The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-01-10
be afraid to take half dozen people in

times is no indemnity against possible
accidents" Douglas said tersely Il
wouldn't care to take anyone with me
IN the Victorine-certainly not lady,"
"Oh, l wouldn't be a bit afraid"
Stella cried. Maj. Valcour, do take
me! 1 am dying to gol"
L am perfectly willing to take you,"
he said laughingly; "only you must
promise me immunity from prosecution
IN case anything dreadful happens to
you"
Alan Douglas face was overspread
with a sudden pallor.
Maj. Valcour," he said sternly, II
hope you have no serious thought of
doing anything so foolhardy."
The color rushed to Valcour's face,
and his eyes emitted an angry spark.
Il am at Miss Mark hams service" he
said shortly. Il shall take her if she
wishes to CO."
Certainly 1 dol" Stella cried. "If
there is any danger it will only add
zest to my enjoyment. l would like it
above all things-wouldn't you, Nora?"
NO, thanksl" her cousin answered
nervously. Il would rather be ex-
cused."
what are you afraid, too?" Stella
exclaimed, with an accent that brought
resentful flush to Alan's face.
She might as well have called him
coward.
Whether we are afraid or not, Miss
Markham" he said with quick, cutting
emphasis, Il feel it my duty to inform
you that ice-boating is not a suitable
sport fol- lady. In the first place, the
boats are mere skeletons, and the only
way to accommodate oneself to them is
to lie down tiatin the stern. There are
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 lit
tie discredit to herself"
What do you meanto insinuate, sir ?"
Valcour exclaimed angrily.
81 insinuate nothing" Douglas re-
piled coolly. Il 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. Valcourl"
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 1
ever did see!" exclaimed Stella with
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 cautious" 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, Maj.
Volcour?" Stella asked coquettishly.
To which, Vaicour, of course, re-
piled that he would take her anywhere
she wished to go.
"We might go this afternoon" he
said, rehectively; "the Ice looks pretty
sound, and there's a fine breeze blow
ing"
Yes, yesl do let us go this after
noonP Stella urged eagerly.
And so 1t was arranged.
The Victorine, splendid little ice
yacht, lay just off the landing. Valcour
had provided cushions and robes for
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.
as there no one else going with us ?"
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.
mo" he answered with smile. 81
can manage the boat myself, and the
Victorine is so small there is hardly
room for more. Besides" he added, in
lower and more tender tone, would
not another person be de trop? You
are not afraid to trust yourself with
me?"
"Oh, mop 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 futtered Stella's hair and
| famed the color in her cheeks into a
bright flame her eyes sparkled with en-
ioyment, and laughter fairly bubbled to
her lips.
"Ion't this perfectly splendid" sic
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. at must be
| 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 u.s." Valcour
exclaimed presently; but Stella was
not the least bit interested in the chase
Il feel as if l 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.
L wish we could go drifting on this
way forever" he said passionately, you
and l, 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.
/