, 1908-02-13
Elh@ HOUSE OF q
THOUSAND CANDLES
By MEREDITH

water but the sound grew fainter. A
canoe is the most graceful. the most
sensitive, h most inexplicable con.
trirance of man. With its paddle Won
may dip up stars along quiet shores or
steal into the very harbor of dreams
knew that furtive splash instantly.
ami knew that a trained hand welded
The paddle. My boyhood in
the Maine woods were not, find
wholly wasted.
The owner of the canoe had evident
" 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 I
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.
proschable respect, and at my own
helpfulness. i had not even seer 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.
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 II I
were you!" it said, with a lingering
note on the word angry.
uyybo ~ yo,o What oro .--
there?" I bawled.
Just enjoying a little Tranquil
thought" was the drawing, hooking
reply.
Far out upon the water heard the
dip and glide of the canoe, and saw
family its outline for a moment: then
1t was m The lake. the surround
ing wood. were an unknown world
the canoe, a boat of dreams. Then
gain came the voice:
Good night. merry gentlemen"
1T was a lady, sir" remarked Bates,
after we had waited silently for a full
,bInute.
How clever you are!" l snnered
II suppose ladies prowl about here at
night, shooting ducks or into peoples
houses"
1T would seem quite likely, sir"
l should rave liked to cast him into
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 the
cheering influence of the great library.
I tt,rol %ko g., -. Tho haarth into
life and sat down before it, tired from
my tramp. | was mystified and per-
picked by the incident that had al
ready marked my coming. 1t was pos
sible, to be sure, that the bullet which
narrowly missed my head in he lttle
dining room had been a wild shot that
carried no evil intent. | dismissed at
once the idea that it might have been
fred from the lake; it had crashed
through the glass with too much force
to nave come so far; and, moreover /
could hardly imagine. even a rifle ball
finding an u~nimpeded right of way
through-s so dense a strip of wood. /
found it difficult to get rid of thei idea
that some one had taken a pot shot
at me.
The woman's knocking voice from
the lake added to my perpleXlty, 1t
was not, / reflected, such a voice as
one might expect to hear from a coun-
try girl; nor could | imagine m
errand that would justify a woman's
presence abroad on an October night
whose cool air inspired first conn
dences with fire and lamp. Their was
something haunting in that last cry
across the water; it kept repeating It
self oven and over in my ears. 1t was
a voice of quality, of breeding n
charm.
Good night, merry gentlemen!
In Indiana, | reflected, rustics. young
or old, men or m were probably
not greatly given to salutations of just
this temper.
Bates now appeared.
Beg pardon, sir; but your rooms
ready whenever you wish to retire
\ | looked about in search of a clock.
There are no timepieces in the
house, Mr.. Glenarm. Your grandfather
was quite opposed to them. He had
a theory, sir. that they were
as he said. to id!eness. He considered
that a man should work by his con
science, sir, and not by the clock,-the
one being more exacting than the
other
! smiled as / drew out my watch
as much at Bates solemn tone ana
grim, lean visage as at his quotation
from my grandsire. But the fellow
puzzled and annoyed me. HIS unoo-
trusive black clothes, his smoothly
brushed hair, his shaver face, awak-
ened an antagonism in me.
Bates, If you didn't fire that shot
through the window, who did-will you
AlAA nl,