The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1911-01-27

beacon. and as re looked It shuddered
and grew dark. like a freely that
suddenly closes its wings. With a
quick spring the councillor straight
ened himself and turned to the master
Of the Typhoon.
You have a good nose, Nat" he
said. but your ears are not so good.
Sh-h-h-h!" He lifted a hand warning
ly and nodded sidewise toward the
path. Captain Plum listened. He
heard low voices and then footsteps
voices that we're approaching rapidly.
and we're those of women. and foot
steps that were almost running. The
old man caught him by the arm and
a: the sounds came nearer his grip
frightened.
Don't brighten them. Nat. Get
down."
He crouchcd until he was only a
part Of the shadows of the ground
and following his example Nathaniel
slipped between two OF the knobs. A
few yards away the sound Of the
voices ceased and there was a hest
fancy in the soft tread Of the ap-
PA'dSAAA6 olOpo. oAO"ly, II INV IA
awesome silence, two figures came
down the path and when they reached
a point opposite the h1mmocks Ma
thaniel could see that they turned
their faces toward them and that for
a brief space there was something Of
terror in the CLEAN he caught Of
their eyes. In a momen they had
passed. Then he heard them running.
They saw mott" Captain Plum ex.
claimed.
Obadiah hoped to his feet and
rubbed his hands with great glee.
What a temptation, Natl" he whis.
pered. What a temptation to fright
en- them out Of their wits! No, they
didn't see us, Nat-they didn't see us.
The girls are always frightened when
they pass these graves. Some day"
"Graves!" almost shouted the
master of the Typhoon. "Graves-
and we sitting on 'em!"
That's all right. Nat-that's all
right. They're my graves, SO we're
welcome to sit on them. l often conle
here and sit for hours at a time. They
like to have me, especially little Jean
the middle one. Perhaps I'll tell
you about Jean before you go away"
If Captain Plum had been watching
him he would have seer that soft
mysterious light again shining in the
old councillors eyes. But now Ma
thaniel stood erect, his nostrils shifting
the air, catching once more the sweet
scent Of lilac. He hurried into
the opening. with the old man close
behind him, and peered down into the
starlit gloom into which the two girls
had disappeared. The lovely face
that had appeared to him for an in
slant at Cbadiah's cabin began to
haunt him. He was sure now that his
sudden appearance had not been the
only cause Of its terror, and he felt
that he should have called out to her
or followed until he had overtaken
her. He could easily have excused
his %boldness, even If the councillor
had been watching him from the cabin
door. He was certain that she had
passed very near to him again and
that the fright which Obadiah had
attempted to explain was not because
of the graves. He swung about upor
his companion, determined to ask for
an explanation. The latter seemed tc
divine his thought.
Don't let a little scent Of lilac dis.
turb you so, young man." he said with
singular GOODNESS. 1T may cause you
great unpleasantness." He went
ahead and Nathaniel followed him
assured that the old mans words and
the way in which he had spoken them
no longer left a doubt as to the iden
tity of his night visitor. She was one
Of the councillors wives. so he
thought. and his interest in hel
was beginning to have an irritating
effect. In other words Obadiah was
becoming jealous.
For some time there was silence
between the two. Obadiah Price now
walked with extreme slowness and
along paths which seemed to brine
HIM no nearer to the town below
Nathaniel could see that he was alb
sorbed in thoughts of his own, and
held his peace. Was it possible tina,
he had spoiled his chances with the
councillor because of a pretty face and
! a bunch of !ilacs? The though,
tickled Captain Plum despite the deli
cacy of his situation and he broke
into an involuntary laugh. The laugh
brought Obadiah to a halt as sud
denly as though some n had thrust
a bayonet against his breast.