The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-04-17
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their good spirits. and was myself
refreshed and relieved as I drove into
Glenarm; but arranged for the same
guard as on the night before. Helen
Holbrook's double-dealing created
condition of affairs that demanded
cautious handling, and had no inten-
tfon Of being caught mapping.
From the window of my room / saw
the Japanese boy patrolling the walks
of st. Agatha's. A blackboard of young
sters from Port Annandale passed in
the road. leaving a trail of song be.
hind them. Then the frog choruses
from the little brook that lay hidden
in the Glenarm wood sounded in my
ears with maddening iteration, and l
sought the open.
The previous night had met Helen
Holbrook by the stone seat on the
ridge, and cannot deny that it was
with the hope of seeing her again that
set forth. She was beautiful with
rare loneliness at all times, yet found
myself wondering whether, on the
strange frontiers of love, it was her
daring duplicity that appealed to me.
I set myself stubbornly into pillory
reared of my own shame at the
thought, and went out and climbed
upon the Glenarm wall and stared at
the dark bulk Of st. Agatha's as pun
ished myself for having entertained
any other thought of Helen Holbrook
than of weak, vain, ungrateful girl,
capable of making sad mischief for
her benefactor.
lima passed and repassed In the
paved walk that curved among the
school buildings; heard his step, and
marked his pauses as he met the gar
dener at the front door by an arrange
ment that 1 had suggested. AS con-
sidered the matter concluded that
Helen Holbrook could readily slip out
at the back Of the house, when the
guards thus met, and that she had
thus found egress on the night before.
At this moment the two guards met
precisely at the front door, and to my
, surprise Sister Margaret, in the brown
garb of her sisterhood, stepped out,
nodded to the watchmen in the Tight
of the overhanging lamp, and walked
slowly round the buildings and toward
the lake. The men promptly resumed
their patrol. The sister slipped away
like a shadow through the garden;
and I dropped down from the wall In
side the school park and stole after
her The guards were guilty Of no
improperly in passing her; there was
to be sure, no reason why Sister Mar
garet should not do precisely as she
liked at St. Agatha's. However, my
curiosity was piqued. and crept quiet
~ along through the young naples
that fringed the wall She followed a
path that led down to the pier, and I
hung back to watch, still believing
that Sister Margaret had gone forth
merely to enjoy the peace and beauty
of the night. paused in little thick.
ct, and heard her light step on. the
pier flooring; and drew as near as I
J dared, in the shadow Of the boathouse.
She stood beside the upright staff
from which the pier lights swung
the white lantern between the two red
ones-looking out across the lake. The
lights outlined her tall figure distinct
ly. She peered about anxiously sew
eral times, and heard the impatient
tap Of her foot on the planks. In the
lake sounded the faint gurgle Of water
round paddle, and in a moment
canoe glided to the pier and a man
stepped out. He bent down to seize
the painter, and / half turned away,
ashamed of the sheer curiosity that
had drawn me after the sister. Nuns
who chafe at their prison bars are not
new, either to romance or history;
and this surely was no affair OF mine.
Then the man stood up, and saw that
1t was Gillespie. He was hatless. and
his arms were barred. He began to
speak, but she quieted him with a
word; and as with gesture she flung
back her brown hood, saw that 1t
was Helen Holbrook.
II had given you up" she said.
He took both her hands and held
them, bending toward her eagerly She
seemed taller than he in the lantern
light.
II should have come across the
world" he said.
"You must believe that should not
have asked this Of you If had not be-
lieved you could do it without injury
to yourself-that 1t would impose no
great burden on you, and that you
would not think too Ill Of me-
II love you; I am here because I
love you!" he said; and thought bet
ter of him than had. He was fool,
and weak; but he was, believed, an
honest fool. and my heart grew hot
with Jealous rage as saw them there
together.
If there is more can dol"
NO: and I should not ask you II
there were. I have gone too far, as it
u.s." she sighed.
You must take no risks; you must
take care that Miss Pat knows moth.