Show f 0 0 CZ SE r MAS 1 L A i STOR TIE is RUGGLE K by ELLA MIDDLETON illustrations by ray walters W kj J 1 do SYNOPSIS three carls ElI elizabeth elizabat zabot gabriello and lilse elleo started for canada C to spend open tha ilia summer there taws on board steamer the hey wora wira lightened frightened cd by an apparently demented stranger who finding a bag to one inie ot 01 them took enjoyment in scrutinizing cru tin izing it a photo of the th trio nilse kitao shared her stateroom stater 0 om with a mrs graham raham Cl also bound for canada the youna women on a 9 1 tour met mrs mr graham Orn hain U a awaiting awalt lne her husband who had haa a mania for salling Ballf ns the they were introduced to lord an and u bady 1 ady edith A by the lie ocean was rented by t the h e trio tor for the ali gummer elizabeth I 1 learned e a rnea that a friend of nt her her fat fathers was herst to call two meo men called ono one ot of them being the queer acting stranger on the the als were not at bo ciomo 1 m but discovered vy by the cards left tha 1 on 11 of the tha men was wai EIlza beths fathers tat liers friend the men proved to bo ba john C blake and bordon uennett bennett the par party ans as told 0 of the for or smugglers in t the he vicinity trinity ot of the lie cottage CH CHAPTER APTER IV A few days later I 1 paid a visit to mrs Gra graham liam we could seo see her eat cot ange from the tha path which led to tile the village and every time I 1 passed it I 1 had bad an uncomfortable feeling that she was lonely and perhaps III and that I 1 ought to lie bo neighborly so at last I 1 went it was a most unprepossessing little clapboard house evidently built for the solo sale purpose ot of affording a shelter for certainly no time or thought had been wasted on verandas or other unnecessary though agreeable a accessories c cea As I 1 stood on the na narrow lr front steps waiting for my knock to lie bo answered I 1 shivered instinctively and wondered if after all her summer would prove very beneficial mrs graham herself opened the door with an exclamation of pleasure this la very nice she said and you aro are especially welcome this morning tor for sometimes ones onea thoughts are but indifferent society Bo clety are they the not well I 1 remarked its as I 1 seated my selfon the thair chair abe indicated si we are ara really neighbors after alit are an you settled yet and do you like your new home Ws we are quite in love with ours settled she said with a slight shrug well yes I 1 suppose so but dont call it home please four our bare walls walla two windows and A door Is that home but I 1 sui suggested why not look through the window at the ocean ah the mccaul ocean she interrupted illow how I 1 hato hate it always rolling always alway changing so BO deceitful with its treacherous laughing water and so cruel I 1 dislike salt air anywhere and this seems to me the most obnoxious I 1 over ever breathed I 1 do not see how I 1 am going to live through this summer I 1 listened in silent astonishment and mrs graham paused with a short laugh pray excuse we roe she said eald you see im from rom the couth and I 1 love the warmth the lowers flowers and the many many trees sly ily child Is there too you could not expect mo me to leave him in virginia and be ba happy in canada could you why not bring him to canada also ob no nol no she said with unnecessary vehemence ile he to Is better there tar far better see this la Is his picture do you wonder I 1 am rebellious at the separation my aly mother writes that he Is quite well and happy and no longer frets freta tor for me think of at thail lie he Is already learning to do without me ile he Is like hla his father I 1 said studying the laughing little face very like ehe abo replied very very like do you think she continued slowly that the rearing of a child det determines erminea its ita after life I 1 mean do you believe in environment or heredity I 1 looked from aiom the picture iq my hand band to the tense faco face of the mother q 1 I do not kuo hiow I 1 faltered you see I 1 have hava never thought about it of course you have nott not she exclaimed why should you and how silly in roe me to get started on my hobby so BO foont I 1 am apt to think every one la 1 as much in children as I 1 it am but I 1 suppose that Is the way with all mothers A childless woman loses both the greatest pleasure and the tha greatest pala pain in life and I 1 do not know whether to pity or envy her there was waa a movement in the room above and she held out her hand tor for the picture 11 1 I will put it away eho sald eald hurriedly and let us ua talk of something elro mr graham thinks I 1 allow the boy boi to absorb me tn the exclusion of everything else arid and perhaps le he aig 1 right mr graham was coming downstairs now I 1 listened to the tha descent of his hill feet and speculated idly zaber whether hf be ad every moaning T at 11 lie ile was evidently surprised to see tie me and I 1 thought not over pleased although thero there was no lack of cordiality 1 1 J in hla s greeting so you caught mo me napping he be remarked the fact la in im a lazy sinner at tho the best of times eh juliet im extra late today to day though but as aa I 1 only eat a bit of fruit with my roll and coffee mrs graham says it Is no matter it our does growl you dont look as aa though you elvod on rolls and coffee I 1 remarked by way of fcc keeping up ill the conversation oh I 1 make it up tip at lunch and dinner I 1 assure you laut this n a jolly lit tle box ile he gazed about the bare room with as aa much plea pleasure suro as aa though it contained tho the luxuries of a palace and continued cheerfully just look out of the window hows that for a view and then the air we breathe night and dayl day I 1 pure ozone none of your strained adulterated products lets I 1 can tell youl you already mrs graham Is like a different creature creatura I 1 glanced curiously at mrs graham gralem but she refused to meet my eye 1 I have just been saying baying harry she remarked how different this air Is from tho the south and how invigorating I 1 tind and it I 1 smothered a surprised ejaculation and rose to go surely my new friend was waa rather bewildering oh I 1 say aay exclaimed mr air graham Grahn ni just watt wait a moment till I 1 drink my coffee and ill walk along with you im going to the village for the mall mail As the was my ultimate destination also I 1 resumed my chair and mrs graham and I 1 carried on a desultory conversation until ho he ro re turned hat in hand and announced himself ready you will come coine and see sea me ine otton often will you not sho she said holding my hand band for a moment and you will not mind it if I 1 do not always return your visits I 1 do not go out very much Non nonsense returned her husband Il housing lousing is just what you need she be such a recluse should she ho to put the question in ft a laughing but it was evident he be was really annoyed so I 1 started for the door fearing I 1 might inight unwittingly introduce another unwelcome subject if I 1 lingered any longer I 1 glanced furtively at mr graham as wo we walked along and more than A you have not learned all this since you have been here once found him inspecting me la in like manner the tha third time I 1 caught his eye he laughed good both alloth taking stock he fie remarked with calm nonchalance and both caught in the act welt well do I 1 pass muster 1 I hope I 1 have not been rude I 1 returned a little vexed at hla his tone tona of easy familiarity but he be only laughed again and began to talk about the climate and the country showing a knowledge of the coast which our bur me surely I 1 exclaimed you have not learned all this since you have been hero here oh no he returned im an old stager the tha fact Is s I 1 spent several summers here when I 1 was a young chap and im very keen about it indeed the sea regularly calls calla to me and im never quite happy away from it and mrs graham well sho she dont knew much about it as aa yet but ashes learning I 1 rant cant induce her to got get into a boat though mores the pity you are ara fond of salling sailing very fond when I 1 get out in my catboat I 1 have no idea of the flight of time I 1 had a sudden vision of his eifes figure waiting on the little dock doubtless she was destined to pass many anxious expectant hours before the end of the summer mr graham put our letters jn in his pocket with hla him own for sate keeping and wi wo turned our faces facea homeward on tho the outskirts of the village we met lady edith campbell Caci ubell sauntering along under her white parasol the personification of at dainty womanhood she stopped to speak to me and I 1 was waa about to introduce my compan 1 ton ion when to 0 o ray my surprise sho she hold out ler her hand why mr me Ora graham bartil fhe che exclaimed what are boci doing in this chii remote corner of the world and do you meeri merm to cut your old friends 1 I was so aston lady edith that I 1 doubted doubled the evidence of my eyes what brings you hero here may I 1 ask 11 wilfrid and I 1 are ara touring for ills hla health Is mrs arabam with you ilow how very th charming armIng wo we of ill crossed cross cit frota from england leather tair gilr coring sf she aho e explained epla enod for tuy my benefit beder it and wo sot got to know each other very well as a people pomplo do on shipboard where Is 19 mrs Cl graham raham and may I 1 not go 0 and I 1 see BOO her this morning mornings 1 mr graham hesitated perceptibly but I 1 settled the question by holding out my hands for tile tho letters and in on nn noun bouncing cing t nt I 1 meant t to ta take 0 a short a bior cut to the cot cottage tagel and would see HOB them again soon As aa usual the girls wore were on the veranda ver onila and I 1 dropped tho the mall mail in elizabeths lap and flung myself ex haust edly into the 1 I dont like paying visits I 1 re marked and I 1 just hate taking walks with other peoples hus husbands bando oh I 1 dont know replied calill ello elle 1 I rathor rather like married nien men they are so safe thoy they never suspect you tou of designs on them it if you are pleasant you know and why my interrupted elizabeth who had been turning over the mall mail this what have you been buying E ilse im going to look at it she held in her hand a small email tissue paper pite package kago about the size if an or note eave envelope lopo and before I 1 could disclaim any responsibility tor for it it she had opened it and was wag examining the contents oh she exclaimed look at this and nothing loath wo we joined nor her on tile tho steps and looked also the lit ht tao package contained a small piece of blue ribbon and care carefully fally fastened to it was a ring ot at yellow hair such I 1 ratty halt it was too it might evve come from the head bead of a little child tt it was so soft and curled so no daintily in the sunu sunshine hine it glittered like spun gold bold elizabeth put her bar inger finger under the tha shining ringlet and looked at mo me doubtfully where did you got get it she inquired and what are you going bolog to do with it 1 I never saw it before I 1 replied thoroughly puzzled gabrielle Gabr lollo lifted tho the ribbon which was attached at the top to a piece ot at white note paper evidently tor for tho the purpose of holding it straight there Is writing on it she announced noun ced and alid we literally put our heads beads together to decipher the w words closely written in pencil I 1 IT 1 I need you read U elizabeth do not delay there la is more I 1 continued Us ton and at iother voice la in calling olt oil it cometh front the tha sea neu with an undertone of danger A but theres work for you and me what does it mean questioned gabrielle elise you brought tt it here hare you must know indeed I 1 doltl I 1 got the mall mail and I 1 paused as a sudden light dawned upon TOO its his I 1 exclaimed luckily lucidly and went on to explain that mr air graham had given mo me our mail mau very hurriedly as aa lady edith was waiting for him and doubt doubtless loss the 1400 package had slipped in between two letti letters 0 i aki elizabeth wai was folding the ho tissue paper carefully about tho the piece of ribbon it to la his of courso course she oho said and wo we must return it but oh dearl how I 1 wish I 1 had not opened tt it what I 1 want to know knob remarked gabrielle Oab ilelle who was ot of a very inquiring disposition la Is this why does docs mr graham carry a piece af yellow hair around in lite his pocket when his big cifes hair la Is almost black 1 I wish I 1 had bad not opened it repeated elizabeth who was really troubled ilow how shall I 1 ever explain doing it and to whom shall wo we return it we wa discussed the question long and anxiously and finally determined to the package in an enve envelops lopo addressed to mr air graham and send it to the cottage by mary anno anne with a verbal message that ho had given it to us by mistake and concluded gabrielle Gabr lelle we wont ask ak any questions as aa to whose hands it falls into although I 1 should like to know all about it TO dr BE CONTINUED |