Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-04-29
BARRIE'S GUEST
By JACK LAYTON.
cS' 1871 Western Newspaper UniOn->

EOI dd1b
Lovely trail obsessed by q hunger ror
companionship which he mao neF"i
heretofore known. Even the grulA' u
uterate guide, whom he had lett lar
below. would now be welcome. Anu
ms Barrie travelled his lonely paths, ne
wondered If the clue which leo MN
TO this desolate spot might not DC
false after all. In a spirit Oh en'nu-
! siastic confidence he had o1ereu hAs
service In seeking out the supposed
defauiter of the bank, In which MS
own father was president.
Detectives, it was proven, had peen
at sea In their suspicious, and Barrie
In a moment of inspiration, a pun
his finger mentally upon the culprlt'
and then had offered to take an az
v~enturous trip to the far mountains
where Glen Gordon was supposed TO
be hiding.
Glen Gordon had served faithfully
for many years in the bank where
Barrie, under his father, was en-
ployed. And when Glen Gordon's
name was furnishing the sensation OF
city dailies, Gordon himself complete
ly disappeared.
AS Barrie's father-in a last hope
of proving his old employees honesty
had provided necessary bail, the
flight was more distressing. But now
Barrie feared that the clue, given by
an old servant of the Gordon's, had
heen misleading. and his own offered
service useless.
Then, far above in a clearing. the
young man beheld a small CABIN;
smoke came from its chimney, n
Barrie eagerly pressed his horse for
ward, The sight of human habitation
was at least comforting. And as he
approached, a young woman turned.
At sight Of her, Barrie's eyes rehecteo
the establishment of her own.
Barrie broke the silence. BEG par
don," he said. II have travelled far,
without finding a resting place. May
l rest here? And, perhaps, trespass
further upon your hospitality in ask
ing for food2 A glass of milk or a
piece of bread would be gratefully
received"
When she r%eappeared at the door
Of the cabin bearing a light table, Bar
RE fastened to relieve her, carrying
it at the girls direction to the shelter
of a tree. Sharpness was still In the
air, and he would have preferred in
doors. But when his enforced hostess
came presently, she carried a basket
of cakes and cracker-sandwiches and
a pot of steaming tea. And as she
served him, Barrie noted the soft
whiteness of her hands.
at is unusually good fortune to en-
Joy the hospitality of n Of my W
country women in such a desolate
place. he said.
The girl, with an enigmatical smile,
ignored the suggested question.
"When you feel refreshed you will
kindly ride on your way" she re-
turned.
"Tm afraid" Barrie said decidedly,
shat before I do so 1 must gain that
information for which I came. ] am
trying to locate a Mr.. Glen Gordon,
being the bearer Of news to his ad-
vantage"
Though the girls face paled, her
blue eyes regarded steadily the self
imposed detective.
"Mr. Gordon is not here" she re-
piled. "You may search the cabin,
II you wish. I occupy it alone"
Barrie stared, then laughed incredu-
lousy.
"Alone In this wilderness?" he ex-
claimed. Nov, why you do that?'
The girl gathered up the tea cups.
81 have answered you," she said.
"You are the first living person whom
1 heard speak in two MONTHS"
Over her shoulder she nodded to
him. "Good night" she said mean
ingly.
Barrie did not search the cabin ;
but when he was again upon a lower
level he looked up at the house in the
clearing, and he saw the girl wave
white cloth, giving with it three dis
tinct signals. Then Barrie saw a
mans tall fgure-so the girl had lied,
as he suspected.
He rode on to intercept the man,
and as the man came Barrie recog-
nized the n for whom he sought
Glen Gordon, trapped and frightened.
The older mans CHASTITY face turned
crimson as the young one, alighting,
clasped his hands as the hands Of a
friend.
"It's all right"-Gordon realized the
young mans words at last-"T came
to tell you that we are aware of your
innocence. I was lucky enough to hit
upon the guilty devil, and he con-
fessed-Bains, your assistant. But
look here, man; why did you run
away? You must have known that 1t
would come out rightY
~Inarticulate, tears rolling down his
cheeks, Glen Gordon stood. Then he
&c. g.