Evening star., 1926-06-20

ToHN had crossed the hall to meet
his father. Higher up. on the
stairs. stood Col Grant. toying
~ nervously with his mustache.
1t was a difficult moment. yet
It passed off quite pleasantly. because
Lord Oban affected to regard his son
homecoming as quite commonplace
seuuel TO their earlier meeting.
Il knew you would be detained,
dear hov," he said, advancing with
nutstretched hand II have persuaded
Grant to stay the night. Lansing,
Sir Reginald Lansing, whom you
NAV not have met, is making him
self useful carving things in the
dining room. We simply compeiled
The ladies to retire. They are nat
rraIlv quite upset. but | hope they
will sleep. because we all nave Dig
,lav before us tomorrow.
John was literally tongue-tied.
though a queer conceit danced in ms
brain that Frensham's curious rel
,rence to David Leslie must have
some bearing on his fathers attltude'
T,urkily. he was spared further
ordeal, Col. Grant being far more III
nj ease than he was. The two shook
hands with the self-consclous AR OF
rue Britons who, not knowing WIlaI
70 say, say nothing. The introduc-
he situation AS they all moved
toward the dining room. when was
on the ground floor, buzz or tax
broke out with regard to the non
success of the hunt for Connington.
II was Col. Grants unhappy lot TO
drory general attention to hlmsei
when they were seated at table anu
lansing was serving a much-neeueu
meal to at least three hungry lfaN-
elers. 49,.
ANYTHING in the story one of my men
toId about half-past 8? I thought
he was perfect fool. and mace
uo secret of my opinion. Hy eau'
nerhaps l was in the wrong, ana no.
he"' ,a
Thereupon he gave a full and true
account of the Loch 1nVer Sllhe au-
venture with q strange man ana
wolf. uncanny apparitionS, "hlc!,
came ashore from the mlSt-coNe ereu
lake. and vanished silently hlIo
rana leading nowhere except the mus.
Now. John knew by this time that
,ha missing boat had been discovered
IN +ha very locality described; he alone
raa1izad the exact measure OF Grant
niohaa dedness. and it's effect on the
search for Connington. He held ms
tongue, but laughed harshly. 1t was
simply impossible TO keep altogether
..,,ia+ The grim humor Of the situa-
ion was too much for him. Every
thing said or done since he had cross
ed the threshold Of Interlochtle seem
ed to conspire against ordered speech
on his part.
But Ferneaux, now slightly revived
he had found some 1910 Chamoeftih
on the table-struck instantly.
s,1rr a.
gillie?" he inquired.
"Did 7 laugh?" said John. Il didn't
mean to. I'm afraid my nerves are
q trife on edge Everything has been
contrary tonight. We are not men,
but puppets. dangling at the ends OF
strings manipulated by callous ana
altogether inhuman power.
''Of course, Col Grants messenger
saw Connington and Spot?"
yes. Had Matt Fletcher been told
we might have Spot with us now ana
Connington in safe keeping for the
night
Dash it all" broke in Grant heat
edIy Angus vowed the creature
WOLF
Angus was not far wrong" said
John. My dog is a Canadian husky.
Undoubtedly he has a fair share OF
wolf blood in him. Sometimes the
wild strain IS most marked. In
spots case it is confined altogether
10 his appearance and an almost
phenomenal keennesS Of scent and
vision. But, when his rather magni-
ficent coat is soaked with water he
resembles a wolf far more than
chow, which, | suppose, makes up the
greater part of his doggy side. The
breed is frightfully mixed. of course.
What the old-time trappers aimed at
were strength and stamina. The eli
mate did the rest in wedding out the
weaklings. My own belief is that by
some hidden working of the law of
heredity Spot has combined the intel
ligence Of some long forgotten Scotch