Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-08-28


he strolled about the village instead,
and later wandered away into the for
est.
Struck by the inviting aspect of a
narrow and little used road opening
from the highway shortly above the
house where his interests were just
then conferred, he strolled into the
heart of the spring woods till he came
to a depression where a surprise
| awaited him, in the shape of pc
| culiar structure rising from its midst
where it just fitted, or SO nearly fit
ted that one could hardly walk about
1t without brushing the surrounding
tree trunks. OF an oval shape, with
It's door facing the approach, 1t nestled
there, wonder to the eye and the
occasion of considerable speculation
to his inquiring mind. 1t had not been
long built, as was shown very plainly
by the fresh appearance OF the I'M
painted boards of which 1t was con-
structed; and while it boosted of a
door, as I've already said, there were
no evidences visible of any other
break in the smooth, neatly finished
walls. A wooden ellipse with a roof
but no windows; such it appeared and
such 1t proved to be. A mystery to
Sweetwater's eyes, and like all mys-
teries, interesting. For what purpose
had 1t been built and why this isola-
ton? 1t was too fiimsy for reser-
voir and too expensive for the wild
freak Of a crank.
A nearer view increased his curios-
ity. In the projection Of the roof over
the curving sides he found fresh food
for inquiry. AS he examined 1t In the
walk he made around the whole struc-
ture, he came to a place where some
thing like hinge became visible and
further on another. The roof was not
simply roof; 1t was also a lid cap
able of being raised for the air and
light which the lack of windows ne
cessitated. This was an odd discov-
cry indeed. giving to the uncanny
structure the appearance of huge
box, the cover of which could be
raised or lowered at pleasure. And
again he asked himself for what it
could be intended? Nothing in his
experience supplied him with an an
swer.
A team was approaching. He could
hear the heavy tread of horses work
ing their laborious way through trees
whose obstructing branches swished
before and behind them. They were
hy-iv ~ IN, n Loo oh
uses he would consequently soon I'M
derstand. Grateful for his good luck
for his was curiosity which
could not stand defeat-he took few
steps into the wood, and from the
vantage point of concealing cluster
of bushes, fixed his eyes upon the
spot where the road opened into the
hollow.
Something blue moved there, and In
another moment. to his great amaze
ment, there stepped into view the spir-
tied form of Doris Scott. who If he
had given the matter a thought he
would have supposed to be sitting just
then by the bedside of her patient. a
half mile back on the road.
She was dressed for the woods in a
blue skirt and jacket and moved like
leader In front of heavily laden
wagon now coming to standstill be-
fore the closely shut shed-is such we
may call It.
Il have key" SO she called out to
the driver who had paused for or
ders. when l swing the doors wide.
drive straight in"
Sweetwater took look at the wag-
on. 1t was piled high with large wood
en- boxes on more than one of which
he could see scrawled the words: o.
Brotherson, Derby, Pa
This explained her presence, but
the boxes told nothing. They were of
all sizes and shapes, and some of
them so large that the assistance of
another man was needed to handle
them. Sweetwater was about to Of
fer his services when second man
appeared from somewhere in the rear.
and the detectives attention being
thus released from the load out of
which he could make nothing. he al
lowed it to concentrate upon the
young girl who had 1t in charge and
who, for many reasons, was the one
person Of supreme importance to him.
She had swung open the two wide
doors, and now stood waiting for
horse and wagon to enter. With
locks flying free-she wore no bon
net-she presented picture of ever
increasing interest to Sweetwater.
Truly she was very beautiful girl,
buoyant, healthy and sweet; as unlike
as possible his preconceived notions
of Miss Challoner's humble little pro-
tege. Her brown hair, of rich chest
nut hue, was in itself wonder.
Sweetwater watched her with admi-
ration as she superintendent the I'M
loading of the wagon and the disposal
OF the various boxes on the floor with
in; but as nothing she said during
the process was calculated to afford
the least enlightenment In regard to
their contents. he presently wearied
of his inaction and turned back tow.
ar1l fhn hiobtrou 20 HI