American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-05-20
XVI.
An. Odd Affair at Red Gate.

An zoo AHdtF al ncO 0dV0s
AS l rode through Port Annandale
the lifting strains of a waltz foated
from the casino, and / caught a
glimpse of the lakes cincture of lights.
My head vas none too clear from its
crack on the cabin floor, and my chest
was growing sore and stiff from the
slash of the Italians knife; but my
spirits were high, and my ears rang
with memories Of the Voice. Helen
had given me a commission, and every
fact of my life faded into insignificance
compared to this. The cool night air
rushing by refreshed me-. / was eager
for the next turn of the wheel, and
my curiosity ran on to the boat-ma-
ker's house.
I zane now to a lonely sweep, where
the road ran through a heavy wood
land, and the cool, moist air of the
forest rose round me. The lake, I
knew, lay. close at hand, and the Hart
ridge cottage was not, as I reckoned
my distances, very far ahead. I had
drawn in my horse to consider the
manner of my approach to the boat
makers, and was jogging along at an
easy trot when a rifle-shot rang out on
my left, from the direction Of the
creek, and my horse SHE'D sharply
and plunged on at a wild gallop. He
ran several hundred yards before l
could check him, and then 1 turned
and rode slowly back, peering into the
forests black shadow for the foe. l
paused and waited, with the horse
dancing crafty beneath me, but the
woodland presented an inscrutable
front. / then rode on to the unfenced
strip of wood where / had left my
horse before.
I began this narrative with g
Intention of telling the whole truth
touching my adventures at Annandale,
and l cannot deny that the shot from
the wood had again shaken my faith
In Helen HolbroOk. She had sem me
to the Tippecanoe on an errand of her
own choosing, and I had been fired on
from ambush near the place to which
she had sent me. l fear that my tower
or faith that had grown so tall and
strong shook on its foundations; but
once more l dismissed my doubts. lust
as l had dismissed other doubts and
misgivings about her. My aeeting
glimpse of her in the window of St.
Agatha's less than an hour before
Mashed back upon me, and the tower
touched the stars, steadfast and Sc.
ene again.
l strobe on toward Red Gate with
my revolver in the side pocket of my
Norfolk jacket. A blackboard filled
with young folk from the summer col.
ony passed me, and then the utter al
fence OF the country held the wor)a.
In a moment l had reached the canoe.
makers cottage and entered the gate
l vent at once to the front door and
knacked. l repeated my knock several
I'M rs, but there was no answer. The
front window blinds we're closed tight
The houseboat was effectuallv
screened by %shubbery. and 7 had do
scended half a dozen steps before I
saw a light in the windows. If or.
CURED 10 me that as | had undouhted.
~ peer sent to Red Gate for some pur.
pose, should do we'll not to defeat n
oy n clumsiness of my own. So 7
proceeded slowly, pausing several
,inies TO observe the lights below. I
neard the T%fppecanoe slipping by with
'he subdued murmur of water q,
night; and then a lantern flashed on
ueck and | heard voices. Some one
was landing from a boat in the creek
ms seemed amiable enough. Az the
,ahtern'bearer helped a man in the
ooat to Chamber to the platform and
rom the open door of the shop a
oroad shaft of light shone brightly
upon the we men. The man with tho
lantern was H%olbrook, alias Hartridge
beyond a doubt; the other was a stren
ger. Holbrook caught the painter -,
me BOAT and silently made it fast.
NOW" he said, come in.
To BE CONTINUEp1