
Iy stolen close to the Glenarm dock,
but had made off when alarmed by the
noise of our approach through the
wood.
Have you a 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, l re-
Joined. full of anger at his tone of ire
proachable respect, and at my own
helpfuIness. had not even seen the
place by daylight, and the woodland
behind me and the lake at my feet
were things of shadow and mystery.
In my rage stamped my foot.
Lead the way back" roared.
i udu LuEuSu III" IHC WOOOldtlu
when suddenly there stole across the
water voice,-a woman's1 voice, deep,
musical and deliberate.
Really, I shouldn't be SO angry If
were youi" it said, with lingering
note on the word angry.
"Who are you? What are you doing
there7" bawled
Just enjoying a little tranquil
thought" was the drawing, mockine
reply.
Far out upon the water heard the
dip and glide of the canoe. and saw
family its outline for moment; then
it was gone. The lake, the surround
ing wood, were an unknown world
the canoe, a boat of dreams. Their
again came the voice:
Good night, merry gentlemen!"
ct was lady, sir" remarked Bates
after we had waited silently for full
minute.
How clever you are!" | sneered
'T suppose ladies prowl about here a
night shooting ducks or into peoples
houses"
1T would seem quite likely, sir"
should have liked to cast him init
the lake. but he was already moving
away the lantern swinging at his side
followed him, back through the wood
land to the house.
My spirits quickly responded to tn,
cheering influence of the great library
stirred the fire on the hearth init
life and sat down before 1t, tired from
nay tramp. / was mystified and per
picked by the incident that had al
ready marked my coming. It was pos