The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-11-21
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ne formed a ped little way from the
fire. On this he threw a blanket, and
his preparation for the night COM
pleted, turned to the girl once more.
"I never enjoyed a meal so much
II my Ife," she declared, as she
lifted the tin plate from her lap.
And this coffee is delicious. Won't
you have some, Mr.. Stane?"
Thank you, Miss a-Miss-"
''Yardely is my name" she said
quickly, Helen Yardely" He took
the coffee as she handed it to him
in an enameled mug. then he said:
How did you come to be adrift,
Miss Yardely?"
AS he asked the question a
thoughtful look came on the girls
beautiful face.
Il was making a little trip by my
self" she said slowly, ito see &
beaver dam in a creek u little below
our encampment, and some one shot
at mer'
Shot at your Stane stared at her
in amazement as he gave the ex-
clamation.
Yes. twice, The second shot
broke my paddle, and as I had no
spare one, and as I cannot swim, 1
could do nothing but drift with the
current"
1T was a very fortunate thing
you struck those rocks" said Stane
meditatively.
Fortunate. Mr.. Stane? Why?"
Because in all probability I
should not have seen you if you had
not; and a few miles below here,
there are some bad rapids, end below
them the river makes a leap down
wards of nearly a hundred feet
"a fal?" cried the girl. her face
blanching a little. as she flashed a
glance downstream. ''Oh, that would
have been terrible! 1t was fortunate
that you were here"
Very" he agreed earnestly, land
I am beginning to think that it was
providential; though all day I have
been cursing my luck that I should
/ have been in this neighborhood at
/ all. I have no business here"
Then why" she began, and
| stopped as if a little afraid that her
question was too frankly curious.
You need not mind asking, Miss
Yardely; because the truth is that my
I presence in this neighborhood is due
to a mystery that is almost as insoiu-
/ He as the one that brought YOU drift
| ing downstream. On the night after
you arrived al Fl. Malsun. I was
waiting at my tent door for-er-a
| man whom I expected "A visit from.
when I was Knocked on the head by
an Indian, and when I came to. I
found was a prisoner. under sentence
of deportation. We travelled some
days, rather a roundabout journey,
as I have since guessed, and one
morning I awoke to find my captors
had disappeared. leaving me with my
canoe and stores and arms absolutely
untouched"
You say you We're waiting for a
man when you were seized. Mr.. Stane.
tell me. was The man Gerald Ainley?"
The young man was a little star
tied by her question, as his manner
showed, but he answered frankly;
Yes. But how did you guess that?"
Helen Yardelv smiled. "Oh. that
was quite easy. You were the topic
Of conversation at the dinner table on
the very night that you disappeared,
and I gathered that to the factor you
were something of a mystery. whilst
no one except Mr.. Ainley knew any
thing whatever about you. AS you
and he We're old acquaintances, what
more natural than that you should be
waiting for him? I suppose he did
not Gomez"
If he did, I never saw him-and
I waited for him two nights
Two cried - Helen. Then he
could not have wanted to come"
I rather fancy he did not" re-
piled Stane with a bitter laugh.
you wished to see him very
much?" asked the cir! quickly. 1T
was important that you should?"
st wished 20 question him upon a
matter that was important to me"
"Ahp said the girl in a tone that
was full of significance. Stane looked
at her sharply, and then asked a
question:
What are you thinking. Miss
~T2rde}yrT
oh. I was just thinking that
had guessed one of your wildly pos
sible reasons. Mr.. Stane; and 10 tell
the truth. if Mr. Ainley was really
anxious IS avoid answering your
questions. it does not seem to me so
inherently improbable as you appear
to think"
What convinces you Of that, Miss
Yardely?"
well" she replied quickly you
saw the Indian told YOU that II was
an order. 1 ask mvself-whose order?
There were very few people at FIT.
Malsun to give orders. I think of
them in turn. The factor? You were
a stranger to himl My uncle? He
never heard Of you except in gossip
over the dinnert-able the night you
were deported Gerald Ainley? He
knew youi He had made appoint
ments with you that he twice failed
to keep-which. quite evidently. he
had no intention OF keeping. He had
may I guess?-some strong reason
for avoiding you; and he is a man of
some authority in the company and
moving to still greater. He would
not know the Indians who actually
| carried you away; but Factor Rod
well would and factors are only hu-
man. and sooner or later Gerald Ain
/ ley viii be able to considerably in
huence Mr. Rodwer's future. There
| fore-weIl. O. E. D.! Do you not
| agree with me?"
Il find your argument convincing"
| answered Stane, grimly. Then he
| lapsed into thoughtful silence, whilst