The Irish standard., 1909-04-03


courteously. I questioned him as to
the character Of the winters in this
region. spoke Of the employments Of
the village folk. then mentioned the
canoe-maker.
Yes; he works the year round down
there on the Tippecanoe. He sells
his canoes all over the country-ths
Hartridge, that's his name. You must
have seen his sign there by the cedar
hedge. They say he gets big prices
for his canoes"
II suppose he's . native in these
parts?" ventured.
mo: but he's been here . good
while. ! guess nobody knows where
he comes from-or cares He works
pretty hard, but guess he likes It,"
Hes an industrious man. is he?"
ooh. he's steady worker; but he's
queer kind. too. Now, he never
votes and he never goes to church;
and for the sake Of the argument,
neither do and the old fellow
winked prodigiously He's a mighty
odd man: but cant say that that's
against him. But he's quiet and peace
able, and now his daughter"
''Oh, he has a daughter!
Eyes; and that's all he has, too:
and they never have any visitors. Tha
daughter just come home the other
day. and we amt hardly seen her yet.
She's been away at school"
II suppose Mr.. Hartridge is absent
sometimes; he doesn't live down ters
all the time, does he?'
II cant say that could prove IL;
sometimes don't see him for a
month or more: but his business is tis
own. stranger" he concluded, point,
eddy.
You think that n Mr.. Partridge
had a visitor you'd know it?" per.
sisted, though the shopkeeper grew
less amiable.
We'll. now. ! might; and again I
mightn't Mr.. Hartridge ia queer
man. ! don't see him every day, and
particularly in the winter don't keep
track Of him.
With little leading the storekeeper
described Hartridge for me, and his
description Tailed exactly with tho
man who had caught me on the canoe.
makers premises the night before.
And yet. when I had thanked the
storekeeper and ridden on through the
village. was as much bofuddled ~
ever. There was something decidedly
incongruous in the idea that man
who was. by all superficial signs, 1T
least a gentleman. should be estab.
ashed in the business Of making ca
noes by the side of lonely creek In
This odd corner Of the world. From
the storekeeper's account, Hartridge
might be absent from his retreat for
long periods; II he were Henry Hol'
brook and wished to annoy his sister.
It was not go far from this lonely
creek to the Connecticut town where
Miss Pat lived. Again, as to the daugh.
ter. just home from school and not
yet familiar to the eyes Of the village.
she might easily enough be an inven'
ton to hide the visits Of Helen Hol-
brook found myself trying to ac'
count for the fact that by some means
ouUIJ vi Iuc 1'oI-
brook had played chess with Miss Pat
at st. Agatha's at the very hour had
seen her with her father on the Tip
pecanoe. And then was baffled
again az I remembered that Paul Stod-
dard had sent the two women to St.
Agatha's. and that their destination
could not have been chosen by Helen
Holbrook
My thoughts wandered into many
blind alleys as rode on. ! was thor
oughly Disguised with myself at find
ing tho loose ends Of the Holbrooks'
affairs multiplying so rapidly. The
sun Of noon shone hot overhead. and I
turned my horse into a road that led
homework by the eastern shore Of the
lake. As approached a little country
church at the crown OF long hill
saw q crowd gathered in the highway
and refined my horse to see what had
happened. The congregation OF farmers
and their families had Just been dis.
missed: and they were pressing about
a young man who stood in the center
of an excited throng. Drawing closer,
/ was amazed to find my friend Gil.
lespie tho center Of attention.
But, my dear sir" cried tall,
bearded man whom l took TO be the
minister Of this wayside flock. you
must at least give us the privilege Of
thanking you! You cannot know what
this means to us, a gift so munificent
80 far beyond our dreams"
Whereat Gillespie looked bored.
shook his head. and tried to force his
way through the encircling rustics. He
was clad in Norfolk jacket and
knickerbockers Of fantastic plaid. with
q cap to match.
A young famer, noting my curiosity
and heavy with great news, whispered
to me:
THAT boy in short pants put 1000
bill in the collection basket. All in
one bill! They thought 1t was a. mis-.
take, but he told our preacher 1t was
free gift
Just then heard the voice Of my
fool raised go that all might hear:
"FrjAnds m the dusty highway ~