Evening journal., 1922-08-31
CHAPTER v

swift, mid-winter evening close'
down. With the night came wind
and upon the wind returned the cold
The gaunt outline Of the Rock with
drew TO DINNER and DINNER dis
tances until Ethel at her window
could see it no more. Suddenly d
bright dot glowed through the dark.
mesa light upon Resurrection
Rock, a light yellow with distance
illumining a window, Ethel thought
It went out as suddenly as il appear
ed; then It glowed again and once
more went dark. She watched
steadily for some time longer; but
no light appeared again.
She heard a soft tap. tap. tap al
her door; and she went over and
opened it to find the collies, Lad and
Lass, who had been out with Kin
cheloe when she arrived. The dogs,
wet from the snow melting in their
long hair, turned Ethefs thought TO
Miss Platt's husband.
He had always affected the man
ners of a gallant and always before
had made il a particular point to be
on hand to greet Ethel when she ar
rived at St. Florentin. She had been
too excited TO attribute any signifi-
canoe TO his absence this time; but
now the fact stirred disquiet
As he had taken the dogs with
him. he probably had been on the
lake, for the dogs would not have
been able 70 run except on the ice
where the wind had cleared the
snow. Now what had kept Miss
Platt's lazy, comfort-loving husband
out so late this evening in the dark
and cold?
Every one was at supper when
asa Redbird returned with tele-
gram which-like all Cullen bust
ness telegrams-was in code.
Lucas at once left the table and.
with Miss Plat. went into his office
to decipher the brief communica-
ton from his son. When he re-
turned to the table, II was so plain
that he had exciting news that his
wife could not repress' her question;
Something has happened in Chi
oago. Lucas?"
Nothing" he denied, and he
guIped half a cup Of tea. hot. Ethel
watched Kincheloe as Miss Plat
returned to her seat.
He was trying 20 catch his wife's
glance: but Miss Plat avoided look
Ing at him.
Asa saw several foxes about"
she said casually to Ethel Il sup |
pose they're after our chickens"
Lucas was taking another cup OF 4
watching his
hand reach for the sugar bowl miss
II and reach again. He was drink
ing when suddenly he dropped HIS
cup and jerked up and away from
the table; Kincheloe and Ethel her
self started also as the report of a
rife rang. sharp and clear, outside
the house. The gun fired again.
Miss Plat and Ethels grandmOth-
er alike had revealed no alarm.
Asa said he would get his gun"
Miss Plat volunteered quietly, 'and
come back for the foxes"
"Of course" her husband said,
dropping back into his seat.
Lucas remained at the table only
a moment before he proceeded 10
the front room where, in recent /
years, family prayer was said each |
evening after supper.
While Ethel knelt. listening to her |
voice go on and on,
an amazing panic possessed her. She |
was feeling that. the long. deliber-
ate reading and now the endless sup |
olication was for the purpose other |
han devotion, and that purpose was |
o keep her kneeling in that stufty |
DOM with her face to the back OF a |
hair Suddenly she arose and
Tipped into the hall where she
ound her coat and cap and skis
he drew breath, when she opened
he outer door. as though she had
cen sitting: and she went out
pom the snow in the direction OF
ne lake.
She heard her grandfather's voice
nouting after her; but she did not
eed Il, and he did not pursue her.
was after eight o'clock and very ,
old, with a constant wind blowing
n the ice. The Rock lay lost in
bscurity. She gazed frequently for ,
be temperance OF the light which
he had seen the hour earlier. It's
'''NASp AAAEu UtI Win QItd0. o
She turned back to St. Florentin !,
md soon heard a shout which she =
recognized TO be Sam Green Sky's l.
voice. When she replied. Sam has .
-ened up, reporting friendlily:
Old man send me after YOU, aw-
iul mad; old man tell you to come C
flgnt home and stay there" II
Ethel found her grandfafher n ha a
awful mad" indeed; he met her ~
the door and ordered her 10 70 10 f
her room and to bed and stav there v
What did she mean by going ont in e
the dark 70 see a stranger whom +
she had met on the train? She was h
his granddaughter and at his own Il
house, and he would be obeyed. y
At eleven o'clock when the house,
,old except Kincheloe. had gone
o bed. Ethel rebuilt the fire in her {
tove and sat in a chair by her win
low. From the room on the other {
ide of the wall at her left she
ould hear sounds which told her
lat her grandfather was still rest
.ss; she heard him open his door
nd go out into the hall and come
, her door and stand there. He
as listening, she knew; but he
robably supposed her to be in bed
nd asleep. At any rate, he moved /
way and went downstairs.