The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-09

| NA-CN VI NOSloO SAO A"u AOO' LII
without a word.
He lifted his hat.
"My friend is a new kind of knight
Grant" he said: she rescues the maid
en- out of the hands of her bad brother.
''All boys are hard to manage" sh
said, simply. Johnny isn't bad"
so, no." replied Ellington, smooth
ing with bland tact all sarcasm out o
his assent, but in so doing emphasize
it in such a way that the satire wa
broad as daylight
Not in any sense bad" she added
as if her sentence had been interrupted
''On the contrary, he is very good"
Then, sensible that by her hot de
| Tense she would only confirm the gen
tleman in his poor opinion of johnny
she explained:
81 have no government. He mind
mamma perfectly"
This was such a transparent bit o
unselfshness that Ellington relaxed hi.
grim scrutiny of her and smiled. HI
turned his gaze lakeward that she
might nOtfeel herself studied so closely
Some distance cut from shore JOHNNY
was plunging his oar about in a mos
unskillful and energetic fashion, while
Cragmore was trying to adapt hi;
calmer stroke to the various emer.
gencies of his neighbours irregularitv.
They could hear his voice giving occa
siODal quiet Instructions. Presently
JOhnny'S hat blew Off.
go, shoot the hat"' he cried.
The two on shore could hear every
word distinctly. The young girl turned
quick look at Ellington, as if that
spontaneous slang must surely convict
Johnny, but she laughed softly to her
self as she watched her hopeful strug-
giles to regain the lost article, combined
with Cragmore's TO keep the boat right
side up.
In thus watching the boat, he
her face-a silence fell between them.
Something nearer like interest than
anything he had before felt reused Ed
ington. The girl within such close
range had singuIarly mobile and ex-
presSive countenance. He could not
take his eyes from it. 1t was the mir
rOr OF every fleeing emotion to such a
degree that the temptation became
great to stir it with surprises, or even
to shock it with alarm So he said,
drawing his brow down with frown
of anxiety:
They make quite frolic of this
norther A"
No reply-she evidently had not
heard-but quite an outburst of merri-
ment, as Johnny flung his oar in air.
deluging Cragmore with all the water
he brought out with it. She appeared
TO have great faith in Cragmore, for
she was not even uneasy.
'Cragmore isn't much of seaman"
A faint pallOr answered this.
But have seen a worse blow, of
course. Rough as it is, a genuine
sailor would probably only call this
water little lumDv.'n
''DO you-is there danger in a small
boat?'
20, no. L presume Cragmore can
swim" .-.H
''But. Johnny! o dear All, you
are trying to tease me-" Her eyes and
dimples running the entire gamut Of
fear, rally. and distrust, ending in q
fine resentment. 1t was small drama,
all over in minute. Then and there,
convinced she had been played upon.
she dismissed Ellington entirely from
her notice. She put her hands to her
lips and called OF clear, long
''HelloI'
"No wonder Johnny don't mind"
thought Ellington, ''she'S Is much of q
boy as he"
"Hellom answered Johnny, drop
ping his oar to make trumpet OF his
hands.
''Ship ahoy!" she called.
Ave, aye, sir" answered Johnny.
This exhausted their nautical vOcab-
ulary, or Cragmore admOEished him,
for he took his oar again.
Ellington began to tire of this. He
was not only practically excluded. but
she kept the broad brim of that ugly
beach hat reSolHtely toward him. He
could see nothing but the sweet line of
her chin. He could watch the figure,
though. and that made him think of
rush, it was SO tall, and supple, and
slim. ''She might have grown in this
water" he thought, ''and caught her
motion from these waves. She ought to
dress in green"
He walked about Ticking the stones
with his cane. This came of having
an eccentric friend. There was never
any knowing what CracmOre would do
next. His life consisted of going from
ahSurdity to absurdty. Tied to his ca
price was almost as bad as to have
wife and be entangled in the legendary
apron strings. Meantime, Cragmore
had probably noticed the restless pacing
of his friend, for he skillfully began
nearing shore, and before the small boy
could protest the nose of their boat
grated on the huge pebbles.
"O-see here" exclaimed Johnny,
when he found his voyage at an end,
s'don't let's land"
40, yes," said Cragmore, ''this will
do for now. See, here comes the owner
of the boat Perhaps you can bargain
with him for longer trip
A little stuffv man in goggles, purple
in the face from too diligent in
spection of the agate crop approached
them.
"This lad wanted a ride" explained
Cragmore, land 1 took the liberty of
using your boat to give him a turn or
Two. Any agateS:?h
A grunt, accompanied by signif-
cant patting of the bullying pockets,
was the only response. The amateur
geologist had hunted himself RIGA in
stones.
The young lady stepped forward.
''YOu are very kind, indeed, SIR" she
said to Cragmore. Il am sure Johnny
is greatly obliged to you. Come.
Johnny" reaching her hand to him,
lit is almost noon.
She made sweeping inclination of