The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1916-12-07

alternating with periods of STEADY.
strong blowing. AT times the shining
lances Of the rain seemed to drive
almost horizontally. Whitaker poked
his head into the kitchen. In that inn
maculate place, from which every
hint of breakfast had disappeared as
II by magic, Sum Fat was religiously
cleaning his teeth-for the third time
that morning, to Whitaker's certain
knowledge.
When he had finished, Whitaker put
question:
"Sum Fat, which way does the wind
blow, do you know?"
Sum Fat flashed him a dazzling
smile.
Easily" he said in a cheerful,
clucking voice. II think vely fine
three-day blow"
"At least" said Whitaker, you're a
high-spirited prophet OF evil. / thank
you"
He selected a book from several
shelves stocked with a discriminating
taste, and settled himself before the
fire.
~AC NoJ WOAC OdI OClOIC Ills
did, and with every indication of full
filling the prognosis of Sum Fat; by
nightfall the wind had developed into
an enthusiastic gale, driving before it
sheeted rain and great ragged wastes
of mist.
And the second day was like unto
the first The third day broke full of
the spirit of the second; but toward
noon the rain ceased. In the evening,
weary of the sedulous attentions of a
cloud of famished mosquitoes, Whita-
: ker sat in darkness, not tired enough
to go to bed, too tired to bestir himself
| and seek distraction from tormenting
train of thought.
A pool of limpid moonlight lay like
milk upon the floor beneath a window
and held his dreaming gaze while mem
ory marshaled for his delectation a
pageant of wasted years, Infinitely des-
olate and dreary in his vision.
How long he sat unstirring, preoccu-
pied with fruitless inquiry, he did not
guess. But later he reckoned it could
not have been long after ten o'clock
when he was disturbed. The sound of
football, hushed and stealthy on the
veranda, reused him with a start, and
almost at the same instant he became
aware of a shadow that troubled the
pool Of moonlight, the foreshortened
shadow Of mans head and shoulders.
He sat up, tense, rigid with surprise
and wonder, and stared at the silhou-
cited body at pause just outside the
window. The fellow was STOPPING to
peer In. Had Drummond hunted him
down to this isolate hiding placer On
the thought he leaped up, In two
strides slammed out through the door.
II say" he cried loudly. But he
cried, apparently, to empty air. The
man was gone-vanished as strangely
and as quietly as he had appeared.
Pausing and glaring round the clear
Ing I'm complete bewilderment, he de-
tected or else fancied q slight move
ment In the shadows on the edge of the
encOmpassing woodland. Instantly,
needless of the risk he ran If the man
were indeed Drummond and If Drum
mond were indeed guilty OF the assault
now four nights old, Whitaker broke
for the spot. 1t proved to be the en-
trance to one Of the woodland paths,
and naturally-whether or no his imag-
inatiOn were I'm fault-tbere was no.
body waiting there to be caught.
But II anyone had been there, he had
unquestiOnably fed along the trail.
Whitaker I'm rage set himself to fol-
low. Before he realized he could have
covered half the distance, he emerged
abruptly into the clearing OF the Flske
place.
Here he pulled up, for the first time
alive to the intrinsic idiocy Of his con-
duct, and diverted besides by the dis
c0very that his impression Of the early
evening, that the cottage was tenanted,
had been well founded.
The ground floor windows shono with
a dim but warm illumination. He could
see distinctly part OF a living room
rather charmingly furnished in a sum
merry way. At its farther end a dark
haired woman ia a plain black dress
with q short apron and lace cap sat
reading by mplight-evldcntly a
maid. Her mlstress--judging by ap-
pcarances-was outside on the lawn
below the voranGa, strolllng 20 and fro
in company with a somewhat short and
heavy man who wore an automobile
duster and visored cap. BY contrast,
her white-clad figure. invested with
the Illusion of moonlight seemed un-
usually tall Her hair was fair. shin
ing Ike n headdress Of poless g0'e 7s
DO bent her ne0d. attentive to her
companion. And Whitakef 'hou bf 'o
iisccm an uuumal
u,otaflnnfs Cd un.-