The Red Cloud chief., 1882-08-18

" LIit W.
ert Isle, for its few sanar. feet ~ x,,-
lace supported not SO much As q blade
OF grass or a bit Of moss.
Hop OUT said Tom. .rye cot IN
see 10 The boat guess you can climb
up u the top easy enough"
W course, i can" said Josephine:
"as II L needed your help. you little
In a moment she stood Mt the ton of
n rock. and in another momen a de-
risise laugh came from below.
"Good-by. 10; I hope You'll enjoy
yourself. "Fil see YOU later"
flato says: "A boy is the most
vicious OF all wild beasts" Plato and
Miss Vail were Of one opinion on that
point. She looked about her and took
IN the situation. She was monarch Of
ABOUT twenty-five square feet of rough
gray rock. the sides Of which descend
ed abruptly to the water. Perchei
high on this massive pedestal, her figure
stood out against the sky in bold relief.
a book and parasol were her only ac-
eessorics: Tor by some happy inspira-
ton she had chung TO these. The sun
was high In h heavens, but its hot
rays were mercifully tempered by q
soft breeze on the lake.
Josephine seated herself, raised her
parasol and opened her book. She faced
the probability that at least two hours
OF monday solitude were before her.
The only philosophical course of action
was to make the best Of il. But what a
situation TO be discovered in. She re-
mcmberef with satisfaction that n large
party had gone on n picnic to-day
and the ~dowagers left behind were not
given TO boating at high noon. She
tried TO think how she should laugh il
Oh ii ANYBODY should see her, but un-
der the most cheerful aspect she seemed
TO herself a ridiculous spectacle. To
be ridiculous in a good cause had in il
an element OF heroism. but the present
situation was n of unmitigated ab-
surdity, and Josephine Vail always felt
the heroic rather than the comic 10 be
her forte. Once tears Of real vexatiOn
started as her head began TO throb i IN
sympathy with the hot pulsations Of the
air about her.
An hour had dragged its length along
when Josephine suddenly fitted her
head and listened painfully. A mans
voice singing and the splash of oars.
and, yes, in a instant, a boat swung
slowly round the bend. One man sat in
it. lazily rowing aud lazily singing.
"Itsthat btase creature who whatched
us OF this morning." thought Josephine.
'It's a type | dctest. And { think
he should see me here. It's really more
than 1 can endure" The girl looked
with envy on the tortoise which slipped
easily from the base OF the rock into the
water as he heard the disturbing sound
of oars.
al hope he'll have the good taste To
suppose | came here of nv own free
will. He wouldn't think of interfering
with me, l hope. What? l believe he's
coming straight toward me-"
Josephine turned the leaves Of her book
with an interest thstgrew every moment
more intense. But at last dencency
required some recognition of the near
ing boat. The young nan was rowing
now as il he had n renewed interest i'm
life. He was soon a. the base of the
rock.
81 beg your pardon" he said. as hc
raised his hat; "can l be of any as
sistancc to you?'
tIS Wv INV VIZ hlIa
me in a very absurd position"
"You have evidently been ship
wrecked. Are you the sole SURVIVOR"
mo. not shipwrecked. but put ashore
and abandoned by my cruel tyrant of a
brother. To tell you the truth. sir. l am
the victim of a practical joke. My little
brother has left me here while he goes
further mp the lake to visit some friends
who are camping there"
Il beg you will make use of my boat,
then. to return will come up 10 you
in one moment"
Leaping out of his boat before Miss
Vail could say a word, he drew it up on
a low shelf of the rock and quickly
reached her side.
"Let me help you,' the young man
said, with such a firm assurance of
good-breeding. that she made no resist
ancc or attempt ut independence, but
accepted the proflered aid in q quiet,
matter-of-course way.
Your boat! your boat, sir" she sud
denly cried. II was too late. The ris-
ing breeze drove the wator with such
! force against the rock rs TO dislodge the
boat, and before Adams could grasp il,
the little craft was gayly fitting about. a
half-dozen yards away.
The two looked Mt each other q mo-
, ment and then simply laughed. though
: both were conscious of its being qucs-
tionable taste.
Adams so5ered and said: "Can you
ever forgive me Miss"
! Miss Vail. am Miss Vail"
"And | am M. Adams. Can YOU be
m~agnanimons enough TO forgive mc?'
THAT is the question l should ask
) you"
"Ah. you cvade mine. At n rate.
. l shall never forgive myself. A worse
bit of bungling l never SAN. The truth
| is. Miss Vail. 1 have had very little eN-
! perience in rcscuing fair ladies. You
are the first whose life I have tried to
save | am no hero, as you see"
! The genuine annoyance of her com
, panion reused the compassion Of Jose
phine. and she began to talk to him with
a desperate cheerfulness and acceptance
of the situation.
"Wha a cold blooied little villain
that brother of yours must be. Miss
Vail, I desert you in this fashioni l
suppose we must throw ourselves on his
mercy when he comes back. How are
; YOU going - account for me? Consider
: me your man Friday"
Beneath their light talk ran An under
current of more OF less bitter medita-
ton on the part of each. Miss Vail
shuddered to think what a good story
this adventure would make for circula-
; ton among her friends, while Adams
forcsaw how il would add to the con-
viviality Of his club. He began with the
, fervent wish that he was out of this cou-
founded scrapc, but he o forgot to
|, be annoyed. and what is more. to be in
different. He ended, / am obliged TO
confess. by ceasing to envy Robinson
Crusoe his isle. and considering his own
far preferable. There WAS = breczineSs
about this girl that made one forget the
|. mounting thermometer. She had .
way of going to the point, and. more