Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1909-12-15
CHAPTER V.-continued.

man he supposed was Holbrook, but who
said he was Hartridge. a canoe-maker.
CHAPTER V.-Continued.
He spoke the name carelessly, his
manner and tone implying that there
could be no debating the subject. l
was prepared for evasion, but not for
this cool denial of his identity.
"But this afternoon, Mr.. Holbrook,
1 CHANGED to follow the creek to this
point and 1 saw"
"You probably saw that houseboat
down there, that is my shop. AS I
tell you, l am a maker of canoes. They
have, 1 hope, some reputation-honest
hand-work; and my output is limited.
1 shall be deeply chagrined if you
have never heard of the Hartridge
canoe"
He shook his head in mock grief,
walked to a cabarette and took up a
pipe and filled it. He was carrying
off the situation we'll; but his cool
ness angered me.
"Mr. Hartridge, l am sorry that
must believe that heretofore you have
been known as Holbrook. The fact
was clenched for me this afternoon,
quite late, as stood in the path be-
low there. 1 heard quite distinctly a
young woman call you father"
so? Then you're an eavesdropper
as well as a trespasser! the
man laughed.
I'VE will admit that 1 am both," l
aared, angrily.
You are considerate, Mr.. Dono-
van!"
''The young woman who called you
father and whom you answered from
the deck of the houseboat is a person
know"
THE DEVIL"
He calmly pulled his pipe, holding
the bowl in his fingers, his idle hand
thrust into his trousers pocket.
1T was Miss Helen Holbrook that
saw here, Mr.. Hartridge."
He started, then recovered himself
and peered into the pipe bowl for a
second; then looked at me with an
amused smile on his face.
"You certainly have a wonderful i'm
agination. The person you saw, if you
saw any one on your visit to these
premises today, was my daughter
Rosalind Hartridge. Where do you
think you knew her, Mr.. Donovan?"
Il saw her this morning at St
Agathas school. 1 not only say her
but talked with her, and am Meth
er deaf nor blind"
He pursed his lips and studied me
with his head slightly Titled to one
side, in cool fashion that 1 did no
like.
Rather an odd place to have me
this Miss-what name, did you say
Miss Helen Holbrook;-a CLOSED
schoolhouse, and that sort of thing"
you may ease your mind on tina
point; she was with your sister, he
aunt, Mr.. Holbrook; and l want yol
to understand that your followin;
Miss Patricia Holbrook here is in
famous and that l have no other bust
ness but to protect her from you"
He bent his eyes upon me gravel
and nodded several times.
Mr.. Donovan" he begin, 81 repea
that l am not Henry Holbrook, an
my daughters my daughter, and no
your Miss Helen Holbrook. Moreover
II you will go to Tippecanoe or t
, Annandale and ask about me you wi
learn that 1 have been a resident @
this community, working at my trade
that OF canoe-maker. That sho
down there by the creek and thi
house, l built myself"
, But the girl"
, WAS not Helen Holbrook, but m
daughter, Rosalind Hartridge. Sh
has been away at school, and cam
: home only week ago. You are clea1
: ly mistaken; and if you will call, q
: you undoubtedly will, on your Mis-
I Holbrook at st. Agatha's in the mor1
:. ing, you will undoubtedly find you
q young lady there quite safely /
4 charge of-what was the name, Mis-
r Patricia Holbrook?-in whose beha
;. you take so praiseworthy an interest
!, He was treating me quite as thong
Q 1 were stupid schoolboy, but 1 "a
I lied sufficiently to demand:
IF you are SO peaceable and onl
. boatmaker here, will you tell m
' why you have enemies who are {
> anxious to kill you? 1 imagine tn;
4 murder isn't common on the qui,
, shores Of this little creek, and that a
Italian sailor is not employed to ki
men who have not a past of some so
8 behind them"
L His brows knit and the Jaw und,
n his short beard frightened. Then, l
It smiled and threw his pipe on Il
v cabarette.
r. Il have only your word for it tn
o there's an Italian in the wood-pile.
u have friends among the country 70
here and in the lake villages who CT
Vouch for me. AS / am not In Il