"Well," I said, seeing that I should only make myself

ridiculous by trying to learn anything from him, "I

hope our little spats through windows and on walls won't

interfere with our pleasant social relations. And I don't

hesitate to tell you,"-I was exerting myself to keep

down my anger,-"that if I catch you on my grounds

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.

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"And now, if you'll promise not to fire into my back

I'll wish you good day. Otherwise-"

He snatched off his hat and bowed profoundly. "It'll

suit me much better to continue handling the case on

your grounds," he said, as though he referred to a

business matter. "Killing a man on your own property

requires some explaining-you may have noticed it?"

"Yes; I commit most of my murders away from

home," I said. "I formed the habit early in life. Good

day, Morgan."

As I turned away he closed his door with a slam,-a

delicate way of assuring me that he was acting in good

faith, and not preparing to puncture my back with a

rifle-ball. I regained the lake-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 was, on the other hand, a clever and daring

foe; and the promptness with which he began war on

me the night of my arrival at Glenarm House, indicated

that there was method in his hostility.

The sun was going his ruddy way beyond St. Agatha's

as I drove my canoe into a little cove near which the

girl 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, from which one might 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 Glenarm as though his name had been carved

upon it.

It was assuredly a spot for a pipe and a mood, and

as the shadows crept through the wood before me and

the water, stirred by the rising wind, began to beat below,

I invoked the one and yielded to the other. 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 counted the separate

beads-they were round and there were fifty of

them. The proper length for one turn about a girl's

throat, perhaps; not more than that! I lifted my eyes

and looked off toward St. Agatha's.




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