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Updated: June 18, 2025
It lay all cuddled on the bosom of a green hill; to the west stretched meadows and orchard along the winding valley of the river; to the east extended more grass-land that emerged into ferny coombs and glades and river dells, all alive with the light of wild flowers and the music of birds, with the play of dusky sunshine in the still water, and of shadows on the shore.
"Are those oars in her, Dan?" "Why, you don't suppose I'm going to row her, do you?" laughed Mr. Bangs. "We sometimes has to, when we doesn't want to," said Coombs laconically. "No fun staying out all night if the wind dies out." "Oh, yes, of course," responded Mr. Bangs. "Get aboard, ladies." "I don't believe you know how to sail a boat, Augustus," said Mrs. Bangs, eying her husband doubtfully.
"Oh, do you!" I returned carelessly. "All right, then, we 'll let it go at that; only please remember the lady is under my protection. What is your name?" "Coombs," in better humor, feeling he had bluffed me. "Bill Coombs." "Can we have a bit of lunch?" "I reckon yer can. Ol' Sally is a rustlin' some grub now. I stirred her up when I furst cum in."
The fourth and last of the feminine contingent was Miss Dorothy Coombs Dot, as they called her a young woman of attractive blond prettiness. For a man Castleton was of very small stature. He had a pink-and-white complexion, a small golden mustache, and his heavy eyelids, always drooping, made him look dull.
Dorothy Coombs slept through twenty-four hours, and then was so difficult to awaken that for a while her friends were alarmed. Helen almost fell asleep while eating and talking. The men were more visibly affected by the mountain air than the women. Castleton, however, would not succumb to the strange drowsiness while he had a chance to prowl around with a gun.
In the upper hall Coombs threw open the rear door, and, stood aside, not even looking within. I glanced past him. There was the furniture as I remembered it, the dirty walls, the opened window. But the overturned chair stood against the wall, the cards were stacked on the table, and there was no body lying on the floor.
You will not leave, and let me ferret out the mystery alone, so we must work together in its solution. I have told you that Coombs claims to be working under the orders of your husband. Is that possible?" "I cannot conceive clearly how it could be, and yet he might have received notice of his father's death in time to assume control of the estate by telegraph, or even by letter."
You see, we got the idea in our heads that it was an escaped convict hiding out on the island; but none of us ever thought of a crazy man, and poor old Wesley Coombs at that." "After he went in you fastened the door, did you?" the other asked. "I had a heavy log handy, and this I propped up against the door, so no single man could ever push it open.
Then sitting rigidly erect, the same man who afterward rode through an ambush of cattle-stealing rustlers who were determined to kill him, he said, "I'm thinking ye acted imprudently maist imprudently, but I'm not saying ye could have got your wages otherwise oot o' Coombs. Weel, I'll take Jasper's security for it that ye'll be here, and away back to report to my superior.
"A fine specimen, from the looks of the place; what was you ordered to grow weeds?" "Thet 's none o' your business." "It 's the business of the lady upstairs, Coombs, and I am representing her at present. It will be just as well for you to be civil. Who appointed you to this position the administrators?" "I reckon not." "Ever hear of a man named Neale, P. B. Neale?" "No." "Or Justus C. Vail?"
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