The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-02-03
CHAPTER XXX.
February 3, 1919.
Mine Enemyi

w window up the outside
breath was the breath of
balmy summer though the trees stood
bleak and lea1ess against the sky. Two
days ago. snow had fallen-but the
birds did not remember IL Seven
hours brought him to a lonely wagon
trail called Ozark lodge, because after
winding among hills several miles II
at last reached the clubhouse OF that
name overlooking the lake. He left
the train In the dusk of evening. and
walked briskiy away. the only moving
figure In the wilderness.
His pace did not slacken I'LL CLEAN
a. Of fallen sky cupped In night fringe
warned him that the clubhouse must
be near. turn Of a hill brought II
into view. the windows not yet aglow.
Nearer ut hand was the penthouse.
seemingly deserted But as Wilcox.
now grown wary. crept forward among
the post oaks and blackjacks. well
screened from observation by chinka.
pin masses Of gray interlocked net
work. he discovered two figures near
the platform eiging the lake. Neither
was the one he sought. but from their
being there they were Edgerton Comp
ton and Annabel-he knew Gledware
could not he far away.
mo" Annabel was saying decisively.
and yet with an accent Of regret mo.
EdRerton. ! can't"
But our last boat ride" he urged
Don't refuse me the last ride-a ride
IN think about all my life. I'm going
away tomorrow at noon. as promised
But early In the morning.
81 have promised him" she said with
lingering sadness In her voice. 80 !
must go with him. He has already en-
gagged the bontman He'll be here ut
waiting for me So you see
"Annabel. I shall be here at 7 alsoi"
he exclaimed impetuously.
But whyi must go with him. Ed
gerton. You see that"
'-Then I shall row alone"
"why would you add to my unhapp,
nessr' she pleaded.
81 shall be here at T." he returned
grimly. while you and he take your
She turned from him with a sigh,
and he followed her dejectedly up the
path toward the clubhouse.
She had lost some OF the fresh beauty
which she had brought TO the cove. and
her step was no longer elastic; but this
Wilcox did not notice. He gave little
heed to their tones. their gestures, their
looks In which love sought a thin dis
guise wherein II might show itself I'M
named He had seized on the vital fact
that In the morning Annabel and Gled.
ware would push OF from the boat
house steps. presumably alone. and II
would be early morning. Perhaps Gled
ware would come first TO the boat
house, there to wait for AnnabeL In
that case he would not ride with An
mabel The lake was deep-deep 40
Wiilock's hate.
wilcox passed the night In the
woods. sometimes walking against
time among the hills. sometimes seated
on the ground brooding The night was
without breath, without GOODNESS DC
casionally he climbed a rounded eleva-
ton from which the clubhouse was dis
cernlble No lights twinkled among
the barren trees All In that wilder.
ness seemed asleep save himself The
myriad insects that sing through the
spring and summer months had not yet
found their voices; there was no trtlt
Of frogs. not even the hooting Of an
owl-no sound but his own breathing.
At break OF dawn he crept into the
boathouse like a shadow. barefooted.
bareheaded-th clubhouse was not yet
awake. He looked about the barnlike
room for a hiding place. Walls. door,
ceilings were bare. Near the door open
ing on the lake was n rustic bench. i'm
possible as a refuge. Only In one cor
ner. where empty boxes and disused
skin formed n barricade. could he hope
for concea lment Tie glided thither,
and on the floor between the dusty wall
Of broad boards and the Jumbled parti
ton. he found a man stretched on his
back.
At first he thought he had surprised
q sleeper. but as the figure did not
move he decided II must be corpse.
He would have fed but for his need
Of this corner Tie bent down The
man was bound hand and foot In
the mouth q gag was fastened Neck
and antilles were tied 10 spikes In the
wall.
Wilcox swiftly surveyed the lake
ana the sloping hill leading down from
the clubhouse Nobody was near. Az