Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-10-24
HIS DISCOVERY
BY JACK LAYTON.

Torrents of rain caught Brant in hi
car at the loneliest point of the road
He had hoped to reach his hotel before
the clouds burst. Now, he decided t
abandon the rain-soaked runabout anC
seek shelter in the old vacated house
glimpsed through surrounding trees
He made q dash for 1t and was re
warded by dry space on the veranda.
Through a French window he could
see a low ceilinged room. He put his
hand to the window sash and IL
slipped upward at his touch.
Ensconced In the reclining chair,
he lit a cigar, drew a newspaper from
his pocket, and proceeded to make
the best Of the situation. The storm
not relenting in force, the busy man
of affairs lay and dreamed as he was
not permitted to dream in the life
which hurried. And the dream car
ried him back to boyhood days to a
low-ceilinged room with freight flick
ering against its panels, a room peo-
pied with those who were gone.
He remembered, too, a youthful
dream, of a woman to be, who should
fill his mothers place and make for
him the sort Of home his father e
Hotel apartments satisfied his home
need, or he had thought the wan sat
isfed, until storm clouds had driven
him to this haven, and the enforced In
action in the silent room brought back
to him strangely his memories.
He decided to remain longer. Time
could not make the situation worse, 1t
might make it better. SO he folded his
paper and lighted a second cigar,
musing over a brief article he had read
concerning a set of desperate poachers
who were supposed to be located some
where in this vicinity. Their secret
place Of residence was said to be
stacked with stolen spoils. Sheriff n
troopers had been unsuccessful In
their capture, and the amazing thing
about it all was the fact that their
reconnoitering scout was a woman
An innocent appearing girl, the article
said. entirely allaying suspicion"
Brant thought he would like to meet
this girl he thought that he would
enjoy a part in bringing the creature
to Justice. And as he reflected, a
seeming panel in the wall slipped back
before his eyes and in the reflected
light from a further o he saw a
girl framed in the opening.
The first thing that he noticed about
the girl was that she deliberately
aimed a revolver in his direction, and
the second thing was her rare beauty.
The startling part of the adventure to
him was the fact that the girl was re-
markably like the woman of his
dreams, like the ideal woman in his
picture of home. The woman pointed
a revolver now at his heart.
81 had made up my mind to ask you
to go quickly" she said, "but 1t may
be safer to keep you here, you might
come back again at a time when 1 am
not prepared. There is a windowless
closet at your right; step in there d.
rectly, please, so that I may lock the
door"
He was, in her eyes, of course, an
agent to bring her companions to JUS
tice. AS he looked again into the
girls p%urposeful eyes. Brant consid-
cred it best to pretend prompt obedi-
ence to her command. If, in some
way he might outwit her, he would
be able to find the solution Of the diff
icuIty.
After that one glance he was.
strangely enough, not eager to bring
the girl to punishment. She was, he
reflected s~avagely, but a tool In the
hands OF the desperadOeS who dom
mated her. Then with sudden daring
Brant rushed across the floor in the
darkness and caught the girl off
guard, dashing the pistol from her
nerveless hand. Firmly he held her
in his arms, until in the Pickering light
from the farther O he saw terror
gather and grow in her eyes, then with
a low. sobbing breath, the girl tainted
against his own fast throbbing heart.
When he carried her through the
door panel into the lighted room he
found there a sort of compact living
apartment, kitchen utensils, an oil
stove, a dresser, a cot bed. And near
the widest window some half finished
sketches, paint brushes close by. The
lovely girl at last opened her trembling
eyelids.
81 know" she breathed, "yQu are
one of those horrible poachers-hid-
den zeal here. I read 1t in the paper.
I got out my revolver when I saw you
come through the window. Then l
thought I'd better take the advantage.
But I'VE never fired-a-revolver-and
I was afraid. Tn not as brave as |
thought-if you will go away-quickly,
I'll promise-not to give information"
Great Scott !" cried Brant. "rm
not a poacher-girl. I'm the man who
owns this house-used to live here
when | was a kid. Can't bear to sell
the old place, always hoping to have
it fixed up some day-for my home.
But how did you happen to be here