The House of a Thousand Candles

urbation, but he was not to be caught off guard. Possibly he had not heard the shots in the wood; at a

nything fur

I picked up out in the grounds a bit ago. I

plement with care

mes find tools left by the carpenters that worked on

h a thing now and then

sharper to-night, but we're likely t

are

ere; the fellow was certa

here, Bates. Don't hesitate to g

. I keep a few books by me for the evenings. Annandale

s even a lonelier time, I suppose. That's what I'd call a pr

when I go to the village; a very worthy perso

the winter you want to have him in for

off difficult situations. I had no intention of being killed, and now that I had due warning of danger, I resolved to protect myself from foes without and within. Both Bates an

of Larry always cheered me, and as the pages slipped from my pen I could feel his sympathy and hear him chuckling over the lively

roceeding. The villagers stared at me blankly as on my first visit. A group of idle laborers stopped talking to watch me; and when I was a few yards past them they laughed at a remark by one of the number which I could not

d myself that I was beginning a year of devotion to architecture. Such was, I felt, the only honest course. I should work every day from ei

efinite purpose of returning to the upper end of the lake for an interview wi

of the lake for signs of life,-more particularly, I may as well admit, for a certain maroon-colored canoe and a girl in a red tam-o'-shanter, but lake and summer cottages were mine alone. I landed and began

came to the door quickly

ternoon,

n of surprise, and I was nettled by his cool reception. There was, perhaps, a certain element of recklessness in

n-" I

Mr. Glenarm?" he interrupted. "I rec

u, no," I

seemed to like my name and gave i

rnal blackguard. You hav

ke,"-and he grinned. "But you'

from his head, and poked his f

Why, sir, when I saw you paddling out on the lake this afternoon I sighted you from the casino half a dozen times with my gun,

thing in 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

have inflicted on you. I hadn't seen him for several years before he died. I was never at

new that I did-that no ill feeling against my gr

t I take it that you're a frank man. He was a very keen person, and, I'm afraid,"-he chuckl

; that's the reason I've called on you for enlightenment. Consider that I'm

done some business; but that's past now. You seem like a pretty decent fell

d a little sadly. He was not a bad-looking fellow; and he

s through windows and on walls won't interfere with our pleasant social relations. And I don't hesitate to tell you,"-I was ex

fect an imitation of Bates' voice and

ot to fire into my back I'll

andling the case on your grounds," he said, as though he referred to a business matter

y from home," I said. "I formed the h

e-shore, feeling no great discouragement over the lean results of my interview, but rather a fresh zest for the game, whatever the game might be. Morgan was not an enemy to trifle with; he

high here and at the crest was a long curved bench of stone reached by half a dozen steps, from which one might enjoy a wide view of the country, both across the lake and directly

. Something in the withered grass at my feet caught my eye. I bent and picked up a string of gold beads, dropped there, no doubt, by some girl from the school or a careless member of the summer colony. I c

e, the way you spurned me when you saw that among all the cads in the world I am number one in Class A. And these golden bubbles (O girl of the red t

he beads into my pocket, and paddled h

but I waited, listening for several minutes, without being able 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 come

e part of the house, and though I prowled ab