Part 6 (1/2)
Thefor came to the door quickly in response to an”
”Good afternoon, Mr Glenarrin at n of surprise, and I was nettled by his cool reception There was, perhaps, a certain element of recklessness in ular an interest in an--” I began
”Won't you come in and rest yourself, Mr Glenarm?” he interrupted ”I reckon you're tired from your trip over--”
”Thank you, no,” I snapped
”Suit yourself, Mr Glenarreeable drawling euard You have tried twice to kill rinned ”But you'd better cut off one for this”
He lifted the gray fedora hat froh a hole in the top
”You're a pretty fair shot, Mr Glenarm The fact about me is,”--and he winked--”the honest truth is, I' out on the lake this afternoon I sighted you froun, but I was afraid to risk it” He seemed to be shaken with inner mirth ”If I'd missed, I wasn't sure you'd be scared to death!”
For a novel diversion I heartily reco with the assassin who has, only a few days or hours before, tried toin the way of social adventure that is quite equal to it Morgan was a fellow of intelligence and, whatever lay back of his designs against me, he was clearly a foe to reckon with He stood in the doorway calhted a cigarette
”Morgan, I hope you understand that I arandfather may have inflicted on you I hadn't seen him for several years before he died I was never at Glenarh for you to visit your displeasure on me”
He smiled tolerantly as I spoke I knew--and he knew that I did--that no ill feeling against randfather lay back of his interest in randfather was, Mr Glenarm You'll excuse my bluntness, but I take it that you're a frank man He was a very keen person, and, I'm afraid,”--he chuckled with evident satisfaction to himself--”I'm really afraid, Mr Glenaran! I fully agree with you! I'm as dull as an oyster; that's the reason I've called on you for enlighten of truce, and let's see if we can't coreement”
”It's too late, Mr Glenarht have done some business; but that's past now You seem like a pretty decent fellow, too, and I'm sorry I didn't see you sooner; but better luck next time”
He stroked his yellow beard reflectively and shook his head a little sadly He was not a bad-looking fellow; and he expressed hih with a broad western accent
”Well,” I said, seeing that I should onlyfroh s and on walls won't interfere with our pleasant social relations And I don't hesitate to tell you,”--I was exerting rounds again I'll fill you with lead and sink you in the lake”
”Thank you, sir,” he said, with so perfect an imitation of Bates' voice and manner that I smiled in spite of myself
”And now, if you'll proood day Otherwise--”
He snatched off his hat and bowed profoundly ”It'll suit rounds,” he said, as though he referred to a businessa --you may have noticed it?”
”Yes; I commit most of my murders away from hoan”
As I turned away he closed his door with a slaood faith, and not preparing to puncture ained the lake-shore, feeling no great discouragement over the lean results of aan was not an enemy to trifle with; he was, on the other hand, a clever and daring foe; and the proht of my arrival at Glenarm House, indicated that there washis ruddy way beyond St Agatha's as I drove irl in the tam-o'-shanter had disappeared the day before The shore was high here and at the crest was a long curved bench of stone reached by half a dozen steps, froht enjoy a wide view of the country, both across the lake and directly inland The bench was a pretty bit of work, boldly reminiscential of Alma Tadema, and as clearly the creation of John Marshall Glenarh his name had been carved upon it
It was assuredly a spot for a pipe and a h the wood before an to beat below, I invoked the one and yielded to the other Soht old beads, dropped there, no doubt, by soirl from the school or a careless member of the summer colony I counted the separate beads--they were round and there were fifty of theirl's throat, perhaps; not atha's
”Child of the red tam-o'-shanter, I'm very sorry I was rude to you yesterday, for I liked your steady stroke with the paddle; and I admired, evenall the cads in the world I airl of the red tam-o'-shanter!), if they are not yours you shall help hbors, you and I, and there must be peace between our houses”
With this foolishness I rose, thrust the beads into lory of the sunset
That night, as I was going quite late to bed, bearing a candle to light h the dark hall tostealthily through the house At first I thought Bates was still abroad, but I waited, listening for severalable to mark the exact direction of the sound or to identify it with him I went on to the door of my room, and still a muffled step seemed to follow me--first it had co up stairs--but where? In ain there was a stuhosts, I reflected, do not fall down stairs!
The sound died away, seeh I prowled about for an hour it did not recur that night
CHAPTER IX
THE GIRL AND THE RABBIT
Wind and rain rioted in the wood, and occasionally both fell upon the library ith a howl and a splash The tempest had wakenedderowing used to et by land and water; I had sat on the wall and te to surprise Bates in so o on some errand, so Bates reported--but I continued to walk abroad every day, and often at night, alert for a reopening of hostilities Twice I had seen the red tah the wood, and once I had passedyoungster, walking in the highway, and she had bowed to host in the wall proved inconstant, but I had twice heard the steps without being able to account for therandfather I was touched at finding constantly his inal notes in the books he had collected with socare It occurred to me that some memorial, a tablet attached to the outer wall, or perhaps, ; and I experi-paper in an effort to set forth in a feords so I produced this: 1835 The life of John Marshall Glenarenerosity, forbearance and gentleness The Beautiful things he loved were not nobler than his own days His grandson (who served him ill) writes this of him 1901 I had drawn these words on a piece of cardboard and was studying them critically when Bates came in ood
”Those are unmistakable snowflakes, sir,” said Bates from the”We're in for winter now”
It was undeniably snow; great lazy flakes of it were crowding down upon the wood
Bates had not an or referred even reht, and he had certainly conducted hiatha's, a Scotchuson, had visited him several ti their pipes and whisky and water in the kitchen
”They are having trouble at the school, sir,” said Bates fro a little wild, eh?”
”Sister Theresa's ill, sir Ferguson told uson knows,” I declared,the papers about on my desk, conscious, and not ashaues with Bates I occasionally entertained the idea that he would so upon the viands which he prepared with sorather more in his line of business and perfectly easy of accomplishment; but the house was bare and lonely and he was a resource
”So Sister Theresa's ill!” I began, seeing that Bates had nearly finished, and glancing with soes of a dreary work on English cathedrals that had put me to sleep the day before
”She's been quite uncomfortable, sir; but they hope to see her out in a few days!”
”That's good; I'lad to hear it”
”Yes, sir I think we naturally feel interested, being neighbors And Ferguson says that Miss Devereux's devotion to her aunt is quite touching”
I stood up straight and stared at Bates' back--he was trying to stop the rattle which the wind had set up in one of the s
”Miss Devereux!” I laughed outright