Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-01-10

~ IttId1C lI1C lO-Fi igIiIh ~ II te--
"Well, of all the pretty exhibits ever
did see r' Stella exclaimed with look |
Of scorn.
'He was afraid we'd ask him to join
Us" whispered Valcour. "He needn't
have disturbed himself"
1.-The idea of man, Of his age being
50 superlatively cautious = Stella added
derisively. II call that downright COW
ardice.''
Yalcour was, OF course, not i'll pleasel
to find his rival in diGgrace; bnt Nora
looked back at the retreating figure Of
Alan Douglas with different feeling.
'..You will take me, won't you, Major
Valcour 2" Stella asked coquettishly.
To which valcour, of course, replied
hat he would take her anywhere she
, Wished to 60
"We might go this afternoon" h.
,aid refectivelv; "the ice looks pretty
sound. and there's fine breeze blow
ing"
eyes, yes do let us go this after
noon p Stella urged eagerly,
! And so it was arranged.
The Victorine. a splendid little ice
yacht lay just of the landing. Va]cour
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 MIN on their way down
to the river, but he passed on with the
slightest of formal salutes.
sis there no one else going with Us? y
Stella asked in surprise, as Eugene Val
cour tucked the robes about her, and
seated himself in half-reclining posture
| a. her side.
"No." he answered with a smile. 81
can manage the boat myself, and the
Victorine IS SO small there is hardly
room for more. Besides, he added in
a lower and more tender tone, "would
not another person be dc trops You
are not afraid to trust yourself with
me?'
"Oh. mol" Stella answered with
heightened color.
Thhn the sails caught tho wind as it
went whistling by, ana away they sped
over the smooth, glitterlng 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 til e 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 nair. and
famed the color in her cheeks into a
bright flame; her eyes sparzled with en-
joyment, and Laughter fairly bubblcd to
her lips.
"Isn't this perfectly splendid ?" she
cried for the sixth or seventh time, as
the Victorine circled and tackled in q
lively breeze
"There is another boat making this
way Valcour observed. ''It must be a
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. yalcour
exclaimed presently; bnt Stella was not
the least bit interested IN tie chase.
II feel as if I were drifting away into
dreamland somewhere" she said; and
then size felt firm hand held softly
over her own.
This brought her to her senses; sne
opened her eyes with start and founo
Eugene Valcour looking down at hel
with an expression she could not mis-.
take
Il wish we could go drifting on thi:
way for ever" he said passionately, ''yog
and I, darling
For the moment his hold on the rud
der had relaxed, and he forgot that con
stant vigilance was required OF him
Look on. T. was the clear RINGING
, shout that came from the boat in tn
rear, bnt it came too late.
The Eictorine had bore down upoI
one Of those treacherous air-holes. L
an instant she had capsized, ani bot
) Stella and Ealcour were struggling i
} the water. ,..->.,--
4 cold and frightful plunge vas al
: that she remembered till hours ha.
; passed, and she found herself lying /
bed, while Nora chafel, her wrists an,
temples with alcohol
Thank God y Nora cried, fervently
as Stella opened her eyes. TEL Vi,
: Douglas she is safe
! where IS Mr.: valcour :" SteI
asked, feebly.
Nora's face flushed Indignantly.
AT home T. she answered., shortly
. He has behaved shamefullv, S.e,la
, When the boat unset, lie Just lett vo
l. 49,