OCR Text |
Show tserial" ll STORY C ) Z3THELZ 1 SMUGGLER j ii By ;.: ELLA MIDDLET0N ;-; I TYB0UT j ii (nutritions by Rsy WJlert ji ; ;" -M i i i, i ii. SYNOPSIS. THrr ci-1. - t'.llrnlM-ih, ,i,r,n sn4 K!l- -I . r . . .1 f,.r I' l, f, ,.-li.l lli .un.ni-r ih.,,. m, K, ,., r n,.y .T fllllM. ,,,.1 i) ,,,, ,,,, U. tli. Ill-rl Ill-rl .'.r iiiie-r. I,.,. H.,,11,,, ,..tf Ih lontllug 1,1 MM' "t II., 'IN. f-.S , ,l"M,,",l II. Ml- lllillliK s I Iii nf the 111... I: .In,..-. I hrr l.W....m v. II tl n Mrs l..iih.tin. nlpa t hi in.-, ,,.''"i,"ir ii'i'i' ii." "I'i'i'mein" Isntlel.slr snsllli.e hrr li..l.,.li.l. win, lis. I n nisnls f..r inni,u -In-v i-r nur.i- ,l!ii-ed In I - r.l Wlltrt.l an. I Ui.lv Ivlllli. A roll it. l-y ,. ., ,.l,., hi ll,- in.. f.,r i.. siiniiM.-i Kim.ilM-tii 1,-srnp-l lli il ft i.-n.l ,,l li. r rm Ii. i s ,. M mil T. in.ii .,.11.0 i.r Hi.,,, to-lng ths .,-r ii. iiutt sii.u.u.-r .n II. 1,-siimt. Tl,.. slils .,.- "i. I l, ..., lull ilHi.Mr.il l.v II..- i itr.ls I, II II. of Ih.- in. ii v.ns l-:ilaal Mi's f,.ll.,-r's frl-n.1 Tl. in. ii .r..v. .l I.. I". J..I.H I ' lll.k. sn.t ll..i.l.,n II. in,. II A ii ..f v.-lli.w hslr trnin Mr I lr.it. sin's .. H.-l f.-ll Into II, lis... Is of Kin..- li III,,-I.siu's III,,-I.siu's t.nlr wns l.lN.H. Irii.lv Clllti I .1.1 lli gtils ..f a r,,l,l.-rv of p-w-ls l the lintel. I .stli s f..r tl- si.l. iv ..f li.r i. on rn,S. SI'S Irtl III. Ml III s si.fo .tl lli . ! - line. Mr ll..r.l'.n K.-titi.-l t wits .,....tlv ltr.Ml,i. e,l. evi'htlne.l Ins .in. , r n. ll.nis. return.'.! M,s I.. la ni..l I..1.I ..t ii.vsi.-rl- l.'inm ..I s .,.r I..I..I ,,.., ..I Willi tl.. ...lisse i:xil..rl.is the i.U.ir, nr. nf ll.e (ills f...n..l .1 ..,ln .MtT toil-.,n toil-.,n ll,e . ... t ,-,,, i,. ,,,., ..r I.I. Ii l-.il, ilonlnn ll.ss.lt Ui.lv Ulill. w.-to (..nn.l I.. ....s. si... Klis... nl'.n... e- pl.Te.l II . rell.r. Ml .-rl rlt.s s . ..iiver- stlon II, -rs Ui ..!, Mni' Anne met a m m II- cnii- l I.. I- I., r son. . hiim.-.l with niur.l.-r II, e y,.., w..i,ii ns I In ke.i Hi ji,ly l:.ll,li lot. I n siory r s lo.t iys iii , ..nn. - n .n wiih the I.l.ln .'V Kllse nn, I 1I.1.I..11 II. n-n-tl ill-,.,., re I l.n.lv I'.liili an.l Mr. urn-limn. urn-limn. Ilis Inll-r iIIniiIuvIiih n in ii velons hsrllnns vol,- At .1 s,..M'r wi.I.Ii km I. .1.1 on II - r.. ss KIU.1I..1I1 ri.Hi.-r n.vs-l.rlou.ly n.vs-l.rlou.ly I...I h-r rum. .1.1, .11111 it sen nil by tin. ptiUr. purty. CHAPTER X.e Continued After a moment's Indecision I crept across the mom and lisikeil nut from heblnd tin drawn curtain. There was nothing In sight. In the clear moon-HvM moon-HvM I reitld sex quttn as distinctly at by day. and the while stillness was stindermily comforting. It waa rather iwesoni.i, too, and while I felt the fas eltistlon nf the night 1 waa also con-acinus con-acinus of the rather creepy sensation est experiences when the world sleeps, leaving one wakeful and alone with nature, Out before me stretched the path bailing to the village and my e)ea followed It unconsciously until It torne.1 sharply ami disappeared. As I ksikctl two shadows fell across It, Kmlng very black against the silr-nwiillhg silr-nwiillhg whiteness. One was short, fit, and shapeless: the other long, thin, and somewhat like an elongated pair of tonga a very specter of a ibvtow. TUoy moved, merited them-rlres them-rlres Into an Indiscriminate mass, t-ptrnteit and came together again, a buck streak marking their progress roand the corner.' I clung to the window frame, lie-rtriag lie-rtriag some comfort from contact with tbf sulid wood. A pricking sensation ru up and tluwii my splui and I was Istspublu of moving or uttering a muni. la a second I was glad I had not spoken, for the shadows ugaln do-tubed do-tubed themselves. I heurd the cnmchlng of gravel, and a fumll.ur O.ure appeared around tho turn of the path. It was Mary Anne, a red shawl beld over her head, ami nn words ran sipress the relief and comfort at see-Ion see-Ion her ample figure prnsulcally pro-cMillug pro-cMillug Inward the kitchen dour. I was rather Indignant, tun, and went dosn to ask her what she meant by inch niK'tiimsl rambles. I found hor cullnpseil iipoti a kitchen chair, breathing heavily. I'pon s.-e lug my whltu-elud form close beside hrr she uttered a sillied scream, then ImDeillutoly stole my thunder by reproaching re-proaching me for prowling arouml the tiiiiM) In thn dead of nluht and fright entail people out of their wits. IB fact, she bocame so eloquent that Inali iid of the dignified relink.! I bail InUmded 10 administer I found myself I nialnglzlng for tny presence nnd prom Ulg In bo moro conslileiute In the ! (utire. I "liut, Mary Anne," I ventured to re mark, "where huve you been? 1 was I frlfhtcnod to death." ' Mary Annu at onco became pro .iltlitory and sympulhetlc. "I'oro child." hu exelnlini-d, "ot , i-mirsti ytiq was upset! It was Miss Kllialieth't rlitK I got to lhlnklu' .ilmiit the best wuy to find It. So I wcai to my brother Hun. 'Iin us lives lu tli" llltlu 'ouso Jest I iw the lilnfT I which ni know Is go., pel truth. mW) And I bcgi;ed 'lut to tnko 'Is beat and go roiitnl them rocks eatly. ml-- and sun whin 'n could fin,!. Km I wauled to give II to 'er fust thltiK li.'ll aim wukus " Mary A mm paused for breath uml I Ml a thrill of compunction, for. aftui ill, she had bet n out on our account ind solely tr, do us a service. "Vinl thut was your brother with ' suppose," I remarked. "Does tl'lnk liu can find the rlngr" -,. She lis.keil at me a moment wlthnnt i.'plvlng, then walked to the door ami li.ille.l it. Yes. mUs." she said; "Pan 'as 'opes. Not. that they're very 'Igh opes, fur I'au aln t much at liMikln' at l lie lirli lil slile. Il.lt e ll do 'Is disity. miss, and I think .Miss Kllralieth may tln.1 her ring, though of course. I can 1 I... sure nn nioie can I inn. Now you d hotter go to be. I. Miss Kllie. fur you :ii oil onr sleep snd I need mine." I was veiy willing to follow this .nil I,-, ami felt hopeful that luorttlnc w-oitl.l tuing g.KHl news to Kllrnlieth. lor Mary Anne's brother had Inspired me with a feeling nf confidence t.or ilon Iteiiueti s diver had not produce! As I lay ihlnklni! ilreatully of him and wondering whether hn would got bis bout nut early nnd go to work n sudden recollect Inn of his appearance overpowered nie. We were all familiar with Muri nnes bnitlmr. lie was a short, stecklly Inilll titan, with very broad shoulders nnd short laiwed legs. It srenieil luiprolinlile that he could rnrt a shallow like a pair of longs, but then ns every one knows shadows are not to be ilepi-iidi-d upon. CHAPTER XI. "I don't like suppers on th rocks, do you"" "No. I think they're beastly." It was the next nflcrnoon and Ca brlelle and I were sitting nn tho veranda. ver-anda. I was pretending to read, while she was frankly lining nothing The day bad draKged heavily. My confidence In Mnry Anne's brother hnd been misplaced, fnr he hnd nut ap peared In triumph with the ring and wn felt rather aggrieved In consequence. conse-quence. Of course we hud all visited the nicks many times, separately and ml-lecllvely, ml-lecllvely, hut hud returned empty-handed empty-handed and rather cross. Kven the Canadian sun Is lint at midday In summer, nnd continued Ineffectual stooping among rocks and loose stones wr,uld have Us effect iiisin the most angelic disposition. Then, ton. Gordon Gor-don Itennett hnd not nppcared with his diver, nor had we heard further from Uinl Wlirtld mi thn sublect, so our faith In mankind had suffered arenrd Ingly. I nlso wished something pleasant pleas-ant wnttlil tinppen nnd ngieed with Gtihrielln that thn attorn. sin waa end leas. A diversion was here created by the appearance of Mr. Graham, who carried car-ried a hunch of long stemmed while roses thai certainly were never the product of the Island. Mrs. Graham had sent them with her love and apolo- A Familiar Figure Appeared. glea for her hysterical outburst of the night before, whlrh, he was careful to explain, was solely the result of her physical condition, llo hoped wa bad not allowed their departure to break up the party. We told him about the lost ring and he llstem-d with Interest. I thought his etpresslons of regret and offera of assistance were unnecesnnrlly effusive,' hut t it 'in. as Gubrlelle sultl afterward, Mr. Graham always went a llttlo too far In everything. After a while he took his departure, saying he did nut like to leave Mrs. Graham lung alone In her present nervous rnnditlun. Gubrlelle lifted the roses and laid their heavy perfumed heads ugaiust her face. "They are beautiful," she ssld; "but what shall we do with them?" "lo with them?" I echoed. "Yes. that's what 1 said. You know If Kllxuhcth ever gets one sniff she'll have hay fever, and I'm sum I don't want to add that to her afflictions, ptsir dear." After a llttlo consideration we derided de-rided to transfer the roses to Lady Kdlth, and Gabrielle volunteered to take llii.-m to her ut once. "Kor they must not go into the house." aim said, "and If we keep them nut here any longer some enterprising gnrm mluht drift through the window ami up Kllxabelh's nose. Will you go with me?" I declined, saying ! was going back to the rucks to huvo ono more look before ilnrk. We si roiled along together to tho point where our paths diverged and Oi.lirii llo heiume silent ami preoc-ruplo.l. preoc-ruplo.l. "I'llse." she salil. speaking very Holoiimly, "I am going In uslt you a question and I want a truililiil answer, uliK'iiiui ly your honest opinion, you know." Well?" "Do you think 1 cam more for F.lUa-Vita F.lUa-Vita than slio does lur mo? Or does I'.IUiilioth tutu moro for me than 1 do Inr her?" I I laughed, und she continued halt 1 laughing also, yet wholly In cuinesL "Well, I really want to know." I ' ' What do you think yourself?" t. The question had often been pro '" s.itn.lo. to me. and I knew that a f'7 ' d. 'finite answer would be merely gniund for argument. r. , "I think you arn horrid. Hut then.1 '. '' she paused rellci-llvely, "perhaps you'd 1" ' belter not answer after nil I woula " .' hate 'o think Kllrnlieth did not car ( , as much for mo as I do for her, yet It y ' J doesn't seem to me she ran. You msy ' laugh, but of course you don't under. stitn.l how we feel about It." J', , 1 Our I'Utha separated here. Gnl.rlelle, p with her arms full of roses, went on L ;, '. ' in the village while I picked my way ,; carefully along the shore to the rocks. !. ." It was useless to look again, us I '. ' - t well knew, yet I searched cnnsclen. V , tlously for some lime, then sat down ' i '.' to rest beside the antics of our Inst " ' ' night's file. I really do not know of 1 , iinvHilug morn depressing than ashes i ,v when one Is rather tired and Incllui-d i to be Inliospi-ctlve. They s.-em to : typlly so remorselessly the Inevltatiln ! r outcome of human doslrcs and am 1 billons. Ho I snt watching the glow of thn sunset, and thinking i.f many things In a disconnected sort of way. I ' thought of (Intnl. -lie and KlUalicth, nnd of their friendship which seemed so wonderfully sntlstilng. also remembered re-membered the sluitlows of the prevliiua night nnd my uuneresnary agitation over them. Then I recalled (Inlirl. -lie's purling words with something akin to a sigh. I'crhnpa, as she snld. I did not understand, hut I thought I did and envied them henrlllt. I confess to being foolishly blue aa I sat on the rocks listening to th wash nf the wnves, fur I waa sure no una was speculating whether they loved mu more thsn I did them, end I felt very lonely In consequence. Thej tide was low anil the occuti calm and uninteresting, so I turned my back to It, preferring to watch the sun reluctantly re-luctantly surrender the world to lha nioi.n, whlrh would sunn coma up out nf thn water Just as It had dime Inst night. Therefore I did not see two figures walking along the shore and not until I heard tny name lu Mr. Illnke'a even voice was I aware that I waa nn longer nlone, but Hint hn and Gordon Itennett were slnndlng In-alile me, both looking rather nmusrd. "A penny for your thoughts." said Mr. Ilhike, producing It. "Nonsense," Interrupted Mr. lieu, nett; "they are worth more than that, What will you lakn for them?" "They are nnt even worth a penny. I really don't belluv I was thinking nf anything." "Has the ring been found?" t replied that It had not and that we feared H must be In the ocean, after aft-er all. Hera I paused significantly, fur I did nnt Ilka to ask outright what had become of thd promised diver, yet con. ' sldered a hint permissible under th clrcumslanrea. I thought be looked III at ease ai he somewhat formally expressed hla regret for the accident. Ills manner was certainly very different from yesterday yes-terday and I derided that th Incident had begun to bore him. Mr. Illakt) wandered down to th water's edge, hut Mr. Ilennntt seated himself beside be-side me. "The world Is out of Joint." he remarked; re-marked; "what's the matter?" "I'm cross." I admitted, "and aw. . fully blue. I'leuse don't ask ma why, for I don't know myself." Hn was wise enough nnt to pursue the subject, hut began to talk upon Impersunal matters, and after a whlla I been in n qiilin cheerful and even won dered secretly what I bad found to be melancholy about, fnr It waa certainly I a very nice wnrld after all. I (TO 111". CONTlNl'Kl) ) I |