Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-01-07


no seats, no cushions, nothing in fact,
there are only the barest ribs of timber
to hold on by. No Lady can ride in one
without real discomfort, and-not a lit
tie discredit to herself"
"What do you meanto insinuate, sir 2"
Valcour exclaimed angrily.
II iusinuate nothing" Douglas re-
piled coolly. II state the case without
equivocation."
Then he turned to the coachman and
said in low tone:
stop here, pleased Ladies, I am
obliged to leave you; good morning,
Maj. Valcour!"
"Drive onl' Valcour cried as he NUT
tered something under his breath.
Alan Douglas had leaped lightly out
of the sleigh, and, lifting his hat, began
to retrace the road back to Montreal.
"Well, of all the petty exhibitions I
ever did see!" exclaimed Stella with a
look of scorn.
"He was afraid we'd ask him to join
US" whispered Valcour. "He needn't
have disturbed himself"
"The idea of man of his age being
so superlatively cautiousl" Stella added
derisively. Il call that downright cow
ardice."
Valcour was, of course, not i'll pleased
to find his rival in disgrace, but Nora
looked back at the retreating figure of
Alan Douglas with different feeling.
"You will take me, won't you, Mai.
Volcour?" Stella asked coquettishly.
To which, Valcour, of course, re.
piled that he would take her anywhere
she wished to go.
"We might go this afternoon" he
said, redectively; "the 1ce looks pretty
sound, and there's a fine breeze blow.
ing"
*Yes, yes! do let us go this after.
noonp' Stella urged eagerly.
And so it was arranged.
The Victorine, splendid little ice.
yacht, lay just off the landing. Valcou,
had provided cushions and robes TO,
her, but Stella was somewhat surprised
to learn that Alan Douglas had come
pretty near the truth.
They had met him on their way down
to the river, but he passed on with the
slightest of formal salutes.
lis there no one else going with us p
Stella asked in surprise, as Eugene Val
cour tucked the robes about her, and
seated himself in a half-reclining post.
ure at her side.
"No," he answered with smile. Il
can manage the boat myself, and the
Viotorine is SO small there is hardly
room for more. Besides" he added, in
lower and more tender tone, swould
not another person be de trop? You
are not afraid to trust yourself with
me?"
"Oh, no." Stella answered with
heightened color.
Then the sails caught the wind as it
went whistling by, and away they sped
over the smooth, glittering surface OF
the ice.
Lying in the stern of the boat, Stella
looked up at the clear blue sky and out
at the snow-clad mountains which
skirted their path on either side.
Every object she fixed her eyes upon
appeared to vanish as if by magic. The
boat seemed to skim through the air.
Even the express train which came
bowling along on the east bank of the
river was left far in the rear.
The wind huttered Stella's hair and
famed the color in her cheeks into q
bright flame; her eyes sparkled with en-
joyment, and laughter fairly dubbed to
her lips.
"Isn't this perfectly splendid?" she
cried for the sixth or seventh time, as
the VictOrine circled and tackled in a
lively breeze.
"There is another boat making this
way" Valcour observed. 1T must be q
poor sailer. With only one man in it,
it ought to have passed US long ago" :
Stella watched it for awhile, and then
lay back in the stern of the Victorine
with her eyes closed.
"She is catching up with us" Valcour
exclaimed presently; but Stella was
not the least bit interested in the chase.
II feel as il was drifting away into
dreamland somewhere" she said; and
then she felt a firm hand held softly
over her own.
This brought her to her senses; she
opened her eyes with a start, and found
Eugene Valcour looking down at her
with an expression she could not mis-
take.
II wish We could go drifting on this
way forever" he said passionately, "you
and I, darling"
For the moment his hold on the
rudder had relaxed, and he forgot that
constant vigilance was required of him.
"Look out!" was the clear, ringing
shout that came from the boat in the
rear; but it came too late.
The Viotorine had borne down upon
one of those treacherous air-holes. In
an instant she was capsized, and both
Stella and Valcour were struggling in
the water.
A cold and frightful plunge was all
that she remembered till hours had
passed and she found herself lying in
bed while Nora chafed her wrists and
temples with alcohol.
"Thank Godw Nora cried fervently,
as Stella opened her eyes. Tell MI.
Douglas she is SAFE"
@Where is Mr.. Valcour ?" Stella asked
feebly.
Nora's face flushed Indignantly.
AT homer she answered shortly.
he has behaved shamefully, Stella.
When the boat upset he just left you to
drown, and tried to save himself. IF it
hadn't been for Alan Douglas you
wouldn't be here now"
did Alan save my Gfef" Stella asked
tremulously.
"Yes. Oh, he has acted like . hero
to-day. He saw you set out, and felt SO
fearful for your safety that he took an
other boat and followed you. He was
right near at hand when the accident
occurred"
Stella had nothing to say Just then;
but when evening came abe met Alan
Douglas taoe to faoe. !