The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1909-11-26


rection," and lima pointed to the
wood, but the stranger remained
stubbornly on the edge Of the pier. |
now stepped out of the wood and
walked down to the pier.
What do you want here?" I de-
manded, sharply.
The man touched his hat, smiled
and shook his head. The broad hand
he lifted in salute was that of Ia
borer, and its brown back was tat
tooed He belonged, l judged, to one
of the dark Mediterranean races, and
l tried him in Italian.
These are private grounds; you
will do we'll to leave here very quick
ly," said.
saw his eyes light as spoke the
words slowly and distinctly, but he
waited until had finished, then shook
his head
l was sure he had understood, but as
| addressed him again, ordering him
from the premises, he continued to
shake his head and grin foolishly.
Then l pointed toward the road.
60; and it will be best for you not
to come here again." l said, and, after
saluting, he walked slowly away into
the wood, with sort of logged inso-
lence in his slightly swaying gait. At
nod from me lima stole after him
while | waited, and in a few minutes
the boy came back and reported that
the man had passed the house and
left the grounds by the carriage en-.
trance, turning toward Annandale.
With my mind on Gillespie l put off
in the launch, determined to study the
lake geography. l have, hope, a soul
for landscape, and the soft bubble of
water the lush reeds in the shadows, |
the rapidly moving panorama of field |
and forest, the glimpses of wild flow.
ers, and the arched blue above, were
restful to mind and heart. 1t seemed |
shameful that the whole world was
not af1oat; then, as reflected that an.
other boat in these tranquil waters
would be an impertinence that l
should resent, l was aware that | had
been thinking Of Helen Holbrook all
the while; and the thought of this ir.
rltated me so that | criticised Lima
most unjustly for running the launch
close to a bowlder that rose like a
miniature Gibraltar near the shadowy
shore we were skirting.
We gained the ultimate line of the
ower lake, and followed the shore in
search of its outlet, pleasingly set
Town on the map as Tippecanoe creek,
which ran off and joined somewhere
river of like name. The lakes wa
ers ran away, like a truant child,
through woody cleft, and in a mo-
nent we were as clean quit of the
AXE as though it did not exist. After
few rods the creek began to twist
IND turn as though with the intention
II making the voyager earn his way.
n the narrow channel the beat of our
ng1ne rang from the shores rebuking.
y, and soon, as punishment for dis.
urbing the peace of the little stream,
We grounded on a sand-bar.
This seems to be the head of nayi.
alton, lima. l believe this creek
vas made for canoes, not battle.
hips"
Between us we got the launch off,
nd | landed on convenient log and
rawled up the bank to observe the
ountry. | followed a stake-andrider
ence, half hidden in vines of various i
orts, and tramped along the bank, with
ne creek still singing its tortuous way
Glow at my right hand. Soon the
all fence gave way to barbed wire: :
re path broadened and the under.
rush was neatly cut away. Within
~ a small vegetable garden. care
lily TILED; and farther on l saw
ark green cottage almost shut in bv
eecnes. The path dipped sharply
own and away from the cottage, and
moment later had lost sight of it:
ut below, at the edge of the creek.
GOD a long houseboat with an ex.
nded platform or deck on the water.
de.
can still feel, as I recall the day
ID hour, the utter peace of the scene
men nrst l came upon that secluded
'ot: The melodious flow of the
eek beneath; the fiutter of homing
lngs; even the hum of insects in the
Veet, thymy air. Then step farther
10 came to gate which opened on
hight of steps that led to the house 4
meath; and through the intervening Y
ngle saw a man sprawled at ease 4
steamer chair On the deck, his +
ms under. his head. AS | watched
m he sighed and turned restlessly. n
ia l caught glimpse of close. III
beard and short, thin, slight. N
gray hair. IN
(TO BE CONTINUED.) l
Supposed Relic of St. Peter, I
1t is announced that a remark hIy -