The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1911-05-16
CHAPTER VIII.
A Lady Of Shadows and Starlight.

a Lady OF SHADOWS ana StaTH9nt.
1t was nine o'clock before lima
came in, dripping from his tumble in
the lake and his walk home through
the rain The Italian had made no ef-
fort to modest him, he reported; but
he had watched the man row out to
the Stiletto and climb aboard. lima
has an unbroken record Of never hav-
ing asked me question inspired by
curiosity He may inquire which shoes
l want for a particular morning, but
why, where and when are unknown in
his vocabulary. He was, knew, fair
ly entitled to an explanation OF the In
cident of the afternoon, though he
would ask none, and when he had
changed his clothes and reported to
me in the library told him in a word
that there might be further trouble,
and that should expect him to stand
night watch at St. Agatha's for
while, dividing a patrol Of the grounds
with the gardener. His Yes, sir"
was as calm as though had told him
to lay out my dress clothes, and l
| went with him to look up the gardener
that the division of patrol duty might
be thoroughly understood.
l gave the Scotchman a revolver
and lima bore under his arm a repeat
ing rifle with which he and l had d.
verted ourselves at times in the pleas
ant practice of breaking glass balls. l
assigned him the waterfront and told
the gardener to look out for intruders
from the road. These precautions
taken, l rang the bell at ST. Agatha s
and asked for the ladies'. but was re-
lieved to learn that they had retired,
for the situation would not be helped
by debate, and if they were to remain
at St. Agatha's it was my affair to
plan the necessary defensive strategy
without troubling them. And l must
admit here, that at all times, from the
moment l first saw Helen Holbrook
with her father at Red Gate, l had
every intention of shielding her to the
utmost. The thought Of trapping her
of catching her. flagrante delicto. was
revolving; l had. perhaps, a notion
that in some way l should be able t.
thwart her without showing my owl
hand; but this, as will appear, wal
not to be so easily accomplished.
l went home and read for an hour
then got into heavy shoes and Sc
forth to reconnoiter. The chief ave
nue. of danger lay, l imagined, across
the lake, and passed through ST. Aga
tha's to see that my guards wer
about their business; then continues
along a wooded bluff that rose to
considerable height above the lake
There was winding path which tn
pilgrimages of schoolgirls in sprin
l and autumn had worn hard, and l 70
lowed it to its crest. where there wa
q a stone bench, established for the cas-
n Of those who wished to take their SUI
II sets in comfort
The path that rose through tn
" wood from ST. Agatha's declined agai
from the seat, and came out SOM
n where below, where there was sprin
sacred to the schoolgirls, and where,
a. dare say, they still indulge in the i
carnations of their species. l amuse
Of myself picking out the pier lights
far as l had learned them, followir
:, one of the lake steamers on its zigzs
!. course from Port Annandale to the v
m lage. Eleven chimed from the chap
clock, the strokes stealing up to n
dreamily moment later l heard
step in The path behind me, ligf
quick, and eager, and bent down 10
Il. on the bench, so that it's back shield'
~ me from view, and waited. The ste
ie drew closer 20 the bench, and son
r.
IL one passed behind me. l was Qui
Is sure that it YVES woman from Il
nc lightness of the step. the feminil
az quality in the voice that continued
hum little song and at the last n
"a ment the soft rustic of skirts. no
ri and spoke her name before my ey
were sure of her.
On Miss Holbrook.' l exclaimed.
), She did not cry out, though S
IN stepped back quickly from the benz
ne "Oh, it's you. Mr.. Donovan. is it -
1T most certainly Isl | laught
Fir I'VE seem to have similar tastes, Mi
is Holbrook."
tn ITO RE CONTINuEDO