Show ft OR THE HOUSE OF A THOUSAND CANDLES by MEREDITH ICHOLSON Tt alba vi 1 wn ZELDA EIM lc L 4 bj uk CHAPTER tv continued I 1 was soon stumbling through rough underbrush similar to that through which we had bad approached the bouse batea swung along confidently enough adeas ahead dof of me pausing occasionally ec i to hold back the branches I 1 began to feel as my rage oba abated ted that I 1 lied set fiet out gut on a foolish undertaking I 1 was utterly at bea 0 s to the ch charac arater ter of the grounds I 1 was following a man whom I 1 had not cot seen until two hours before and whom I 1 began to bus suspect p act of all manner of designs upon me it was wholly unlikely that the person who had fired into the windows would lurk about and moreover the light of the tha lattern lai tern the crackle of the leaves and the breaking of the boughs adver used our approach loudly A bush slapped clapped me sharply and I 1 stopped to rub the sting from my face are you hurt sir air asked bates BO ju turning with the lantern of course not I 1 snapped 1 I in having the time of my life are there ono no paths in this jungle not just here sir air it was mr glen arm arms a idea not to disturb the wood a at all he was very fond of walking through the timber not at night I 1 hopel hope where are we now quite near the lake sir air then ilien go on I 1 was out of patience with bates with the pathless woodland and I 1 must confess with the spirit of john marshall glenara glenarm Gle narni my grandfather we came out presently upon a gray grav elly beach and dates bates stamped sud bud denly on planking this Is the glenarm glenara dock sir and that a the boat house I 1 lie he waved his lantern toward a low structure that rose dark beside us As we stood silent peering out into the starlight I 1 heard beard distinctly distin etly the dip of a paddle and the soft gliding motion of a canoe canoe its it s a boat sir air whispered dates bates hiding biding the lantern under his coat I 1 brushed past him and crept to the end of the dock the paddle dipped on en silently and evenly in the still water but the sound grew fainter A canoe is the most graceful the most sensitive the most moat inexplicable con tr frivance ivance trl vance of man with its ita paddle you may dip up stars along alone quiet shores or steal into the very harbor of dreams I 1 knew that furtive splash instantly and knew that a trained hand wielded the paddle my lly boyhood summers in the maine woods were not I 1 find ft holly wasted the owner of the canoe had bad evident ty stolen close to the glenarm glenara dock but had made off when alarmed by the noise of our approach through the wood have you a boat near here bere dates I 1 asked the boat house Is locked and I 1 haven t the key with me sir air he replied without excitement I 1 of course you haven t it I 1 rs ra joined full of anger at his bla tone of lire irre proa chable respect and at my own helpfulness I 1 bad not even seen the place by daylight and the woodland behind me and the lake at my feet were things of shadow and mastery in my rage I 1 stamped my foot lead the way back I 1 I 1 had turned toward the woodland when suddenly there stole across the water a voice a jomaa voice deep musical and deliberate really I 1 t be so angry it if I 1 were you it sad with a lingering note on the word angry who are you T what are am you doing there I 1 bawled just jupt enjoying a little tranquil thought though tl was the drawling mocking reply far out upon the w wier aler I 1 heard beard the dip and glide of the canoe and saw faintly its outline tor for a moment then it was gone the lake the surround ing wood were an unknown world the canoe a boat ot 0 dreams then again came the voice good night merry gentlemen I 1 it was a lady sir air remarked bates after we had bad waited silently tor for a full minute how clever you are I 1 sneered 11 1 I suppose ladles ladies prowl about here at night shooting ducks or into peoples houses I 1 it would seem quite likely sir air I 1 should ave liked to cast him into the lake but he was already moving away the lantern swinging at hla his side aide I 1 foil followed owed him im back through the wood land to the house my spirits quickly responded to the cheeling influence of the great library I 1 stirred the fire on the hearth into life and sat down before it tired from my tramp I 1 was mystified and perplexed ba b the incident that had bad already marked my comings coming it WM pos poa sable to be sure sura that the bullet narrowly my head in the little dining room had been b wild shot that carried no evil intent I 1 dismissed at once the idea thit th it it might have been fired from ch lake it had crashed through the sisa li tou too much force to have come in far and moreover I 1 coull hardly isuf ij 3 even ven a rifle ball n ng an a u unimpeded ampe right g t VT ot way through on BO dense ense a strip ot of wood I 1 boand it dim difficult dixit to get gel rid of the idea that some one had talen a pot shot at me the comans womans voice troia from the lake added to ray my perplexity it was not I 1 reflected such a voice an aa one might expect to hear bear from a coun try girl nor could I 1 imagine any errand that would uld balty a comans womans presence abroad on an october night whose cool air inspired first cfaft dences with fire and lamp there was something aonie thing haunting la in that last cry across the water it kept repeating it self belt over and over in my ears it was waa a voice ot of quality of breeding and charm good night metry gentl emeril in indiana I 1 reflected rustics rusti cs young or old men or women were probably not really greatly given to salutations of just this temper bates now mow appeared beg bee pardon sir but your rooms ready whenever you wish to retire I 1 looked about in search bearch of a clock there are no timepieces time pieces in the house mr glenarm glenara Gl your grandfather was quite opposed to them tie lie had a theory sir air that they were conducive as lie be said to idleness he considered reconsidered that a man should work by hla bis conscience air and not by the clock the one being more imore exacting than the other I 1 smiled as I 1 drew out oat TOY my as much at nates bates solemn tone and grim lean visage as at hla his quotation from my grand grandsire but the fellow puzzled and annoyed ann ved me life ills unobtrusive black blach clothes his smoothly brushed hair bair his shaven face awak ened an antagonism in me bates it if you fire that shot through the window who did w III you answer me that yes sir air it I 1 did n t do it we its quite a large question who did III grant ou that air I 1 stared at him ile he met my gaze without flinching nor was there any thing insolent in his tone or attitude he continued 1 I t do it sir air I 1 was in the pantry when I 1 heard beard the crash in the refectory window the bullet came from out of doors as I 1 should judge say Thet The acta facts and conclusions were un with bates and I 1 felt that I 1 had not acquitted myself creditably in my effort to fix the crime on him my abuse of him had been tactless to say bay the least and I 1 now tried another line of attack of course bates I 1 was merely lok jok ing our own theory of the matter 4 I 1 have no theory sir air mr glenarm glenara always warned me against theories he said it you will pardon me there was great danger in fix the speculative mind the man spoke with a slight irish accent which in itself puzzled me I 1 have alward been attentive to the peculiarities of speech and his was not the brogue ot of the irish servant class larry donovan who was eng aag llah born affected at times an exah irish dialect that was wholly different from the smooth liquid tones ot bates eit moie things than his bis speech were to puzzi me in this man I 1 the person in the canoes canoe how do you account for her I 1 asked I 1 haven t accounted for her sir air there a no women on these grounds or any sort of person except ow our selves 11 but there tire are neighbors farmers people of some kind must live along the take lake A few sir air and then theres the school quite a bit beyond your own west went wall hla his slight reference to my tor torsh ship lp my own wall as he put it pleased me ph yes there to ie a school girls garls T yes mr metlo nl it dut but the girls hardly paddle on tic tao take lake at night at this season bunting ducks should you say ay datra dates 1 I dont bellere believe they do any shoot ins ing mr jr glenaria glenarm Cle naria its it a a pretty strict school I 1 judge sir from all accounts and the toa teachers chers they are all omen T the sisters of 0 st agatha I 1 believe they cu c U them I 1 sometimes a see thorn thara walling walking abroad very quiet neighbors and they go away in the fhe usually except slater sister theresa the schools school a her regular home bouie sir air and theres there s thu tho little chapel just beyond the i wall all the young zata minister later lives there and the garden er ra the orly other man on the grounds show me my cell I 1 said rising and go EO to bed he Is brought from somewhere a great brass candelabrum tuat mat held a dozen lights and explained this was mr glenara glenarm a habit babit lie ile always this one to go to bed with I 1 m sure lie he d wish you to have it sir air lie he led the way holding the cluster 0 of f lights high for my guidance up the broad stairway the hall ball above shared the generous lines ot ase whole house but the walls were white end and hard to the eye rough planks had been laid down for a floor and beyond the light ot of the candles lay a dark region that gave out ghostly echoes as the loose boards rattled un der our feet 1 I hope not he be too much dis appointed sir air said ald bates pausing ft moment before opening a doo its all quite unfinished but com comfortable I 1 should say quite comfortable open the dohrl ile he was not my host boat and I 1 did not relish his apology I 1 walked past him into a small email sitting groom room that was in a way a miniature of 1 the great library below open shelves filled with books lined the apartment to the ceiling on every hand band save where a small fire V bates 11 you fire that shot through the window who did place and a cabinet broke the line of shelving in the center of the room was a long lone table with witting wilting materials in sice nice order I 1 opened a hand some case and found that it contained a letof set of drafts mans instruments I 1 groaned aloud mr glenara glenarm preferred this room for or working the instruments were his very own sir air the levu they th ey were merel I 1 exclaimed irascibly I 1 snatched a book from the nearest shell shelf and threw it if open on the table it was the tower its early use tor for purposes of defense london 1816 1 I 1 closed it with a slam tile the sleeping room is beyond sir air I 1 hope dont you hope any morel more I 1 growled and it make any difference whether I 1 m disappointed or not certainly not sir air he ha replied tn in a tone that made we me ashamed of my anger adjoining bedroom was small and meagerly furnished the walls were and were relieved only by prints of cf the english cathedrals french chateaux and like suggestions of the best beat things known to arch archilee itee ture the bed was of the commonest tron fron type and the other articles of furniture were chosen with a strict regard for utility my trunks and bags had been carried in and bates asked from the door tor for my commands corana anda mr glenara glenarm always breakfasted at seven thirty sir air as near dear as be could hit it without a and he was quite punctual my grandfathers breakfast hour will suit quit me exactly dates if there a nothing further sir air all and bates yes mr glenarm glenara of course you understand that I 1 dida t really mean to imply that you had bad fired that shot at me T I 1 TO VE BK CONTINUED |