The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-05-01
CHAPTER XVI
An ODD Affair at BED Gate.

from the CdhluQs d4iu Cdue51iA q
glimpse of the lakes cfneture Of lights.
My head was none too clear from its
crack on the cabin floor, and my chest
was growing sore. and stiff from the
slash Of the Italians knife; but my
spirits were high, and my ears rang
with memories Of the Voice. Helen
had given me q commission, and every
fact Of my life faded into insignifcanee
compared to this. The cool night air
rushing by refreshed me. I was eager
for the next turn Of the wheel, and
my curiosity ran on to the boat-ma-
ker's house.
/ came now to a lonely sweep, where
the road ran through a heavy wood
land, and the cool, moist air Of the
forest rose round me The lake.
knew, lay. close at hand. and the Hart
ridge cottage was NOT. as / reekoned
my distances. very far ahead I had
drawn in my horse to consider The
manner of my approacb 10 the boat
makers, and was joggfng along at an
easy trot when a riie-shot rang out on
my left, from the direction of the
creek, and my horse SHE'D sharply
and plunged on at wild gallon. re
ran several hundred yards before l
could check him, and then ! turned
and rode slowly back, peering into the
forests black shadow for the foe. /
paused and waited. with the horse
dancing crafty beneath me, but the
woodland presented an inscrutable
front. l then rode on to the unfenced
strip of wood where l had left my
horse before.
l began this narrative with every
intention OF telling the whole truth
touching my adventures at Annandale,
and / cannot deny that the shot from
the wood had again shaken my faith
in Helen Holbrook. She had sent me
to the Tfppecanoe on an errand of her
own choosing. and I had been fred on
from ambush near the place to which
she had sent me. I fear that my tower
Of faith that had grown so tan and
strong shook on its foundations; but
once more I dismissed my doubts, Just
as had dismissed other doubts and
misgivings about her Ny fleeing
/ glimpse Of her in the window of st.
! Agatha-s less than an hour before
flashed back upon me, and the tower
touched the stars. steadfast and Sc
/ rene again.
/ / strobe on toward Red Gate with
my revolver in the side pocket of my
Norfolk jacket A blackboard filed
with young folk from the summer col
ony' passed me, and then the utter 81
/ lence OF the country held the world
| In a moment I had reached the canoe
makers cottage and entered the gate
/ went at once to the front door and
i knocked. I repeated my knock several
/ times, but there was no answer. The
1 front window blinds were closed tight
The houseboat was effectuall5
! screened BY shubbefy and had de
| scended half a dozen steps before
saw light in the windows It oe
| Cured to me that as I had undoubted
| ly been sent to Red Gate for some pur
| pose, I should do wen not to defeat i
by any cIumsiness of my own so
| proceeded slowly, pausing seyera
| times to observe the lights below.
| heard the Tippecanoe slipping by witt
| the subdued murmur of water a
night; and then a lantern flashed OF
| deck and I heard voices. Some one
was landing from boat in the creek
| This seemed amiab1e. enough. as tn,
| lantern-bearer helped a man in TIL
boat to Chamber to the platform, ant
| from the open door of the shop I
broad shaft Of light shone bright,
upon the two men Tie man with til
lantern was Ho1brook, alias Hartridge
beyond a doubt; the other was stran
ger Holbrook caught the painter o
the boat and silently made it fast
Now" he said, come in"
They crossed the deck and enteret
the boat-maker's shop, and I crep
down where 1 could peer in at an opei
portho1e. The. men remained at tn
farther end of the house-it was,
should say, about 100 feet long
which. without formal division, wa
ntted as a sltJlnS room, Win q plan
in one corner, and a long settl
against the wall In the center wa
table Uttered with books and per
odicals; and a wolnan's sewing basket
interviewer with bright ribbons, CAV
a domestic touch to the place. On th
inner wall hung a pair of foils an
masks. Pictures from Illustrated JON
nails striking heads or outdoo
scenes-were pinned here and there.
The newcomer stared about, twirlin
a Tweed cap nervously in his hand:
while Holbrook carefully. extinguishe
the lantern and put it aside. His Wis
itor was about SO, taller than ne, an
swarthy, with grayish mustache, an
hair white at the temples. His eye
i were large and dark, but even with tn
length of the room between us
marked their restlessness; and no
! that he spoke it was in a successio
Of quick rushes Of words that wer