Show b M D BY 01 1 11 r IL L L 0 ta A 7 70 yd BY PAY milterd ca SYNOPSIS alsa patricia and atlas helen I 1 holbrook tier niece were entrusted to tile tha care of laurence laurance donovan a writer summering pear near port annandale Annan dala miss bliss patricia confided to donovan that she alia ferd dareil her brother henry who ruined by it bunk bank failure hail had constantly threatened threat end her donovan discovered and captured an ail intruder who proved to bo be reginald illespie suitor for the hand of 0 helen donovan saw miss bliss Holbro olt und and tier her father meet on friendly terms donov donovan n fong fought h t an italian assassin ile he met the man lie supposed was holbrook but who said h he was waa Il artridge a canoe maker miss bliss P pat a t a announced n lier her intention of fighting henry holbrook and not seeking another hiding place donovan met helen in garden at night duplicity of helen was confessed by the young lady at night dis disguised ased as a nun helen stole from the house she met reginald gillespie who told her lite his love was waa cont confronted ranted by donovan at the town post retell helen unseen except by donovan slipped a draft tor for tier her father into the hand of the idallan salor A young lady resembling miss blehm holbrook was observed alone in a danoe when helen was thought to hare iwin at home gillespie admitted giving helen for her father who had then left to spend it IL miss iles A helen find and donovan art in the night she bho told him gillespie was nothing to her hal confessed his love for her donovan found gillespie lagged gagged and bound in a cabin inhabited hyi by the villainous italian and holbrook ile he released him doth both gillespie and donovan admitted love for helen calling herself rosalind a voice appealed to donovan tor for she told h him I 1 in to mol makers homo home and see that no injury befell him ito he went to red gate at the ti le canoe makers home donovan found tho the brothers arthur and henry glenry Holbrook who had fought each 0 otliss th er in consultation appe appeared are d arthur averted a murder donovan on an r return ing met gillespie alone in the dead of night on investigation ho he found henry holbrook the bailor and mlis bliss helen engaged in an argument arsu ment it was settled and they departed donovan met the real leal who by night he had supposed to bo be miss helen Irol holbrook brook she revealed the alx up iler her father arthur rook was the he canoe maker while helenr father waa henry holbrook the th err I 1 ng brother the cousins heen and a lind were as is anuell alt alike ka as twins thus 71 elens fd was explained pla ined helen v visited acted alted donovan asking hi s osO stancA in bringing miss patricia FIol blon lind tot l r for FL a settlement of their money affairs walh hid d lpt apt them apart for many rono donovan nn refused coald to ald ile he met I 1 and planned a coup cou dy by matting ofle ian 1 1 il l 0 a m anber 0 of forked forsed notes to atosa rosalind I 1 ind who ho he supposed was wai helen 10 0 lo o closey did they resemble each othar Xon the way for a atlen ent ct cf the th L holbrook ITol brook troubles troubled lei all 31 had sed tile the only evidences of the holbrooks the tha evidence Is securely rely hidden helen suddenly ds dis donovan prepared to flub ti tuta rosalind fo for tier lier for a time the is ruse ruse 12 CHAPTER X I 1 continued I 1 presently as tho the dark gathered about us the candles were lighted hinted and theli their glow shut out the world to my relief th the ethree three women carried the talk alone leaving toe me to my own thoughts of helen and my plans for restoring her to her aunt with no break in the new confidence that rosa und had inspired I 1 had bad so BO completely yielded myself to this undercurrent of reflection that I 1 was waa startled to find miss pat with the coffee sery service before larry you are dreaming itow how can I 1 remember whether you take sugar sister margarets eyes were upon me reproachfully for my inattention find and my heartbeats heart beats quick quickened ene d as s eight strokes of the chapel chime stole lingeringly gerin gly through the quiet air I 1 had bad half raised my cup when I 1 was startled by a question from miss pat a request innocent enough and spoken it seemed utterly without intention i let me see your ring a moment helen I 1 sister margaret flashed a glance of inquiry at me but rosalind met the situation instantly certainly aunt pat and she slipped the ring from her finger passed it across the table and folded her hands handa quietly upon the white cloth she did not look at me but I 1 saw raw her breath come and go quickly it if tho the rings wore were not the same then we were undone this thought gripped the three of us and I 1 heard my cup beating a tattoo on the edge of my saucer in the tense silence while miss pat boht bent close to the candle before her and studied the ring turning it over slowly rosalind halt half opened her lips to speak but bui sister margarets snowy hand clasped the girls lingers fingers the tha little circlet of gold with Us its beautiful green stone had been to mit me one of the convincing items of the remarkable resemblance between the tha cousins but if there should be some differentiating mark miss pat was wan not so stupid us to overtook overlook it miss bliss pat put down tho the ring abruptly abrupt il and looked at rosalind and then smiled quizzically at me you are a clever boy oy larry then turning to rosalind miss pat remarked with the most casual air imaginable clelen lelen pronounces either tho the long e I 1 noticed at luncheon that y you say y odether oy yeth ether wheres your father Ro rosalind aay eyes were turning from her to rosalind when on her last word as though by prearranged olg signal rial far across the water against tho the dark shadows of the tha lakes remote shore a fee rockets bets spent ball broko broke and flung its stars atari against the night I 1 spoke coword no word but leaped oyer over the alonci balu prade find and ran to the boat loaa where Gilles plo walled f CHAPTER 11 14 with my hands ap IP was waa smoking his bis pipe on lie ile bo p buqo ps he ha had como nar 0 o village in his own f ak 10 A it g 1 I have killed HIM 1 have killed hiell launch which tossed placidly beside mine ijima stepped forward promptly with a lantern as I 1 ran out upon the planking of the pier jump into my launch GlI lesbie and bo be ln in a hurrye aurpy obeyed without his bis usual parley hjlma a cast us oil off the engine sputtered a moment and then the launch got away I 1 bade steer and when we were free of the pier told him to head for the tippecanoe the handful of stars that had bright ened against the sky had bad been a real s shock back and I 1 accused myself in severe terms for having left arthur holbrook alone As wo we swept into the open glenara glenarm house fouse stood forth from the on encircling circling wood marked by the bright lights of the terrace where miss pat had withro with so much com noure and n so few words word made comedy of my attempt to shield helen in throwing off my coat my hand touched the envelope containing the forged notes which I 1 had thrust into my pocket before dinner and the contact sobered me there was still a chance for me to be of uso use but atthe thought of what might be ba occurring at the houseboat on the tippecanoe I 1 forced the launches speed to the limit gillespie Gillesp te 8 till still maintained silence grimly clenching his empty pipe lie he now roused himself arid and bawled at me I 1 did you ever meet the coroner of this county no I 1 shouted well you will coming down you will blow up la in about three minutes I 1 did not slow down until we reached dattle battle orchard where it was waa necessary to feel our way across the Ithe shallow channel here I 1 shut oft off the power and paddled with an aa oar we were soon creeping along the margin or of the second lako lake seeking reeking tho the creek whose intake quickly lay hold of us well land just inside on art the west bank gillespie A moment later wo we jumped out and secured the launch I 1 wrapped our lantern in gillespies coat and ran up the bank to the path at the top I 1 turned and spoke to him have to trust me I 1 dont inow what may bo be happening hers bore but surely our interests are the same tonight to night ile he caught me roughly by the arm it if this means any injury to helen no it la Is for herl and ancl he followed silently at my heels red gate the voices of two men in tend loud debate rang out sharply upon us through the open windows of 0 the houseboat house bouse boat as we crept down upon the deck then followed tho sound of blows and the rattle of furniture knocked about and as aa we reached ther the door a lamp fell with a crash and the place wad waa dark we seemed to strike matches at tho the samo same instant and as aa they blazed upon their sticks wo we looked down upon arthur holbrook who lay sprawling with hla his arms on the floor and over him stood his brother with bands banda clenched ills hla face twitching 1 I have killed him 1 I have killed hilled him hie be muttered several times in a low whisper 1 I had to do it there wa no other way al my blood went cold at tho the thought eliat we were too sate ate gillespie was waa fam fumbling blIng about striking matche J and I 1 wa was somewhat reassured by br the bound ot of my own voice as ais I 1 called alte there are candles at tho the sido make a light gillespie and soon we wa were taking tailing account of one another in the soft candle light looking stupidly down upon his brother who lay jay quite still hla his head bead resting on his arm yau you will stay I 1 said and I 1 stood beside him while gillespie filled a pall at the creek find laved caved arthurs wrists and temples with cool water we worked a quarter of an hour before he gave any signs of life but ut when he opened hla his eyes henry flung clr himself iseff down in a chair and mopped hla his forehead ho he la Is not dead he be said grinning foolishly Is helen I 1 demanded ashes safe lie he replied cunningly nodding his head 1 I suppose pat has hag sent you to take her back she may go it if you have brought my money cunning and greed and the marks of drink had made his him laco face repulsive gillespie got arthur to ills his feet a later and I 1 gave him brandy from a flask bask in the cupboard ills ilia brothers restoration seemed now to amuse henry it t was a mere love lap youre toughen than you look arthur its ita the simple life down hero here in the woods my own nerves are all gone lie he turned to me with the air of dominating the situation ira im glad youve come you and our friend of button fame rivals gentlemen A friendly rivalry for my daughters hand flut flat tors abra the house of holbrook between ourselves ours elvea I 1 favor you mr donovan the button making business Is profitable but damned vulgar now helen 11 that will vill do and I 1 clapped my hand band on his shoulder roughly 1 I have business busi mess with you your later Is ret ready dr to I 1 s sett ett lewith you but shi she wishes to see arthur firel no nono na she must not see ile he leaped forward and caught hold of me sho she must not see him and his cowardly fear angered me anew you will do mr holbrook very much as an I 1 tell you in this matter I 1 intend that your sister shall see ECO her tonight to night and time hies flies this last play of yours this flimsy trick of was waa sprung at a very unfortunate moment it has delayed tho the settlement and lone done a gruve injury to your daughter helen would have it it was hor her ideal if you speak of your daughter again in such a way I 1 will break your neck and throw you into the cree creek your ile he stared a moment then laughed stand so you are the one are you I 1 really thought it was buttons 11 1 I am the tha one ar 1161 hillbrook brook and pow now I 1 am going 10 0 o taka your brother to your slister slater IS sw 4 e has asked for or ulin him and ale la Is waiting arthur holbrook carve came gravely toward va us anil and I 1 have never been so str struck U c k wt with I 1 b pity I 1 for a nian man ast as I 1 was wag for him there was waa a red circle on his brow whore Ilen henrys rys knuckles hail bad cut but ills his eyes showed no ito abgar they were vere even kind with tile the teleder te lider that lies in tl eyes of women who have suffered jle ho idva aced a step nealer his broff iee bild spoke slowly and distinctly you have nothing to fear henry I 1 shall ishall tell her nothing but henry glanced uneasily from gillespie to rim nie gillespies notes they are here among you somewhere you shall not give thorn thom to pat it if title she knew it she ahe know knew you would not got a cent I 1 said wishing him to know that I 1 know knew ile ho whirled upon nio me hotly you tricked nolen helen to get them and now by god I 1 want I 1 want them and lie he struck at me crazily craz lly I 1 knocked hla his arm away but hel hefling he flung lung himself upon me clasping mo me with hla his arms I 1 caught his wrists and held beld him for a moment I 1 wished to be done with him and oft off to glenara glenarm with arthur and ho he wasted time 1 I have that packet you sent halon to got get goti I 1 have it still edl your secret is as safo safe with me mr air holbrook as that other secret of yours with your italian bodyguard body guard ills hla face wont went white then gray and he ha would have fallen if I 1 had not kept hold of him I 1 was beside myself with rago rage and impatient that time must be wasted on him I 1 did not hear bear stopa steps on the abo dock or gillespies quick warning and I 1 had begun again still holding henry holbrook close to me cifa asui one hand band we expect to deceive your sister we will lie to hoi hei lie ile to aar liatha to her F for or gods sake top stop I 1 cried arthur holbrook clutching my arm arin 1 I flung round and faced miss iblas pat and rosalind they stood tor for a moment in the doorway then hiss pat advanced slowly toward us ua where wo we formed a little gamt circle and as I 1 dropped Ilen henrys rys wrists the brothers stood side by side arthur took a step neep forward halt murmuring his al name thon then he be drew draw back and waited hla his head bowed his bis hands thrust into the side pockets of his coat cant lit in the dead quiet I 1 heard beard the babble of the creek outside and when miss pat spoke her voice seemed to steal off and rid manglo agle with the tho gabd subdued ad m murmur Gentl gentlemen men what la in it you wish to lie jle to in me about A brave little smile played about miss pats lips she stood there in the light of the candles all in white as I 1 had left her on the terrace of glenara glenarm Glo Gl in her er lace cap with only a light shawl about her shoulders I 1 felt that tho the situation might yet b be saved and I 1 was about to speak when glenry with some wild notion of jus tidying himself broke out stridently yes they meant to lie to you youl they plotted against mo me and hounded me when I 1 wished to see you peaceably and to make amends they have now charged nio me with murder they are ready to swear away my honor hoc my life ikc I 1 am glad you a are re here that you may sen see for yourself liow how they aro are against me yes father speaks the truth as mr air donovan donova n can tell hotd you I 1 could have sworn that it was rosalind who spoke but there by rosa linds side elde in the doorway stood helen ifer her head was lifted and she faced u ua all with her figure tense her eye blazing blaring rosalind drew away a little a and nd I 1 saw gillespie touch her hand it was as though a quicker sense than sight had bad on the instant undeceived almi him but he did not look at rosalind his eyes were upon the angry girl who WAS about to speak again miss pat glanced about and her eyes cyca rested on oil roo larry what |