Evening star., 1909-08-27
XVII-Continued.

XVII-Continued.
They drove through a narrow lane into
Bicknell street a block below its crossing
with Greenfield and about an equal dis
tance from the railway station. The
evening train had just pulled in. and a
throng of sleighs. sledges and OK sfeds
| were coming from the station. This
struck Grilnbleshaw as fortunate. and he
began to credit Mrs. Calden with plan
ming the time shrewdly.
| In a few minutes they were in the open
country. passing the last houses on the
river ROAD. Then Grimbleshaw, watching
| the horse get down to work with an air
| of endurance. asked:
How far"
"Ten miles," she whispered as If fear
full of her own ears. Turn into the lane
| at the old Thurlow place, this side the
At the top Of the long hill she laid her
hand on his arm, warningly.
"Give me the lines she whispered.
then. when drive fast. raise the lantern
and look behind quick.
He tried to obey exactly but as he held
up the light he was not quick enough in
turning. A weight seemed to drop from
! the back of the sleigh, and he distinctly
! heard a thud as something struck the
| ground. He sprang up. at the risk of
pitching headong, since she did not
| siacken pace, but. IL anything, increased
| 1t. Dark as 1t was the lantern threw a
| half light far enough so that he saw
| what appeared the shadow of a man pick
| itself up from the road. Then 1t diSap-
peared In the darkness and distance.
He was waiting when we turned into
| the river road,' she explained. ''He came
up the lower hill on foot. but seized the
! back Of the sleigh just as we reached
! the level at the top
! 'Who knew that you were coming for
me?" Grimbleshaw asked.
"Oh. Trafford. probably. At least, that S
the way 1t looks"
| The sense that it did look that way
| hung heavy over Grimbleehaw.
| Here's the Thurlow place where we
turn he admonished.
| oh she explained, that was for his
| benefit. We don't turn till a mile this
! side of Brentwood. unless you go through
| the woods
! He isn't at the camp at Mystic Pond,
| is he?" he exclaimed. That's where
Miss Judith must have come from when
| l saw her in =Braxton.s woods
II suppose it's been folly thinking we
could keep the secret. He'd have been
safer at the house. only he wouldn't hear
| to it, not for a single hour"
Its fearfully lonesome place at this
| time of year. Mrs. Calden.'
| He isn't counting publicity just now"
she replied, curtly.
mo. but while certain men are expect
ing IllIl 10 DesIn HlCinS OOn tNIHk IIl1S
| loneliness adds to his security. I'm sure.
as you say, he'd be safer with you.'
| II wish you'd tell him So" she said,
eagerly.
IT'S scarcely my place as q physician
to suggest. he's not safe anywhere" re-
But as physician you can say he's
better OFF with US than in this dreary
camp. and then. if he raises the ques-
"oh. yes" cried Grimbleshaw. eagerly.
II could do that very properly"
| When they turned from the dense
| woods into the little clearing on the lake
| shore the moon had risen, and beyond the
made. the open space was bright with
| moonlight or black with clear-cut
shadows. A half dozen rude log shacks.
stretching along the curved line OF the
lake. composed the camp.
! AS Grinbleshaw's eyes glanced from
| hut to hut he gave slight start, undis-
tinguishable by his companion from the
joltings of the rough track. as he caught
| what impressed him at first as a moving
shadow. At a second glance a head
toward them. When 1t fell again he
strained his eyes. half inclined to believe
| himself deceived. During the. time re-
| quired for the horse and sleigh to go a
| half dozen times their own length there
was no movement Then something like
! a fox or dog darted across the moonlit
space into the .circling shadow Of the
| trees.
withal, SO uncertain. that Grimbleshaw
almost persuaded himself 1t was a mere
| figment Of the brain or trick of the eye
| sight; but somewhere in his conscious
| ness was doubt and out of doubt was
evolved the idea that just as the creature
reached the shadow 1t assumed an up
right position, and for the fraction of a
| second had the appearance of man.
Involuntarily his mind turned to. the men
tai picture that stories Of were wolves
| had produced.
| Sill the whole thing was so without
substance as to produce the feeling that
| he must either abandon it altogether or
| find evidence to its confirmation. Ten
| tatiyely he sought this in the suggestion
that if the cabin where he had located
| the phantasy proved to be the one where
Calden was hidden then he would accept
| 1t that he had seen watching man:
otherwise not. For the moment he over
looked the chances that If an animal
was hunting about the clearing for food
| he would more probably find II near an
| Inhabited cabin than otherwise. He had
barely determined his test when Mrs.
/ Calden, who was still driving, stopped the
horse before the. very cabin he was
| watching, He noted at the same time
| that in spite Of care slightest pencil of
| light showed about one window.
| While he blanketed the horse under the
feeling that his back once turned the
sleigh would be thoroughly examined.
Mrs. Calden gained admittance to the
cabin, whittier he quickly followed. A
| fire, In itself sufficient for betrayal, blazed
| in the chimney. giving the room. in spite
| of its roughness. warm and inviting ap-
pearance. Its occupants were tall man
and powerful white bulldog. The for
mer was white-haired and somewhat
| broken In appearance with restless,
watchful air, that was far from pleasant.
| The dog was stretched comfortably be-
| fore the fire, as understanding he had no
! part to play at present.
Convinced. as Grimbleshaw was that
he was in the presence Of the man who
! had killed John -Altenburg. he could not
refrain from. watching Calden with the
keenest interest He did not fail to note
that the man was suspicious Of him as a
physician. bu, this he ascribed. in part at
| least, to his unfortunate experience with
physicians whose certificates and opinions
| had consigned him to an insane asylum.
I'm not sick. I'm perfectly WELL" he
| repeated three or four times. as If in pro-
| test at Grimbleshaw's presence.
After time. however he took a less
| uneasy air, and when his wife was busy
in another part of the room he said to
| Grimbleshaw:
There was someone lurking around the
cabin last night. I'm sure
The weight of the statement was dou-
bled by Grimbleshaw's own fears
Ibid you see any one:" he asked, anx-
iously
been lying as he is now. and went snuff
finE about the door, but without making
any noise. Then he stretched himself