Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-12-31
CHAPTER K.

and tracked across the kitchen, No In
ruders were to be seen, nor other evil
dence Of their visit, but the mere fact
that the sanctity Of my home-hitherto
always left open to the winds-had been
Invaded, angered me. l babe Charles see
that the house was securely locked here
after whenever he left 1t In my absence
Over the mantel in my den hung two
muSkets, out-of-date but still capable of
boring holes In the atmosphere. My little
Armory held shotgun, for use In the
marshes, and two revolvers, whose only
use heretofore had been for target prac-
uce. l took them from the drawer and
looked them over; they were ready for
work when needed.
l sat on the porch, and considered the
situation. Something was about to hap
pen, something-I could not tell what
that conferred around this man who had
mysteriously taken possession of the
Ship and proposed to offer combat on
the sands What he was or who he was
could not guess speculation In these lines
brought me Immediately into blind al
Isysi but there was no doubt that In sit
uation and character he was certainly
the direct descendant of a more adven-
to him. l could see him as he stood on
che beach, buffeted by the storm, gazing
at the men who were pulling away, and
as he had stepped from the hatchway. hat
In hand, bowling to Barbara Graham with
the chiYalrous manner of cavalier, and
again as he sat across the table from me,
MS slender hands ready to seize upon the
pistols his eyes, full Of amusement and
nj lco1y
There was no doubt about It, the Ship |
belonged to him by right Of inheritance, |
and his arrival had brought me strange
tidings. thought over the matter a long
time before l went to bed.
Early the next morning I took my dip |
In the sea, and was returning, clad in a |
bath-robe, when caught sight of man
peering at me from the pines. 1 waved |
my towel, and he disappeared. AS 1 was
finishing dressing, a little later, stepped |
out upon my balcony, aud saw the same
man, much nearer now, gazing intently at
the cottage. l hate spies, so / spoke
somewhat angrily.
Hi, there What do you want?" l
cried, reckoning to him.
He came forward rather sheepingly,
and touched his hat.
II was only taking a look at your
house, sir"
And is that what you were doing some
twenty minutes ago"
"Yes, sir; that's all 1 was doing"
"Are you an architest?' demanded.
He wore a plain blue suit, with an
old straw hat, and might have been al
most anything.
He smiled. mo, was merely look
Ing about to see what there was to see.
There wasn't any harm meant"
There isn't any harm done, but then,
here isn't anything to see. I'm not
Very partial to sight-seers, especially when
they hide behind trees. If there's any
thing you want to ask me about, speak
but"
He hesitated moment. "a stranger
tall man who speaks French-hasn't
stopped at your house, has he?" ,
mo. Is he pal Of yours2"
The man grinned. mot exactly. Well, $
won't trouble you any more Good
morning." ,
At breakfast again cautioned Charles
% remember that he knew nothing. !
l could do no work in my present state
u mind, SO slung my ield-glasses over !
ny shoulder and went to call on Dupon-
;eau. He was sitting at the cabin table
on the remains Of our last :
lights supper My heart smote me. a
why didn't you let me know? could r
ave brought you breakfast" :
1T matters little; yesterday obtained =
ONE food from a farmer, but that IL too :
dangerous" He smiled. I'm quite used :
o doing with little"
sat down while he finished breakfast
after that we walked the short length of
he cabin, Duponceau asking me A great b
many questions about the coast and the
ountry Inland. told him what I could =
nd he seemed satisfied Then l decided q
o take my easel and paints and 20 I'M on h
he cliff above the Ship to paint. 81 can ?,
eep good lookout from there of the n
arther beach," said. Zone can sween "
thoroughly from the cliff with a pair a
glasses" u
l settled down on the cliff, and fo- halo &
n hour forgot everything but the scena A,
q front Of me. At the end Of that tirno r.
looked up the distant beach with NV
laSses. Some one was sitting there, baiP HI
'ay up. 1 studied the figure and decided
nat it was a woman, no other than Rsr- ~
ara Graham
= AANS 40 NuAAOuS ludlIIy. sometimes In
will not even last overnight. NV one h,
esire now was to have few words with Al
[iss Graham, so 1 left my easel as II CO
:ood, and went towards her. 81
She was half lying, half sitting. In the II
ut sand, some of which she had moulded w
Ito a cushion for her back, aud a book y,
y open at her side, but she was not v,
ading. She was gazing at the sea. e.
What do you think of our pirateY' n
She started, looked round at me, sat
}, and clasped her knees with her hands. o,
sat down on the sand beside her. 4,
II was just thinking of him. I was
linking that like him Tremendously" a,
Naturally. He rescued you from a
~ disagreeable fellow" In
Eyes," she agreed, without looking at Ia
3; land a girl can never forget q debt OF
gratitude for that sort of thing"
az must apologize" said, "tor my ly
deness. OF course II was no business
mine whose portrait you had In your yC
skstS