The silver messenger., 1911-04-18
RQSAkLND KT REDO CAT TBGss&

on the launch, and hearing step on
the pier planking, he glanced up, then ]
rose and asked the stranger his bust
ness.
| The man shook his head.
| '1f you have business it must be al
| the house; the road is in the other dt
rection," and lima pointed to the
wood, but the stranger remained
stubbornly on the edge of the pier.
now stepped out of the wood anc
walked down to the pier.
What do you want here?" l de
manded, sharply.
The man touched his hat, smiled
and shook his head. The broad hand
he lifted in salute was that OF Ia
borer, and its brown back was tat
tooed He belonged, l judged, to one
of the dark Mediterranean races, and
l tried him in Italian.
These are private grounds; you
will do well to leave here very quick
ly," said.
l saw his eyes light as I spoke the
words slowly and distinctly, but he
waited until had finished, then shooh
his head.
l was sure he had understood, but as
l addressed him again, ordering him
from the premises, he continued to
shake his head and grin foollshly
Then l pointed toward the road.
Go; and it will be best for you not
to come here again!" said, and, after
saluting, he walked slowly away into
the wood, with a sort of dogged inso
lence in his slightly swaying gait Al
a nod from me lima stole after him
while / waited, and in few minutes
the boy came back and reported thai
the man had passed the house and
left the grounds by the carriage en-
trance, turning toward Annandale.
= With my mind on Gillespie l put on
:, in the launch, determined to study the
/, lake geography. l have, hope, soul
for landscape, and the soft bubble OF
:, water, the lush reeds in the shadows,
" the rapidly moving panorama of t1elo
= and forest, the glimpses of wild How
ers. and the arched blue above, were
restful to mind and heart. 1t seemed
> shameful that the whole world was
not afloat; then, as l reflected that an
y other boat in these tranquil waters
:, would be an impertinence that
~ should resent, l was aware that | hae
been thinking of Helen Holbrook al
IL the while; and the thought of this ir
Il ritated me SO that / criticised Lima
'e most unjustly for running the launch
50 close to a bowlder that rose like
miniature Gibraltar near the shadow
io shore we we're skirting.
~ We gained the ultimate line of the
u lower lake, and followed the shore II
Ii search of it's outlet, pleasingly Sc
LII down on the map as Tippecanoe creek
= which ran of and joined somewhere
IL a river of like name. The lakes wa
~ ters ran away, like a truant child
III through a woody cleft, and in mo
ment we were as clean quit or th'
ne lake as though it did not exist Afte
an a few rods the creek began to twis
at and turn as though with the intention
ne of making the voyager earn his way
III In the narrow channel the beat OF ou
Sc engine rang from the shores rebukins
ne ly, and soon, as punishment for dis
IN turbing the peace of the little stream
we SIOuuQSu Ou q SAAO-boA-
or This seems to be the head of nav
CATION, lima. l believe this cree
nd was made for canoes, not battle
go ships"
nd Between us we got the launch of
by and | landed on a convenient log an
mt crawled up the bank to observe tn
he country. l followed stake-and-ride
for fence, half hidden in vines of variou
5 I sorts, and tramped along the bank, wit
er the creek still singing it's tortuous wa
sh below at my right hand. Soon th
lat rail fence gave way to barbed wire
er the path broadened and the unde
till brush was neatly cut away. With
/. lay small vegetable garden, car
led fully titled; and farther on l saw
the dark green cottage almost shut in
l beeches. The path dipped sharpl
All down and away from the cottage, ar
od- a moment later had lost sight of i
red but below, at the edge of the cree
of stood a long houseboat with an e
sed tended platform or deck on the waite
ew side.
od- | can still feel, as l recall the ds
,re- and hour, the utter peace of the scel
1 a when first l came upon that seclud'
to spot: The melodious flow of II
Who creek beneath; the futter of homil
cen wings; even the hum of insects in Il
rec sweet, thymy air. Then step farth
the and | came to a gate which opened {
md a flight of steps that led to the hou
my beneath; and through the intervenll
rks tangle l saw a man sprawled at ca
sed in a steamer chair on the deck, /
ard arms under his head. AS l watch
rds him he sighed and turned restless
the and l caught glimpse of clos
and trimmed beard and short, thin, sligl
bal ly gray hair.
In (TO BE CONTINUED)