Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-10-06

IA "a los GINA MAN was the uTSt
NG 10 awake en- the morning fol-
Nk lowing their arrival at Pay
toms mysterious lodge. and
Immediately she called Susan.
Il am so in hopes that my friends
have arrived" she said. II want to
get downstairs as soon as possible"
Susan hastily dressed herself, her
mistress in her impatience performing
her toilet unaided, and then they de-
scended. 1t was not much after 5
O'Clock, but Payton, as usual met them
In the ball
please send Susan back at once to
get your wraps. Miss Grayman," he
said. ut is cold this morning, but you
will enjoy spin on the water to give
you an appetite for breakfast"
But my friends"
"Oh. not so early!" he said, laugh
ing. 'They have laid up for the night,
not being as familiar with the woods
as I am. but they'll be along in the
course of the morning. Send. beg
you. for your wraps. You cannot d.
vine how charming the woods are at
this hour. Every bird is awake. and
the trout are leaping for joy."
Miss Grayman concealed her disap-
pointment and sent Susan for the
wraps. Once more In Payton's COM
pany. she felt her spirits revive. He
was more entertaining than ever. And
the air, the water and the forest were
equally delightful-so cool, fresh, fra
grant and musical 1t was a new life
for Miss Grayman, and she began to
feel the zest Of 1t. Her thought of
yesterday came to her again, and once
more her face flushed.
If her friends really had intended to
throw her into the company of Com.
modOre Brown and get her interested
in him in this unconventional way be-
fore a formal presentation she was
hardly disposed to find fault with them
for the indiscretion.
He padded them up the stream to q
pool below the rapids. The trout were
flashing on all sides in the bright
morning air, and here and there along
the shore strange birds rose and nut
tered of at their approach.
They landed In a little blight among
the rocks and stepped out on the elias
tic bed Of brown pine needles.
"See here" and he pointed to q de
preston alongside huge stump: 20
bear slept there last night"
"a bearr
"Yes. Look; here are some Of its
hairs. And just come this way bit, y
ind he approached sandy spot on the
shore. do you see those hoof prints
Three deer have taken drink here be
fore you were up"
"Oh. should so love to see q real
wild deer!"
'Then perhaps I'll show you one be
fore you are day older. And II you
are skillful in the sports of Diana We
may have some vension Of your kill
ing"
II believe l can fire a gun without
shutting my eyes," said Miss Gray
man. laughing. But of course VIC
shall postpone the proof until the ar
rival Of the Others"
"Of course. and they ought to arrive
Mt any moment now"
Upon their return one Of the mer
she had seen on the Chameleon ap
preached and handed slip Of paper t.
Payton. He read it and. frowning
snapped his fingers. exclaiming, hall
under his breath: by love. that's
really too bad. l am sorry to have to
announce slight mishap. which
while 1t accounts for the delay of on,
friends. also makes 1t certain that they
cannot reach US this morning"
The blood fed from Miss Grayman's
face. She felt an inexplicable premo
milton Of evil.
"Oh. don't let It distress you" said
Payton cheeringly. Here, please read
this dispatch. Just come by wireless.
have electric communication with all
parts. SO we are not lost, you see"
He held the paper before her, cover.
ing the lower corner where the sigma.
ture would be with his thumb.
1.-THE secret isn't open yet, you
know" he said with q deprecatory
smile. land Of course l can't let you
see the name"
She read:
Brown. Camp Bear:
Aero broke down near Pettytown. Brins
repair tools. All send greetings and re-
grets to Miss Grayman.
As he finished he cunningly and as
II totally unaware slipped aside his
thumb. and she saw that 1t had GOV.
cred the name Mitchell"
Sorry my pledge compels me to
conceal the signature" he said, fold
Ing the paper. You see. It will be
necessary for me to 60 to the rescue
l would by all means have you &c
along in order that you might the soon.
er meet your friends: but, unfortu.
nately, / shall have to take all my
available men and some machinery SO
that the Chameleon will be loaded to
her limit. So for few hours you will
be free from my attentions, which for
my part deeply regret. But you will
find Mrs. Williams most entertaining
In her way. And in the library there
Is a stock Of the latest novels"
At first Miss Grayman did not know
what to reply. the thing was so unex-
pected. 1t was really the Mitchells of
Washington. then. who were at the
bottom of this affair. and she wonder
ed that she had not thought Of them
at the very first, for now she recalled
how the two Mitchell girls and their
brother were always engaged in some