The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-03-27
CHAPTER ",
! Explore Tippecanoe Creek.

| MY urst care was 10 nnd the garden.
er OF st. Agatha's and renew his
pledge of silence Of the night before;
and then / sought the ladies', to make
sure that they had not been dis.
turbed by my collision with Gillespie.
Miss Pat and Helen were in Sister
Theresa's pretty sitting room, through
whose windows the morning wind
blew fresh and cool.
This Is day for the open! You
must certainly venture forth" be.
gan, cheerily. you soc, Father
6toddard chose we'll; this IL tho most
peaceful place on the map. Let ne
begin with drive at six, when tbs
sua is lew OF, maybe, you would pre-.
fer 2 little Fun In the launch
Fhsv ezehansed giances;
n think It would be all right, Anet
eat1' said HsleA
Perhaps we should wait another
day. We must take no chances; the
relief Of being free is too blessed to
throw away. really slept through
the night can't tell you what .
boon that Isl"
why, Sister Margaret had to call
US both at eight" exclaimed Helen.
THAT is almost too wonderful for be-
lief!"
ooh. the nights here are tranquility
itself! Now, as to the drive"
Let us wait another day, Mr.. Dono.
van. feel that we must make assur-
ance doubly sure" said Miss Pat; and
this, of course, was final.
1t was clear that the capture of Gil.
lespie had not disturbed the slumber
OF St. Agatha's. My conscience
pricked me trifie at leaving them so
ignorantly contented; but Gilespie's
appearance was hardly menace, and
though I had pledged myself to warn
Helen Holbrook at the first sign Of
trouble, determined to deal with him
on my own account. He was only an
infatuated fool. and I was capable.
hoped. OF disposing Of his case with
out taking any one into my conf
dence.. But first 1t was my urgent
business to find him.
got out the launch and crossed the
lake to the summer colony and began
my search by asking for Gillespie at
the casino, but found that his name
was unknown. ] lounged about until
lunch time, visited the golf course
that lay on a bit of upland beyond tho
cottages and watched the players I'M.
til satisfied that Gillespie was not
among them, then went home for
luncheon.
A man with bandaged arms. and
clad in dressing gown, cannot go
far without attracting attention; and
] was not In the least discouraged by
my fruitless search. have spent
considerable part of my life In tho
engaging occupation Of looking for
men who we're hard to find. and as I
smoked my cigar on the shady ter.
race and waited for lima to replenish
the launch's tank. felt confident that
before night l should have an under
standing with Gillespie IL he were still
In the neighborhood Of Annandale.
The midday was warm, but cooled
my eyes on the deep shadows OF the
wood. through which at intervals l
saw white sails fash on the lake. All
bird-song was hushed, but a wood
pecker on a dead sycamore hammered
away for dear life The bobbing of
his red head must have exercised
some hypnotic SPELL for slept few
minutes, and dreamed that the wood.
pecker had bored a hole In my fore.
head. When ] reused It was with a
start that sent my pipe Gathering to
tie stone terrace floor. A man who
has ever camped or hunted or been
hunted-and I have known all three
experiences-always scrutfnizes tho
horizons when he wakes, and found
myself staring into the wood. As my
eyes sought remembered landmarks
here and there, l saw a man dressed
as common sailor skulking toward
the boathouse several hundred yards
away. He was evidently following tho
school wall to escape observation, and
rose and stepped closer to the bal.
ustrade to watch his movements. In
moment he came out into q little
open space wherein stood a stone
tower where water was stored for the
house, and he paused here and gazed
about him curiously. / picked up .
feld-glass from a little table near by
and caught sight Of a swarthy foreign
face under soft felt hat. He passed
the tower and walked on toward the
lake, and I dropped over the balus-
trade and followed him.
The Japanese boy was still at work
on the launch. and. hearing a step ON
the pier planking, he glanced up. then
rose and asked the stranger his bust.
ness.
The man shook his head.
IF you have business it must be at
the house; the road IL in the other di.
rection," and lima pointed to the
wood, but the stranger remained
stubbornly on the edge Of the pier. I
now stepped out of the wood and
walked down to the pier