Barbour County index., 1910-01-05
CHAPTER VIII.-continued.

night.
CHAPTER VIII.-Continued
"An interest in geography, shall we
call it?" she chaffed, gayly.
"Or astronomy! We will assume
that we are both looking for the Little
Dipper."
Good" she returned on my own
note. Between the affairs of the Hol-
brooks and your evening Dipper hunt
you are a busy man, Mr.. Donovan"
"I am not half so busy as you are,
Miss Holbrook! 1t must tax you Sc
verely to maintain both sides of the
barricade at the same time" l ven
tured boldly.
THAT does require some ingenuity,
she replied, musingly, but am very
flexible character"
But what will bend will break-you
may carry the game too far"
"Oh, are you tired of it already?"
Not a bit of it; but l should like
to make this stipulation with you:
That as you and / seem to be pitted
against each other in this little con-
test, we shall fight it all out behind
Miss Pats back. l prefer that she
shouldn't know what "a" and l hes
itated.
"Oh, give me a name, won't you?"
she pleaded, mockingly.
What a beautiful deceiver you
are!"
Splendid! We will agree that I am
a deceiver!"
IF it gives you pleasure! You are
welcome to all the JOY you can get out
of it,"
please don't be bitter! Let us play
fair. and 1ot stoop to abuse"
Il should think you would feel con-
trite enough after that ugly business
of this afternoon. You didn't appear
to be even annoyed by that Italian
effort to smash the launch"
She was silent for an instant; l
heard her breath come and go quickly;
when she responded with what seemed
a forced lightness:
You really think that was Inspired
by" she suddenly appeared at a
loss.
by Henry Holbrook, as you know
well enough. And if Miss Pat should
be murdered through his enmity, don't
you see that your position in the mat
ter would be difficult to explain? Muir
der, my dear young woman, is not
looked upon complacently, even in this
remote corner of the world"
You seem given to the use of
strong language, Mr.. Donovan. Let us
drop the calling of names and consider
Just where you put me-"
Il don't put you at all; you have
taken your own stand. But l will say
that l was surprised, not to say
panied. to find that you played the
eavesdropper the very hour you came
to Annandale."
A moments silence; the water mur.
INJURED in the reeds below; an owl
hooted in the Glenarm wood! a rest.
less bird chirped from its perch in a
maple overhead.
"Oh, to be sure," she said at last
You thought | was listening while
Aunt Pat unfolded the dark history of
the Holbrooks."
i knew 1t, though l tried to be-
Heve l was mistaken. But when I
saw you there on Tippecanoe creek.
meeting your father at the canoe-ma-
ker's house. l was astounded; I did
not know that depravity could go so
farg'
My poor, unhappy, unfortunate ia.
ther!" she said in low voice: there
was almost a moan in it.
Il suppose you defend your conduct
on the ground of filial duty" I sug.
gested. finding it difficult to be severe
why shouldn't L? Who are YOU ia
Judge our affairs? We are the unbap
piest family that ever lived: but
should like you to know that it was
not by my wish that you were brought
into our councils. There is more in
all this than appears!"
There is nothing in it but Miss Pat
her security, her peace. her happi
ness. / am pledged to her, and the
rest of you are nothing to me. But
you may tell your father that I have
been in rows before and that propose
to stand by the guns"
Il shall deliver your message. Mr.
Donovan; and give you my fathers
thanks for It," she Knocked.
Your father calls you Rosalind-
before strangers!" 1 remarked.
Yes. It's fancy of his" she mur
INJURED, lingeringly. Sometimes it's
Viola. or Perdita. but, as think of it