The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-02-25
CHAPTER TX.
The Lights on St. Agatha. Pier

The Lights on st. Agatha's Pier.
On my way home through st. Aga.
tha's stopped to question the two
guards. They had heard nothing, had
seen nothing. How that girl had
passed them did not know. scanned
the main building, where she and Miss
Pat had two rooms, with an interven.
ing sitting room, but all was dark.
Miss Helen Holbrook was undeniably
resourceful young woman of charm
and wit, and went on to Glenarm
House with a new respect for her
cleverness.
was abroad early the next morn.
ing, retracing my steps through St.
Agatha's to the stone bench on the
bluff with vague notion of confirming
my memory of the night by actual con-
tact with visible, tangible things. The
lake twinkled in the sunlight, the sky
overhead was flawless sweep of blue,
and the foliage shone from the deluge
of the early night. But in the soft mold
Of the path the prints of a woman's
shoe were unmistakable. l bent down
and examined them; l measured them
-ungraciously, indefensibly, guiltily
with my hand, and rose convinced
thatthe neat outlines spoke of a modish
bootmaker, and were not apt to be ex-
planned away as marking the lightly.
limned step of fairy or the gold.
sandaled fight of Diana. Then de.
scended to st. Agatha's and found
Miss Pat and Helen lettering Tranquil.
ly in the garden.
They gave me good morning-Miss
Pat calm and gracious, and Helen in
the spirit of the morning ITSELF smil.
ing, cool, and arguing .or peace. De.
ception, as social accomplishment,
she had undoubtedly carried far; and
I was hard put to hold up my end of
the game. I have practiced lying with
pastmasters in the art-the bazaar
keepers of Cairo, horse dealers in
Moscow and rug brokers in Teheran:
but dipped my colors to this amazing
girl.
I'm afraid that we are making our
selves nuisance to you," said Miss
Pat. II heard the watchmen patroling
the walks last night" 81 !
Eyes; it was quite feudal!" Helen
broke in. Il. feltst we were back
at least as far as the eleventh cen.
fury. The splash of water-which you
can hear when the lake is rough
must be quite like the lap of water in
moat. But did not hear the clank
Of arms"
mo" observed, dryly. "Ijima
wears blue serge and carries a gun
that would shoot clear through q cru.
sader. The gardener is ScotahHan,
and his dialect would kill horse. r,is
n Miss Pat paused behind us to de-
liberate upon new species Of holly.
hook whose minarets rose level with
her kind. gentle eyes. Something HAD:
been in my mind, and took this .op-
portunity to speak to Helen.
why don't you avert danger and
avoid an ugly catastrophe by confess.
ing to Miss Pat that your duty and
sympathy lie with your father? It
would save a lot of trouble in the
end"
The flame leaped into Helen's face
Us she turned to me.
Il don't know what you mean! /
have never been spoken to by any one
SO trageously!" She glanced hur-
riedly over her. shoulder. my position
y hard enough; It is dihicu1t enough,
without this. ] thought you wished
to- help u.s.. n. n !. IS.
stared ct her; she was difting out
.of my, reckoning. and leading mo into
.uncharted SEQ n, = : 8, a,
do So GoNT1NunD,