St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-08-19

other she held the tiller and kept the
boat still before the wind. By-and-by,
however, the clouds broke and the
WING veered. The water gradually
calped, the boat rocked less and less,
and Dare too had fallen asleep.
Early the next morning Mrs Peters
came TO the door of the little cottage on
Star Island, and shading her eyes with
her hand, looked out over the sea 1t
promised to be fair day. The storm
had cleared of in the night, and fresh
breeze was blowing from the southwest.
Nothing, however, could be seen of the
dory, and rs the dory ought to hive
been home the afternoon before, Mrs.
Peters began to be 4 little worried. She
had not worried till now, because Dare
could not be expected to come home in
a storm. The child had 10 doubt put
into kittery Point and staid all
night with the Grays, as she had
done before under like circumstances.
But in that case she ought to be coming
home now. Mrs. Peters looked toward
the little cove where the dorv was ac-
customed to lie; and to her great sur
prise discovered a masthead rising
above the intervening rocks. The mast
was not rocking, as it would be if the
dory were i'll the water. The boat must
be drawn up on the beach. But who had
done that? Had Dare come home in
the night? With quick beating at
her heart, Mrs. Peters ran over the
rocks down toward the beach. There
was the dory sure enough. How had it
cot there, and who was in it?
Dare was in it for one. Her head,
from which the hat had fallen off, rested
on the gunwale; her eyes were closed
in sleep and though the position must
have been very uncomfortable, her lips
were parted in half-smile. On her
lap rested the head of another girl,
whom Mrs. Peters did not know, but
who was also sleeping, while boy re-
posed in the bow. What did it all
mean9 With an unusual display of
feeling, Mrs. Peters leaned over and
kissed Dare.
The girl opened her eyes.
els it time to get up?' she asked,
dreamly.
Il should think it was" said Mrs. Pc
ters. briskly. "And what [ want to
know is how YOU got here
Dare looked around in bewildered
surprise. "Why, we must have drift
ed,' she exclaimed 1--WE We're miles
away from here last night Mollie,
DEAR she cried, leaning over and kiss
ing the head that rested in her lap, sits
morning, and we've got home
Mollie sprang up, rubbing her eyes.
"Why did you let me sleep SO lon ?'
she cried, penitently. Il might have
he1 ped you with the sail"
Dare laughed Il have been asleep
myself all night she confessed, g and
the dory found its own way home
Nobody could ever understand by
what peculiar conjunction of wind and
current the little boat had been carried
on through the darkness to the strip of
sandy beach that formed its haven. 1T
wouldn't happen once in a million
times" Captain Peters exclaimed. when
he was told the story; while Mrs.
Peters declared, with equal emphasis,
that no one could make her believe that
it wasn't a providence. AS for Mollie'
father and mother, they didn't care how
it happened, SO long as Mollie was safe;
and when they had satisfied themselves
as to that, they began to look about for
ways in which to express their gratitude
to Dare. And though Dare declares
that she does not want any thanks, and
that it is pleasure enough for her to
know Mollie, it is quite likely that some
thing will be done for her benefit. For
one thing, she is going to spend next
winter with Mollie, and 60 to. school in
New Iork-a prospect which delights
Mollie not less than it does Dare. ''Only
I'm afraid Mollie remarks, appre-
hensiHely., when they are discussing the
''that Tom won't be civil
And Dare, to whom Tom has already
shown several awkward attentions, an
swers, with smile and a blush: so.
Tom is sucha goose!t But think he llhe
civil, dear. "-Hapea's 10ung People.
?