The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-04-23

ment in dismay when she knew that she
was the only person to go with him, but
entering the boat Immediately, with the
habit of obedience, and taking her seat
M he cast off the painter. eve shall be
put to our mettle to catch them" he
said, nodding, as they rounded about, al
the two boats resting on the wide sheet
of the gilded river, and looking, with
their extended oars against the light, like
distant and enormous water insects; and
| he bent his oars SO that that they few
forward as if with the strokes of giant,
fast overhauling those in advance.
Agatha had nothing to say; and if Col
onel MastineuX had he didn't say it.
Presently they were abreast of Roger
and Charles. "Ship ahoy!" cried Mrs.
Julian. "Now if you will back water, u
she cried to Charles, "we will return to
our places" But Colonel Mastineux
had only tossed his hat in challenge and
shot by; and when they had gone dozen
boat-lengths he turned to Agatha and
showed his white teeth with gay laugh.
NEATLY done, said he. And if at the
moment Agatha felt n thrill of ofiense is
was not very strange. What right had
he to acquiesce in such an arrangement,
or to take it for granted that it would be
agreeable to her? "Now you are
vexed," said he; "but if between Aunt
Odiorne and Cousin Roger man is
forced to make his own opportunities,
why are you vexed L should like to
know" And they were still sweeping
on with his long strokes.
They shot round the bend Of the river
under the golden green shadow of the
overhanging birches and locusts, and out
upon the broad bay-like expanse, where
the sunset splendor was painted, and
where the low shores of the meadow is
lands beyond already mingled with the
twilight haze. the purple river, and the
sunset air, us if they were the picture of
II dream. Then he paused. "Is it
worth forgiving me for?" he said.
sob, it liz perfect" cried Agatha.
$50 it is, he cried. But he was not
looking at the sunset
eve are going into fairy-land," she
said.
What pity We had to stop!"
sob no" she answered, sit was best,
before we discovered the truth. Now
fairyland is always just ahead. We
hesitate Oh the border, and feel we could
cross ii we would"
"You don't prick your bubbles?"
Not 30 long as they make colors i'll
the sum-"
Lucky for you," he said, "if Fate
doesn't take take the matter into her own
hands,"
"Oh, Fate doesn't concern herself
much with me-" said Agatha, with a
light-hearted little laugh, forgetting her
recent displeasure, and abandoning her.
self to the enjoyment of the lovely hour,
the cool, sweet watcr-breath, the cordial,
friendly tones, in spite of what her aunt
might say. "She hasn't found me out.
And you don't breathe of it lest she
should remember that she has overlooked
the poor Miss Odiorne."
Then they both laughed together.
And Colonel Mastineux feathered an oar,
and shot away n little further toward
fairyland.
81 wonder where the others are?"
said he. "They ought to be along by
this"
"Oh!" cried Agatha. "You see the
tide is turning-has turned. They know
the river and have turned too. Please,
We must not delay, or we shall be
aground somewhere ourselves"
"Is there any danger of it?" he ex-
claimed.
81 don't know" she said doubtfully.
"The river is full of rocks up here"
1.-THE outlying dependencies of these
islands. Well, we will make the best of
our way back, and shame the laggards
by flying by them again"
CRATE, shock, dead halt, and they
were fast, and the darkening river was
flowing by them.
"Oh, it is the Table Rock" cried
Agatha.
lyon are like that old pilot who knew
every rock in the river because he had
been on them all, said Mastineux, as he
pushed with this oar and that. "Why
in the world isn't such rock as this
buoyedP"
"There are no buoys at all. You
know it is pleasure stream; it does nc
business. Oh, don't You think ii We
stepped out"
"Stepped out Stir at your peril !!
said Mastineux. And he then padded q
while, and he tried to go forward, and he
tried to go backward, and he nearly
broke his oar in two, the tide still slip.
ping away from them, 30 fast now that
you could hear it 60; and he handed hel
to the other end Of the boat to trim it,
and then TO the middle near himself, hel
heart beating like reed in the wind.
But it was of no use; as far out us hi
oars could reach they only splashed the
water and struck the rock, and with Q
! lap or two more of the tide there was nc
water there to splash, only the slippery
mud and the bare stone.
sob, what shall wedo? ?" cried Agatha
"What shall we do? what"
Shall we do?" said he. He was
outside now himself, in the dim CLEAN
remaining, trying to drag the boat ovel
the fiat surface. But it was not entirely
fiat; the small jagged protrusions began
to tear the wood, and he ceased.
"But ii get out too, perhaps we car
lift it together, and launch it in deeI
water"
Impracticable, said he. "The wa
ter runs 80 fast that the rock is all but {
precipice on three sides already, and
down this sideo slippery mud and blacl
pools and pointed assures it would not
be possible to find way"
care you sure?"
"Oh, quite sure. And then if W,
should swamp the boat, when the tide
rises there would be nothing before us
If you will put your arms around my
neck, / will undertake to swim ashore
with you, if / can. But-Nol no! Thel
all we have to do" said Colonel Masti
neux, "is to make the time short fo
each other till the returning tide float
us off," and he took his seat beside he
in the boat.
Agatha burst into tears.
"Oh, how dreadful! how dreadful!
she sobbed. "What will my aunt-wha
will all the world say?"
"Why do you care what they say, 8,
long as it was unavoidable, and our owl
consciences are at ease? All, be quiet
will you distress me?" And he tool
down one of her little hands and kept it
"After ALL" he said, sit is nothing to
night I had when we were ont in tn
Sioux country" And before Agath
was quite aware of it, with the tears still
sparkling on her cheeks and her eye
like the late August stars that were shin
ing over them, she was looking up an
, listening, all absorbed. He broke o
suddenly with a laugh, and began I
: sing, the rich notes of his voice rollin
l and echoing ON the woody shores.
81 have heard the song before, but
never sounded like that" she said; an
then, as he sang another was Singh
4 too, and he ceased while her voice ros
Y in the dusk, as if in the clear height {
g its resonant and glorious soprano