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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1909)
nnn a i im KUoALW JIT RED GATE Byl MEREDITH NICHOLSON Illustrations by RAY WALTERS CHAPTER I. A Telegram from Paul Stoddard. Stoddard's telegram was brought to me on the Glenarm pier at four o'clock Tuesday afternoon, the 5th of June. I am thus explicit, for all the matters hereinafter described turn upon the receipt of Stoddard's mes sage, which was, to be sure, harmless enough la itself, but, like many other scraps of paper that blow about the world, the forerunner of confusion and trouble. I My friend, Mr. John Glenarm, had gone abroad for the summer with his family and had turned over to ma his nous at Annandale that I might enjoy Its seclusion and comfort while writing my book on "Russian Rivers." If John Glenarm had not taken his family abroad with him when he went to Turkey to give the sultan's engi neers lessons in bridge building; it I had not accepted his kind offer of the house at Annandale for the sum mer; and if Paul Stoddard had not sent me that telegram, I should never have written this narrative. Dut such was the predestined way of it. I rose from the boat I was caulking, and, with the waves from the receding steamer slapping the pier, read this message: Stamford, Conn., June 5. Meet Miss Patricia Holbrook. Annan dale station, five twenty Chicago express and conduct her to St. Agatha's school, where she Is expected. She will explain difficulties. I have assured her of your sympathy and aid. Will Join you later If necessary. Imperutlvo engagements call me elsewhere. STODDARD. To say that I was angry when "I read this message is to belittle the truth. I read and re-read It with grow ing' heat. I had accepted Glen arm's offer of the house at Annandale because it promised peace, and now I was ordered by telegraph to meet a strange person of whom I had never heard, listen to her story, and tender my sympathy and aid. I glanced at my watch. It was already after four. "Delayed in transmission" was stamped across the telegraph form I learned later that it had lain half the day in Annandale, New York fo that I was now face to face with the situation, and without opportunity to fling his orders back to Stoddard if I wanted to. Nor did I even know Stamford from Stamboul, and I am rot yet clear in my mind being an Irishman with rather vague notions of American ceoeranhv whether Con- nectlcut 13 north or south of Massa chusetts. "Ijlma!" I called my Japanese boy from the honthouse, and he appeared, paint brush In hand. "Order the double trap, and tell them to hurry." I reflected, as I picked up my coat rr.d walked toward the house, that If any oue but Paul Stoddard had Bent liie such a message I should most cer- j tun.ly have ignored it; but I knew him ; a j a. man who did not make demands , or impose obligations lightly. As the j founder and superior of the Protestant ! religious Order of tho Brothers of ! I'ctlili hem he was, I knew, an ex ceedingly busy man. Ills religious l.ou.-e was In the Virginia mountains; but ho spent much tinio In quiet, hum ble service la city slums, in lumber amps, In the mines of Pennsylvania; and occasionally he appeared like a prophet from tho wilderness in somo great church of New York, and preached with a marvelous eloquence to wondering throngs. The trap swung Into the arched driveway and I bade the coachman make haste to the Annandale station. The handsome bays were soon trot ting swiftly toward the village, while I drew on my gloves and considered the situation. A certain Miss Hol brook, of whose existence I had been utterly Ignorant an hour before, was about to arrive at Annandale. A clergyman, whom I had not seen for two years, had telegraphed me from a town in Connecticut to meet this person, conduct her to St. Agatha's school Just closed for tho summer, as I knew and to volunteer my services in difficulties that were darkly Indi cated in a telegram of 45 words. The sender of the message I knew to bo a serious character, and a gentlemnn of distinguished social connections. The came of tho lady signified noth ing except that she was unmarried; and as Stoddard's acquaintance was among all sorts and conditions of men I could nssumo nothing more thaa that the unknown had appealed to him ns a priest and that he had sent her to Iiiko Annandale to shako off the burdens of tho world In the conventual air of St. Agatha's. Tho Chicago express whistled for Annandale Just ns wo gained the edge of the village. It paused a grudging moment and was gone before) we reached the station. I jumped out and ran through, tho waiting room to tho platform, where the ov m was Fathering up the n nil b.u-i.;;. n assistant loaded n truck : 'i inintis. I flan'.c t ah. iii- iui'l f, i . js an Important one In my life. Stand ing quite alone beside several pieces of hand baggage was a laly unmis takably a lady leaning lightly upon an umbrella, and holding under her arm a naaeaiW ki Was rlad In brown, from bonnet to shoes; the um brella and magazine cover were of like tint, and even the suitcase near est her struck the same note of color. There was no doubt whatever as to her Identity; I did not hesitate a mo ment; the lady in brown was Miss Holbrook, and she was an old lady, a dear, bewitching old lady, and as I stepped toward her, her eyes bright ened they, too, were brown! and she put out her brown-cloved hand with a gesture so frank and cordial that I was won at once. "Mr. Donovan Mr. Lauranee Dono vanI am sure of It!" "Miss Holbrook, I am equally con fident!" I said. "I am sorry to be late, but Father Stoddard's message was delayed." "You are kind to respond at all," she said, her wonderful eyes upon me; "but Father Stoddard said you would not fall me." "He Is a man of great faith! But I have a trap waiting. We can talk more comfortably at St. Agatha's." "Yes; we are to go to the school. Father Stoddard kindly arranged it. It is quite secluded, he assured me." "You will not be disappointed, Miss Holbrook, if seclusion is what you seek." I picked up the brown bag and turned away, but she waited and glanced about. Her "we" had puzzled me; perhaps she had brought a maid, and I followed her glance toward the window of the telegraph office. "Oh, Helen; my niece, Helen Hol brook, is with me. I wished to wire some instructions to my housekeeper at home. Father Stoddard may not have explained that it is partly on Helen's account that I am coming here." "No; he explained nothing merely gave me my Instructions," I laughed. "He gives orders in a most militant fashion." In a moment I had been presented to the niece, and had noted that she was considerably above her aunt's height; that she was dark, with eyes that seemed quite black in certain lights, and that she bowed, as her aunt presented me, without offering her hand, and murmured my name In a voice musical, deep and full, and agreeable to hear. She took their checks from her purse, and I called the porter and arranged for the transfer of their bag gage to St. Agatha's. We were soon In the trap with the bays carrying us at a lively clip along the lake road. "There's a summer resort some where on the lake; how far Is that from the school?" asked the girl. "That's Port Annandale. U'a two or three miles from St. Agatha's," I replied. "On this side and all the way to the school there are farms. Port Annandalo lies yonder." "Of course we shall see nothing of It," said the younger Miss Holbrook with finality. I sought In vain for any resem blance between the two women; they were utterly unlike. The little brown lady was interested and responsive enough; she turned toward her niece I witn undisguised affection as we JkAi 1 1 "Well, He Can Hardly Find Her Here." talked, but I caught several times a look of unhapplneBs in her face, and the brow that Time had not touched gathered In lines of anxiety and care. The girl's manner toward her aunt was wholly kind and sympathetic. "I'm sure it will be delightful here, Aunt Pat Wild roses and blue water! I'm quite in love with the pretty lnka already." This was my first introduction to the diminutive of Patricia, and It seemed very fitting, and as delightful as the dear little woman heiself. Sho must have caught my smile as the niece so addressed her for tho first time and sho smiled back at me In her charming fashion, "You are an Irishman, Mr. Donovan, and Pat must sound nntuial." "Oh, all who love Aunt Patricia rail her Aunt Pat!" exclaimed the girl. "Then Miss Holbrook undoubtedly hears It often," said 1, and was at once sorry for my bit of b!arn y, for tr.o tears shone surtrtcnty In tho dear brown eyes, and the niece recurred to I he summer landscape as a topic, and lalked of tha Glenarm place, whose stone wall e were now pasting, un til we drove Into tho grounds of St. Agatha's and up lo tho main entrance of the school, where a sister In the brown garb of her order stood wait ing. I first Introduced myself to Sinter Militan t, who was In charge, and 1 Jk la tnen presented the two ladies who i were to be her guests. Sister Margs ret said Just the right thing to every cne, and I was gimi lo find her so capable a person, fully able to care for these exiles without aid from my side of the wall. '"Helen, if you will see our things disposed of I will detain Mr. Donovan a few minutes," said Miss Holbrook. "Or I can come again in an hour I am your near neighbor," I remarked, thinking she might wish to rest from her Journey. "I am quite ready." she replied, and I bowed to Helen Holbrook and to Sis ter Margaret, who went out, followed by the maid. Miss Pat you will par don me if I begin at once lo call her by this name, but it fits her so capi tally, it Is so much a part of her, that I cannot resist Miss Pat put off her bonnet without fuss, placed it on the table and sat down in a window seat whence the nearer shore of the lake was visible across the strip of smooth lawn. "Will you please close the door?" she Bald, and when I came back to the window she began at once. "It is not pleasant, as you must understand, to explain to a stranger an Intimate and painful family trouble. But Father Stoddard advised me to be quite frank with you." "That is the best way, If there is a possibility that I may be of service," I said in the gentlest tone I could command. "But tell me no more than you wish. I am wholly at your serv ice without explanations." "It is in reference to my brother; he has caused me a great deal of trouble. When my father died nearly ten years ago he lived to a great age he left a considerable estate, a large fortune. A part of It was di vided at once among my two brothers and myself. The remainder, amount ing to 11.000,000, was left to me, with the stipulation that I was to make a further division between my brothers at the end of ten years, or at my dis cretion. I was older than my broth ers, much older, and my father left me with this responsibility, not know ing what it would lead to. Henry and Arthur succeeded to my father's business, the banking Arm of Hol brook Brothers, In New York. The bank continued to prosper for a time; then It collapsed suddenly. The debts were all paid, but Arthur disappeared there were unpleasant rumors " She paused a moment, and looked out of tho window toward the lake, and I saw her clasped hands tighten; but she went on bravely. "That was seven years ago. Since then Henry has insisted on the finnl division of the property. My father had a high sense of honor and he stip ulated that If either of his sons should bo guilty of any dishonorable act he should forfeit his half of the 1,000, 000. Henry Insists that Arthur has forfeited his rights and that the amount withheld should bo paid to him now; but his conduct has been such that I feel I should serve him ill to pay him so large a sum of money. Moreover, I owo something to his daughter to Helen. Owing to her fa ther's reckless life I have had her make her homo with me for several years. She Is a noblo girl, and very beautiful you must have seen, Mr. Donovan, that she Is an unusually beautiful girl." "Yes," I assented. "And better than that," she said, with feeling, "she is a lovely char acter." I nodded, touched to pee how com pletely Helen Holbrook filled and sat isfied her aunt's life. Miss Pat con tinued her story. "My brother first sought to frighten mo into a settlement by menacing my , own peace; and now he Includes Hel ' en In his animosity. My houso at I Stamford was set on fire a month ago; 1 then thieves entered It and I wns obliged to leave. We arranged to go j abroad, but when we got to tho steam : er we found Henry waiting with a j threat to follow us if I did not accede to his demand!). It was Father Stod- dard who suggested this plaro, and wo came by a circuitous route, paus ing here and there to see whether we were followed. You can Imagine how I distressing how wretched all this has been." "Yes; it is a sad story, Miss Hol brook. But you ate not likely to bo molested here. You have a lnke on one side, a high wall shuts off tho road, and I beg you to accept me as your near neighbor and protector. The servants at Mr. Glenarm's house have been with hlra for several years and are undoubtedly trustworthy. It is not likely that your brother will find you here, but If ha should we will deal with that situation when the time comes!" "You are very reassuring, no doubt we shall not need to call on you. And I hope you understand," she continued. "that It is not to keep the money that I wish to avoid my brother; that if It were wise to make this further dl vision at this time and It were for his good, I should be glad to give him all every penny of it." "Pardon me, but tho other brother ho has not made similar demands you do not fear him?" I Inquired. with pome hesitation. 'No no!" And a tremulous smllo played about her lips. "Boor Arthur! lie must be dead. Ho ran away after the bank failure and I havo never heard from him since. He and Henry wero very unlike, and I always felt more clovely nttnrreit i.i Arthur. Hi was not brill ant, l:l;e Unity; liu was fetitlo snd quiet in his ways, and fa tlier was often Impatient with him Henry has been very bitter towsrd Arthur and hns appealed to tne on the score of Arthur's 111 doln;:. It took all his own fortune, he says, to save Ar thur and the family name from dis honor." She wa remarkably composed throughout this rtclifl, mid I innr velt at her more and more. Now, after a moment's silence, she turned to me with a riiiIIa. "We have been annoyed in another way. It is so ridiculous that I hesi tate to tell you of it" "Pray do not you need tell me nothing more, Miss Holbrook." "It is best for you to know. My nkce has been annoyed the past year by the attentions of a young man whom &h greatly dislikes and whose persistence distresses her very much Indeed." "Well, he can hardly find her here; and if he should" Miss Holbrook folded her arms upon her knees and smiled, bending toward me. "Oh!" she exclaimed; "he isn't a violent person, Mr. Donovan. He's silly, absurd, idiotic! You need fear no violence from him." "And of course your niece Is not In terested h's not a fellow to appeal to her Imagination." "That is quite true; and then in present unhappy circumstances, with her father hanging over her like a menace, marriage is far from her thoughts. She feels that even if she were attached to a man and wished to marry, she could not. I wish she did not feel so; I should be glad to see her married and settled in her own homo. It's a very dreadful thing, as you can understand, for brother and sister and father and child to be ar rayed against one another." I wished to guide the talk into cheerfuller channels before leaving. Miss Pat seemed amused by the thought of the unwelcome suitor, and 1 determined to leave her with some word in reference to him. "If a strange knight In quest of a lady comes rjding through the wood, how shall I know him? What valorous words are written on his shield, and does he carry a lance or a suit-case?" "He Is the Knight of the Sorrowful Countenance," said Miss Holbrook In my own key, as she rose. "You would know him anywhere by his clothes and the remarkable language he uses. He Is not to be taken very seriously that's the trouble with him! But I have been afraid that he and my brother might join hands In the pup suit of us." "But tho Sorrowful Knight would not advance hlg Interests by that he could only injure his cause!" I ex claimed. "Oh, he has no subtelty; he's a very foolish person; ho blunders at windmills with quixotic ardor." "Won't you please say good-night to Miss Holbrook for me?" I said, my hand on the door. And then aa odd thing happened. I was about to take my departure through the front hall when I remem bered a short cut to the Glenarm gate from tho rear of t he school. I walked the length of the parlor lo a door that I would, I knew, give ready exit to tho open. I bowed to Miss Tat, who stood erect, serene, adorable, In tho room that was now touched with the first shadows of waning day, and her slight figure was so eloquent of pathos, her smllo so brave, that I bowed again, 1 with a reverenco I already felt for, her. Then a 1 flung the door open and stepped ln(o the hall I heard the soft swish of skirts, a light furtive step, and caught a glimpse or could have sworn I did of white. There was only one sister In tho houso, and a few servants; it seemed incredible that they could be eavesdropping upon this guest of the house. I crossed a narrow hall, found tho rear door, and passed out Into tho park. 1 Something prompted mo to turn when I had taken a dozen steps to- ward tho Glenarm gate. Tho vines on the gray stone buildings were cool to the eye with their green that hung like u tapestry from eaves to earth. And suddenly, as though hhe camo out of tho Ivied wall Itself, Helen Hol brook appeared on tho little balcony opening from one of the first-floor rooms, rested the tips of her lingers on the green vine-clasped rail, uud, seeing me, bowed and smiled. Sho wns gowned In white, with a scarlet ribbon at lu r throat, and the green wall vividly accented and heightened her outline. I stood, star ing like a fool for whnt seemed a century of heart beats as sho flashed forth there, out of what seemed a sheer depth of masonry; then she turned her head slightly, as though in disdain of me, and looked oft toward the lake. I had uncovered at sight of her, and found, when I gained the broad hall at Glenarm House, that I still carried my bat. An hour later, as I dined In aolitary atate, that white figure was still pres ent before me; and I could not help wondering, though the thought an gered me, whether that graceful head had not been bent against the closed door of tho parlor at St. Aga tha's, and (If such were the fact) why Helen Holbrook, who clenrly enjoyed tho full confidence of her aunt, should have stooped to such a trick to learn what Miss Patricia said to mo. CHAPTER II. Confidences. Miss Patricia received me tho fol lowing afternoon on the lawn at St. Agatha'a where, In a cool angle of the buildings, a maid was laying tho cloth on a small tabic "It Is good of you to come. Helen will bo hero presently. Sho went Tor a walk on Iho shore." "You must both of you make free of the Glenarm preserve. Don't con sider tho wall over there a barricade; It's merely to add to tho pleturosquo ncss of tho landscape." Miss Patricia was qulto rested from her Journey, anil expressed her pleas ure In the benuly and peine of the place In frank and cot dial terms. "1 could ask nothing bolter thnn this. Sister Margaret Is mutt kind in every way. Helen aud I have had a peaceful 24 hours tne nrst in two yars and I feel that at last we have found safe harborage." "Rest assured of it. Miss Holbrook! The summer colony is away off there and you need see nothing of it; it is quite out of sight and sound. You have seen Annandale the sleepiest of American villages, with a curio shop and a candy aud soda fountain place and a picture postcard booth which the young ladles of St. Aga tha's patronize extensively when they are here. The summer residents are just beginning to arrive ou their shore, if v O I Saw a Dark Figure Sprawled on the Veranda. but they will not molest you. If they try to land over here we'll train our guns on them and blow them out of the water. As our neighbor beyond the iron gate of Glenarm I beg that you look upon me as your man-at arms. My sword, madam, I lay at your feet." 'Sheathe It, Sir LMiranco; nor draw it save in honorable cause," she roturned on the Instant, and then she w:is grave again. "Sister Margaret is most kind In every way; she seems wholly discreet and has assured me of her interest and sympathy," said Miss Patricia, as though she wished me to confirm he own Impression. "There's no manner of doubt of it She Is Sister Theresa's assistant. II Is Inconceivable that she could pos sibly Interfere In your affairs. I be litve you are perfectly safe here In every way, Miss Holbrook. If at the end of n week your brother has mad no sign, we shall be reasonably cer tain that ho has lost the trail." "I believe that Is true; and I thank you very much." I had como prepared to bo dlsll lusloned, to find her charm gone, bu her small figure had even an added (Mstinction; her ways, her manner an added graco. I found myself resist lug the temptation lo call her quaint, as Implying too much; yet I felt that in somo olden time, on somo noblo estate In lingland, or, better, in some storied colonial mansion In Virginia, Hhe must have had her homo In years long gone, living on with no Increase of age to this present. Sho suggested peace and gentleness and a beautiful patience; and I strove to Bay amusing things, that I might enjoy her rare luminous smile and catch her eyes when she gave me her direct gaze In 1 tho quick, challenging way that marked her ns a woman of position and experience, who had been more given to command than to obey, j "Did you think I wns never coming, ; Aunt Pat? That shore-path calb for more strenuous effort than I Imagined, and I had to change my gown again." Helen Holbrook advanced quickly and stood by her aunt's rhulr, nodding to mo smilingly, nnd while we ex changed tlie commonplaces of the day, fho caught up Miss Pat's hand and held It n moment caressingly. Tho maid now brought tho tea, Miss Pat poured It nnd tho talk went forward cheerily. "Oh. Mr. Donovan," said Helen Hol brook, as I put down her cup, "thore are some letters I should llko to write and I wish you would tell mo whether it Is safe to have letters come for us to Annandale; or would it be better to send nothing from here at all? It does seem odd to have to ask such a question" and she concluded In a tone of distress and looked at me ap- peallngly. "Wa must taka no risks whatever, Helen," remarked Miss Pat, decisively. "Does no one know where you are?" I Inquired, of, Mlsa ratrlcla. "My lawyer, in New York,-has the name of this place, sealed; and he put It away In a safety box and promised not to open It unless some thing of very great importance hap pened." "It Is best to take no chances," I said; "so I should answer your ques Hon In tho negative, Miss Holbrook In tho course of a few weeks every thing may seem much clearer; and In the meantime It will bo wiser not to communicate with tho outer world." "They deliver mall through tho country here, don't they?" asked Hel en. "It must be a great luxury for the tho fanners to have tho postofllee at their very doors." Tes, hut tha ieTioo! and Mr. 0n arm always send for their own mall to Annandale." "Our mall Is all going to my law ycr," said Miss Put, "and It must wait until we can have it sent to us with out danger." "Certainly, Aunt Tat," replied Hel en, readily. "I didn't mean to give Mr. Donovan the Impression that my roiTP;ionden(;o was enormous; but It IF P iloneyTallis fan and it does We should sell you an over coat THIS WEEK Any overcoat in stock at one fourth off for cash. Our Loss Your Gain e. e. ESeOTT'S sons. "Where Quality Counts." TRADE REVIEW FORJUE WEEK, Industrial Operations Are Still Below Ite Hernial. New York, Feb. 12. liradutreet'l says: Unsettled, stormy weather bai accentuated tho quiet prevailing 1( general trade and tho situation as a whole Is rather Irregular. Tho first of tho spring season's buyers excur slons are, however, attracting mer chants to tho leading markets oust and west and while roimorvutisin char Uttei'l'.es dealing, tho feeling is still one of optimism as to the future. Iq tho industries, operations us a whole ure blill below tho normal. lX'st re ports (nine from lliu textile trades, particularly cotton ami woolen dresj goo ilu lliK.-i. Tlie metal cud coal trudes'aro rather conspicuous for the. dullness of demand and the continu ance lu the former iieliirrry of output at a reduced rate. Reports as to cot lections reflect the Irregularities dm to tho weather or the reduced purcha lug power of tho country and are still only about fair. Wheat exports for the week aggr gate 2,070,751 bushel. Corn export! for the week are 1,281,349 bushels. SOUTH DAKOTUEGISLATURE. Warm Debate Over Headlight Bill, Which Passes by Decisive Vote. lierre, 8. D., Feb. 12.-Tho housa was easily tho center of attraction when the electric headlight bill was up for action. Tho debate warmed up beloru 11 was finished and was shut off by the previous question, when tha bill passed uy a vole of S2 to 18. Tho senate passed the houso resolu tion for the submitting lo the people o un amendment to tho constitution al lowing state lands to bu leased for ag ricultural purposes. Among the houso bills Introduced was one by Morris, re-enacting tha primary election law, to cut out two primaries In presidential years and such other amendment us may be deemed best. Tho houso passed the bill to make 11 a misdemeanor to drink Intoxicating liquors or bo drunk on a passuugci train and giving JuhUccs generul Juris diction to deal with such cases; aud postponed tho hill for tnsurnnco ol bank deposits until Wednesday of next week, Ihe bill being opposed In Hi present shape by Speaker Chaney, who left the chair to tako a part lu the discussion. m CHieoo VW (Continued next Issue.)