Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-05-20


forthwith.
There was, as | said. no moon, and l
could not positively distinguish any
thing as l peered down into the dark
ness, but thought l saw a point of light
like the end of a cigar, and certainly
heard a subdued murmur Of voices.
In another instant the slip and every.
thing upon it stood out against the dark
ness with the clearness and accuracy
Of a picture thrown upon a screen, its
every detail distinct and visible. After
an i~ncredulous moment, l understood,
for | recognized the broad beam of
white light which fell across the wa
ter with dazzling b~riliancy. Our
friend the searchlight had paid us
many visits since that first night upon
the slip, and we had come to regard
it with an amused tolerance, and to
watch for it, especially on dark nights
or in bad weather. We seldom watched
in vain, for it was a persistent and
Woodworking light and explored the
island, or at least our end of it, with
p~ainstaking thoroughness and regu.
larity.
So l sat in the sheltering darkness
on the top of the steps and looked
down upon the Illuminated slip, while
my heart thumped audibly and
wished most ardently | had never ven.
tured out.
For there were two men upon it,
and an unlighted steam launch waited
beside it. One Of them knelt before
the door of the b~oathouse, evidently
trying to unlock it, while the other
watched with interest, and finally pro-
duced a bunch of keys from his own
pocket and selected n as he handed
them to his companion, with apparent
directions how to apply it. And | saw
plainly that the man who supplied the
keys was Gordon Bennett, who, with
his friend Mr.. Blake, was trying to
force an entrance into our boathouse.
Another instant, and | sprang to my
feet and fled incontinently, my fingers
in my ears and my progress sadly
hampered by the long trailing skirt
i've which I tripped and stumbled.
and which, ! will remark in passing,
was i%rrevocably ruined.
do not know why | ran, nor why
[ stopped up my ears, since | had not
heard a word of any kind, and was Ger,
tainly in no personal danger; but l
rushed wildly on and finally cast myself
GREATNESS upon my bed, my pulses
t%hrobbing painfully and my whole be.
ing %quivering with a sense of shame.
For | had so nearly loved him. |
knew it now, even as / knew his I'M
worthiness. Had he not lied to me
that afternoon? Lied about so sim
pie a matter that | should then have
understood he had something to con
ceal-something Of which to be
ashamed. And now he was trying to
force an entrance to the boathouse.
But why? Was he a common thief?
"Oh, no." 1 cried, aloud; mo, not
that"
Then I sat suddenly upright, for
remembered the safe in the dining
room, with the jewels locked in it
the pearls which belonged to Lady
Edith's mother-and | remembered
also my indiscreet disclosures re,
garding it, and the questions he had
asked ever while protesting his disap.
proval-keen, searching questions as
to the exact location Of the safe and
the form Of lock upon it. And | had
told him everything he wanted to know
willingly.
"Oh!" l cried again. I'm q fool,
and he knew it, and used me for a
tool"
Therein lay the chief sting. He had
used me as a tool, and my woman's
vanity was wounded to the quick.
Going into the next room, | leaned
out of the open window, looking to,
ward the ocean and watching for
something, I was not sure what. The
~searchlight was at work again, and by
it's light | say a little dark boat steal
away from u slip and make its way
toward the point of the island. I could
see two figures in its stern, so | knew
the key had not been successful and
our b%oathouse was still closed. / sup.
posed also that the presence Of the
searchlight had frightened them away,
and felt grateful for it.
| heard the voices Of the girls, and
returned to my own room, hastily re,
moving my dress and slipping into
bed. Tomorrow l would tell them, but
not tonight could not talk tonight.
| could not even think.
She's sound asleep" whispered Ga.
brielle, after an inquiring peep over
the bed. 1T must be later than we
thought"
Its awful the way we forget the
flight Of time when we get to talking"
returned Elizabeth remorsefully, and
they lowered their light and moved
softly, in order not to disturb me.
But | lay with widely opened eyes,
staring into the darkness, long after
their quiet breathing told me they
mad gone peacefully to sleep. How hot
the pillow was! l turned it restlessly,
hoping the other side might contain a
soporific influence and l could get
away from the ~tormenting, ever-recur.
ring question, what did he want in
there? So far as we knew, the place
was emDty. why than should anv
MAJ want to force an entrance?
Perhaps, after all, 1t was nothing
that could not be explained. / would
write him in the morning and tell him
quite frankly what / had seen, and ask
for an explanation. And he, Of course,
would answer promptly. Then / re-
membered the scarf-pin Of the Sphinx's
head, and knew that any explanation,
M matter how nlaueihla would oil.