Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-12-10

ed hair. when she had watched the sea,
and then l remembered those sudden
flashing changes when the imp Of subtle
mischief had danced in her blue-gray |
eyes. She was just a bundle Of mischief,
to whom a new man was simply so much
sport. Yet / envied Islip with all the
strength of my heart, which shows how
strangely inconsistent | had grown.
Charles had foreseen the storm and
had made things tight about the cottage;
moreover he had built fire in the liv-
ing-room. which was also the dining-room,
to take the chill out of the rapidly damp !
ening air. Ordinarily, ]. would have been
glad to get in and change into dry clothes
and stand in front Of the fire, snug and
comfortable, but now l was as much out
of sorts as though the cottage had been
house of cards and had suddenly tum-
bled down about my head.
Poor Charles He was soon to feel
the rawness of my temper. | had no
sooner closed the door than l called to
him to get into his oilskins and go to
McCullom's with an order to him to have
my horse at the back door by 3.
Eyes, Mr.. Felix" said Charles. Its
going to be bad night, sir, asking your
pardon"
I'm going to the Penguin Club,
Charles l answered, land l don't care
if the heavens fall on the way"
Eyes, sir, very good, sir; :" and Charles
departed, wondering, doubtless. at the
strange new master he had found. He
| Lpa hot I 81 fba DapU1,in
/ changed into my storm clothes
heavy riding breeches, with a leather
jacket that buttoned up to my chin.
put the locket in little pasteboard box
and placed it in an inside pocket. Doubt
less Miss Graham valued that small gold
oval trinket with her monogram woven
on the outside and her lover ensconced
inside, and she should not have to wait
until the storm passed to learn that she
had not lost it. 1t would do no harm
for her to be disturbed for a few hours;
then ! would end it.
Charles came back and said that Nero
would be around at 8. l had supper in
silent state, and then sank into gloomy
thought before the fire. Confeund me
for being such a simple, gullible fool, l
who had scarcely laid eyes on a woman
before at. Alastair! That was the trou-
BILE with the affair. In town / should
have been prepared, properly gyved and
breast-plated, but here she had come up
on me In my own natural wilderness, on
my own simple beach, in my Ship Of day
dreams, where everything was ss free
and open as the sea.
Charles eyed me nskance as l pulled
my oilskin hat about my ears and vault
ed upon Nero Even the poor beast must
have looked at me suspiciously, for this
was no night for riding on any simple
errand. l must be the bearer of tidings,
figure stepped out of a rough-and- tum-
BILE story. Had l only known how that
night was to carry me far afield, and
how that ride be the first swift gallop in-
to a strange and swirling enterprise!
The pines shot their water into my
face as l galloped along the narrow road.
The sandy footing gave now and again,
and had to let Nero's instinct save ua
tom laundering in the boys which the
heavy rain was making of the country.
The night was black as pitch; the wind,
risen to a hurricane, screeched through
the forest in a thousand varied voices,
each more harsh and ominous than the
last Several times, riding out from the
middle of the road, wet branches driven
by the gale flung themselves against me
and almost thudded me from my horse.
l crouched low, bending forward for safe
ty and that l might peer into the murky
blackness of the road. Several times
Nero stumbled and | almost pitched over
his head.
The lights at the gate of the club were
out; they were evidently not expecting
visitors. / rode Nero to the stables, left
him with a groom, and strobe into the
clubs main hall. l must have presented
sorry spectacle; my tight-buttoned
leather jacket, my riding breeches and
boots, all soaked and running with water,
my hair and face dripping when took
off my oilskin hat that buckled under my
chin.
Take my name to Miss Graham" 1
said to the clerk at the desk, and he rec
ognized me and sent a buttons to find
her.
Miss Graham is in the sun-parlor on
the porch to the right of the main-door,"
reported the buttons, "and says she viii
see you there"
ITO be continued)