Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1911-08-24

Heu u6 urScu Lnem on still FASTER,
and before they were aware of their
approach to the stream they found
themselves beside the canoe. Indian
John unceremoniously pushed them in
and without another word took the
paddle and carried them swiftly back
to the lodge.
Mrs. Williams hurried down to meet
them. while the two women stood in the
kitchen door curiously regarding them.
"0h. DEAR" she said; II have been
so alarmed on your account Indian
John came and told me that he had
seen the canoe on the shore of the
creek and your tracks leading off into
the wilderness. l was so afraid that
you would be lost, and the bears back
in the woods are very dangerous. l
sent him after you as fast as he could
run. I'm so glad that you're back
safe"
Indian John has been very rude"
said Miss Grayman
But, please, Miss Grayman, don't
blame him." protested Mrs. Williams.
ing under orders that were intended
for your safety. Dear me! If you
had been killed, what should / have
said when Commodore Brown and his
friends returned?'
The good lady actually shed few
tears at this terrible thought. But she
was not so perfect a dissembler as her
master, and Miss Grayman still had
doubts. Her suspicious, once aroused,
were not to be SO easily put aside.
what are they digging out there in
the woods for?" she asked.
Mrs. Williams was not adroit enough
to conceal the startled look that fash
ed over her face, but in a moment she
said, with assumed concern: why,
Miss Grayman! Did you go as far as
that? It's the place where they've
been burying the carcass of an i'm
mense bear that one of the men shot
the day before yesterday. The skin is
in the drying shed now. Indeed. you
were in dangerr'
Miss Grayman only tossed her head.
She was getting more and more sus-
picious. and yet without any definite
ground that she could explain to her,
self. Why should the fact that some
body had been digging in the woods
concern her? She couldn't tell, and
yet somehow she couldn't help think
ing about it. 1t was a strange place
for such thing to be. If she had
known what that digging meant! She
did not even guess. and yet her wo-
mans instinct had warned her that
something wrong lurked there.
Come" she said to Susan; "we'll go
to our rooms, where we shall be safe,
since the forest is SO dangerous"
And without another word she left
the crestfallen Mrs Williams and as
cended to her apartments. Once there,
she sat down and tried to think it out.
Why had she been so disturbed in
mind? She couldn't tell-it was all
too confused and indefinite. Then the
thought of her friends required, and
she glanced at her watch. 1t was after
/ o'clock.
"Good gracious!'' she exclaimed
springing to her feet. "They ought to
be here now. They may arrive at any
moment"
| And she threw open the window.
But her watching was in vain, and in
little while Mrs. Williams knocked
at her door and announced that the
midday meal was on the table.
rcf ha or in, M y
patience that they do not come" she
said. "and it is dreadfully annoying.
But sometimes when an aero breaks
down it takes a long time for repairs.
! Commodore Brown had an accident
happen to the Chameleon a few weeks
ago, and they were two days fixing it
up."
Indeed" said Miss Grayman, 81
hope they won't be so long this time
But. tell me, why do they call the aero
! the Chameleon It's queer name,
and yet it seems to me have heard
II before"
II don't know really replied Mrs.
| Williams. a shade of anxiety fitting
across her face. while she thought to
herself, what fool / have beenw
| Then she continued quickly: Com
modore Brown is a very romantic
man. full of the most beautiful ideas.
I suppose it was one of his fancies
You should see what delightful friends
| he has who come here-ladies and
| gentlemen-and | tell you they make
the place gay"
Miss Grayman's suspicious were
lulled again. and they finished the
meal in good spirits. for Mrs Will
liams. circling around the table and
ordering all sorts of dainties for Miss
Grayman, proved herself at the same
time almost as entertaining story
teller as Payton himself.
But in the afternoon trouble came
again. Weary Of waiting. Miss Gray
man had proposed to Susan another
trip in the canoe. But to her intense
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