The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-08-06


face, see, but the lines are not clear,
and there lies the mystery love must
solve.
1.-THE idea !" derided Althea, but fiut-
teringly. Somehow the words OF the
soothsayer bore a tinge Of romantd-
cism. "As if 1 would be wandering in
the woods at night, looking for lover
so mysterious that even the gypsy
cannot construe her own silly predic-
toni"
"Now 1 wonder If by any mischance
this promised husband can be Win
ston MorseT suggested Lura mis-
chievously, for of all the young men
she knew he was most detested by
Althea. A stranger in Cloverdale, he
had flashed upon the community as
the scion Of an opulent family in the
South and his reckless extravaganza
in way bore out his assumption
In an hour Alhea forgot the gypsy
oracle. Two evenings later she left
the home Of Lura to hurry to her own.
Lying upon the dewy sward, clearly
revealed in the white moonlight, was
a man, asleep. He resembled some
homeless tramp. His hair was I'M
kempt, a weeks growth of beard gave
sinister expression to his features.
One eye was bandaged. Althea shud-
dered as the words of the gypsy
flashed through her mind:
"In the woodland with the moon
shining brightly upon his face"
She fed precipitately and never
paused until she cleared the last fringe
of trees, to almost run into the arms
of Winston Morse. He noted her
breathless agitation, and, much to her
discomfort, insisted on seeing her
safely home. He was the man to in
fringe upon any consideration shown
him, and distracted Althea knew not
how to forbid as he spoke of calling
upon her the following evening.
There had been a distressing episode
in the experience Of Althea. A month
previous she had recently lost her
mother and had been offered a new
home by an aunt at Cloverdale. One
week after her arrival there the
house had been entered while the fam
lily was absent, and fair little legacy
left Althea by her mother, comprising
several thousand dollars in bonds, dia-
monds and valuable family heirloomS,
was appropriated by some clever bur
glar.
Twice during the week after the for
est incident Morse called upon Althea.
They were returning from party late
one night in Morse's automobile, when
he left the main road and struck off
through the shortcut trail through the
woods, and suddenly halted in the cen
ter of the lonely stretch.
"Althea," he spoke, 81 have come
here purposely to tell you that l am
going to leave here tonight; have all
nv traps in the machine, and you must
go with me. l love you, and cannot
live without you. Do not shrink from
me. l will be an indulgent husband.
can deck you with jewels can
give you life of luxury. Stop!"
With a cry of loathing Althea sprang
from the auto. He followed her.
"You shall CO." he grated forth
Willingly or unwillngly! Who are
you?"
A man had sprung from behind a
tree. In wonder Althea recognized
him as the person she had seen in the
woodland There was q metallic
sound, produced by pair Of hand
| cuffs.
ITS been a long wait, Winston
Morse, gentleman, alias Clever Dan
| professional burglar, but l have you
and, think, the result of your raid or
the Ross home as WELL"
AS he spoke Adrian Noble drew
from the rear seat of the machine {
satchel resting there. He wrenche(
| it open.
"Just look, please, Miss Ross" hi
spoke. Don't be afraid of our un
masked friend here, nor of me-" anC
he smiled lightly. 81 am nothing worse
than a detective, on the trail of thi:
man and your stolen property for som'
time past. Do you recognize any o
this plunder?" and opening a small
box the speaker disclosed the treas
ures that Althea had so sadly missed
And when Adrian Noble the mex
day called upon Althea to arrange TO
the trial of Winston Morse, divestet
of his disguise and in propria per
soma, as presentable and handsome
young man as one would care to see
Althea wondered If the gypsy proph
ecy of "the man in the woodland witt
the moon shining on his face" was t,
to have its aftermath-a life com
panion.