| Show E R I 1 A L STORY ST NU LI IA 0 N 5 IP 4 P by ROBERT W CHAMBERS illustrations by jj sh aidan I 1 45 fr copyright 0 P soils hoim SYNOPSIS I 1 the story opens in now naw york voik ipuy car en liue the story teller tellei inspecting inapt ting it queer reptile owned by jeorge godfrey of tit fanies roy noy and barels iller pont two livo friends depart depuit on it hunting trip to cardinal woods wooda a rather obscure loval ity ty barris revealed the tiit fact t that alint lie giai joined the secret service for the of running down it 11 gang of kold gold in akers I 1 prot lagrange LaO runge on dime tho I 1 formula had been mysteriously killed barris received tved d n Kr im of in ho he and set hot out I 1 to 0 locate tile the gold making gang A valet rf reported seeing a queer in tho up untenanted woods roy hoy went shunting CHAPTER III continued tile the dog sprang to tile the front circled once zigzagged through the forna ferns around us its and nil all in a moment stiffened stock still belll rigid as sculptured bronze I 1 stopped stepped forward raising my sun two paces three paces ton per hapa before a groat cock grouse blundered up from the brake and burst through the lie thicket fringe toward thu the deeper growth there was it hash and puff train from my gun a crash of echoes among tile the low wooded cliffa arid and through tile the faint veil of smoke soine thing dark dropped from mid air amid at a cloud of feathers brown as the brown broA leaves bayes under tinder toot vei fetch ch I 1 ground sprang and in a moment ho came annio galloping back bach nel neck arched tall stiff but waving it holding in ills ms pirn a ma mass of mottled bronzed feathers very toj gravely he laid the bird ut nt my feet and crouched close beside it ills hla silky bar 4 rig across his AV on tha ground an 1 f I 1 dropped tb the brouso into info my illy pocket hold old for silent coin communion munion with then swung my illy gun under ibay my arm art and the bogn 4 A 3 aup appu alvo when awake I 1 walked into ii 0 little opening I 1 in it t the it 0 and Auti dowa to io breatha toyoi camo came and sat fron frontoni toi me well weh I 1 inquired oxe 11 T jaty r 4 I 1 efio gnp 11 w wi whits jwj took 4 1 we avul niver get back tit in tiffie tor for dinner said bald 1 I go 0 wo we might as well take it easy ifa all you know ji horo A th iti your foot leeg boo beo therel it its a out my fri friend onil ind and yah tire are tree arp jo noso nose about and lick it if you loll 1011 your tongue out get it allador all over twigs and moss mosa cant C uit you ou lla lie down and try to pant less no there Is no use in sniffing and at that fern patch for we tire are going to smoke a little doze a little mid and go honno by moonlight think thank of 0 8 despair alion we aro are not in finiol think at 0 all the stories you will have to tell to gamin andl loche think what a good dog you have been there you are tired old chap take 40 winks with me was a little tired ile iio stretched chod out on the leaves at my illy foot feet but whether or not ho he really slept I 1 could not bo be certain until his bis hind legs begs twitched and I 1 know knew lie he was drea di earning a ming of mighty deeds now I 1 may have taken 40 winks but the sun seemed to be no nd lower when I 1 sat sal up and unclosed my lids ail 14 j 7 1 the figure a domans womans turned slowly to me halset hs bs lead saw in my oyes eyes that I 1 was not going yet et thumped his tall balf a dozen times on the dried leaves and settled back with a sigh I 1 looked lazily around and for tile the first time noticed what a wonderfully spot I 1 had bad chosen for a nap it was an oval glade in the heart beart of the forest level and carpeted with green grass the trees that surrounded it were gigantic they formed ono one towering circular wall of verdure blotting out all except the turquoise blue of the sky isky oval above and now 1 I 1 noticed that in the center of the greensward lay a pool of water crystal clear glimmering like a mirror in A ba meadow crass crass beside a block ot of at A y granite it scarcely seemed possible that the alie symmetry or of treo tree and lawn and lilmont pool could have been ono one of natures ica accidents I 1 had nover never be forea cien tills this glade nor had I 1 over ever heard it spoken of by either or barris nan Is it was a enarvel this diamond clear basin regular arid and graceful as is a itoman homan fountain ain set apt in fit tile tho goin of turf and these great trees trea they also belonged riot not in fit america but in homp legend haunted forest foiest ot of fianne abere moss grown marbles stand neglected neglect cI in dini elodes and tho file twilight of the forest shelters 1 and glen flor shapes from shadow ali adow gaind I 1 lay and watt lied tho sunlight show eving the hie where masses or cri ci linson nison cardinal flowers plowed glowed or where one long lona lusty dusty tipped tile edge of the floating loaves leaves in fit the pool turning them lioni to patent kilt gilt thoro were birds too passing through tile dim av avenues enties of trees tieta like jets jeta of flame tho KoiK gorgo Oona cardinal blid bird that rao gave to tile woods to the lie village IG miles malca away to taj whole biolo county tho name of cardinal I 1 hollod lolled over on oil tit my back arid and looked up tit at tile sky how pale paler than it a robins ogg egg it was I 1 seemed to be lying bluff tit at tile bottom of a u well walled waited with wath verdure high towering on every side anil and as aa I 1 lily lay tilt all about tile mo the tilt oil beganie sweet scented sweeter aind sweeter and more penetrating grow tho the perfume and I 1 wondered what stray brooe breeze blowing over acres of lilies could have brought it I 1 lint there was wab no brezo the air was still A glided gilded lly fly alighted M on oil my lily hand a lioney fly dy it was wan its aa troubled tion bled as I 1 by 60 tin scented ico CHAPTER I 1 IV V then behind behina ino ine my illy dog doff growled asat I 1 ant still tit at first hardly breath ing but my oyes eyes axed on a shapo shape that moved along tile ho edge of the pool among tho the meadow grasses the dog had ceased censed growling and was waa now staring alert abort and trembling at last I 1 rosti rose and walked rapidly down to tho the pool iny illy dog following close to heel the figure a Avoina comans womans wo mans ns turned slowly toward us its sho she was standing still when I 1 approached pro ached tile the pool the tha forest around us was wan so BO silent when I 1 spoke the sound of my lily own voice startled me no she said and tier her voice was smooth na as flowing water 1 I have not I 1 V 14 I 1 4 her eyes were fixed on my lost my way will he come to me your beautiful dog before I 1 could speak cr opt to her and laid his alliey head against I 1 I 1 her knees nut dut surely said 1 I you did not come here alone alono alone I 1 did como come alone dut but tho the nearest settlement is 13 cardinal probably 13 10 miles from where wo nio are standing 1 I do not know cardinal she said ste croly croix in canada la Is 40 miles least how did you como cattle into tho the woods I 1 asked amazed into tho the woods she repeated a little impatiently yes site she did not answer at birst but stood caressing with gentle ahr phrase aie and gesture tuie your beautiful dog I 1 nm fond of but I 1 am not fond of being questioned she said quietly nul otly my aly name Is ysonde and I 1 camo to the fountain here heio to see your dog I 1 was property properly quenched after a moment or two I 1 did say that in another hour it would be growing dusky but she ehe neither replied replica nor looked at m me a this I 1 ventured Is a beautiful pool you call it a fountain founta iii a delicious fountain I 1 have never before seen it it Is hard to imagine that nature lid did all this Is it she said dont you sou think so I 1 asked 1 I thought I 1 wish when you go you ou would leave me your dog my aly my dog if you dont mind she said sweetly and looked at me for tile the first time in n the face for an instant our glances met then she grow grave and I 1 saw that tier her eyes were fixed on oil my forehead suddenly she rose and drew nearer looking oldrig lo intently at my forehead foie head there was a faint anark mark there a tiny descent crescent just over my eyebrow eyu brow it was a birthmark Is that a sear scar she demanded drawing nearer that crescent shaped mark no no are you sure she insisted perfectly I 1 replied astonished A a birthmark yes may I 1 ask why As she drew away from me I 1 saw that the color had fled from her checks for a second sho she clasped both hands over tier her eyes as it to shut out my face then slowly dropping her hands she sat down on a long square block of stone which halt encircled the basin und and on which to my amazement I 1 saw carving went to her again and laid his head in her lap what Is your name she asked at leneth noy hoy Car gulden denho he mine aline is 19 ysonde I 1 darvet carver theo dragon flies dies on oil tile tho stone those these fishes and shells and butterflies yett see youl voil they me itte wonderfully fully doll elite cate hut bitt those tire not AInOr american icah dragan flies files no they tire aro diore beautiful flee doe I 1 have in my banit hammer ner and chisel with me she drew from a pouch at her aid a synill hammer and alid chisel fill held thoin toward rno mf you aro vory talented talon ted 11 I 1 where lid did yott ion study 1 I I 1 novel never studied I 1 knew how ow I 1 raw illings arid cut clit them out of stone io do hiie like them some time I 1 will 14 BOW yoi OH 6 ther other things that I 1 have arll done jr ll if I 1 had haa a great lump of tji I 1 could make your dog beautiful as lie he la Is her hai hammer niner fell into tho the fountain ind and I 1 ivanec ov over r and plunged my arm into the he water to find it it la Is thorp there shining on the wind sand 11 she aho said loaning leaning over tho the pool wl with h tile me where said 1 I looking at our ro re floated fleeted faces in the lie water avater for it was only tit in the water that I 1 had dared its yet to look tier long in tile the face the pool mirrored tile the exquisite oval of tier her head the heavy hair the ves eyes I 1 hoard heard the silken rustle of her girdle I 1 caught the flash of a white arm and the hammer was drawn up dripping with spray apt ay the troubled surface bin face of the pool grow ca calm im and again I 1 saw her eyes reflected listen Ll sten she ahe sald in a low voice do you yott think you yell will come ag again ain to my illy fountain 1 I will come I 1 said my aly voice was dull the noise of water filled my ears then a swift shadow sped across the pool I 1 rubbed my illy eyes whore where her reflected face had bent beside mine there was nothing mirrored but tile the rosy evening sky with one pale star glimmering I 1 drew myself up tip and turned site sha was wan gone I 1 saw the taint faint star twinkling above me in the afterglow I 1 saw the tall trees motionless in fit the still evening air I 1 saw my dog blumb ang at my feet the sweet scent in tile the air had bad faded I 1 leaving leavan 11 in III my nostrils illg the heavy odor of fein and forest mold A blind tear fear seized me and I 1 caught up my gun arid and sprang into the dark woods the log followed me crashing through tile tha undergrowth at my side duller arid and duller grew the light but I 1 strode on tho the sweat pour ing from rily my face arid and hair my mind a chaos how flow I 1 reached tile the spinney I 1 can hardly tell As I 1 turned up the path I 1 caught a glimpse of a human faco face peering at me from the darkening thicket a horrible human face yellow and dr drawn awn with high boned ell cheeks e and narrow eyes involuntarily I 1 lial halted ted the dog at my illy heels beels snarled then I 1 sprang straight at it floundering blindly through the thicket but tho night had fallen swiftly and andi j found myself panting arid and struggling in iii a maze of twisted shrubbery and twining vines un ablo able to see the very undergrowth that ensnared vao me it was a pale face and a scratched scratched one that I 1 carried to a late dinner that night howlett hewlett served me dumb reproach in ills his eyes for fo the soup had bad been standing and the grouse was jil david brought the dogs in after they had had their supper and I 1 drew my chair before the blazo blaze arid and set my ale on a table beside me the dogs curled up tip at my feet blinking gravely at tho the sparks that snapped and flew fiew in eddying showers from the heavy logs david said 1 I did you say you saw a aw a chinaman today to day 1 11 I did sir air what do you think about it now 1 I may have been mist mistaken alcon sir air but you think not what sort of oc whisky did you put in my flask to day the usual sir air Is there much gone about three swallows sir air as aa usual you dont suppose there could have been any mistake about that whisky no medicine could have gotten into it for instance david smiled and said no sir air well said 1 I 1 I 1 have had an extraordinary tra dream 11 when I 1 said dream I 1 felt earn corn forted and reassured I 1 had scarcely dared to say it before even to myself an extraordinary ordinary dream I 1 repeated 1 I fell asleep tit in the woods about five in that pretty gla glada do where the founta fountain iii I 1 mean the pool Is you know the place 1 I do not sir I 1 described it minutely twice but david shook ills his head carved stone did you say sir air I 1 never chanced on it you dont mean tho the now new spring no ho fio this glade glada Is way beyond that Is it possible that any people inhabit the forest between hero here and tho the canada line nobody short of sto ste croix at least I 1 havo have no knowledge of any of course said 1 I when I 1 thought I 1 saw a chinaman it was imagination of course I 1 had boon been more impressed than I 1 was aware of by your adventure of course you saw no chinaman david probably not sir air replied david dubiously TO BE CONTINUED |
