The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-12-13
surety Won Won11 rnoW whore he is..

surely you WON'T rnow where he is"
The words hurt Antoinette, innocenb
" as they were spoken; but sho only
answered quietly:
He went away a long time ago. II.
was going out to the Ledge"
Then he has returned before this
tho tide is coming i'm
Antoinetto felt a sudden inoxplicable
fear. She turned and went out OF the
house and off in the direction of tn,
beach, Perhaps it Was habit: she had
grown accustomed to think of him as u
need of looking after.
Richard Lester had finally come to hiE
senses. He remembered now that hJ
must return. The tide was coming in
and rowing would be delightful ant
easy.
But to his u~nspcakablc dismay tn,
boat was nowhere To be seen.
Gomez he said in y faint confused
tone. what shall | dopn
He looked sl.orcward and fancicd ht
saw the boat empty, tossing and drift,
ing on the waters that had wooed il
He kept on looking until his eyes wert
| dim.
There was no one to SEQ or hear him
And still the water rose above the rocks
He had not tried to swim since his i'll!
ness. 1t was y long distance, and lit
had never been a strong swimmer.
He still looked vainlv landwarl. AnC
still the water rose about the rocks.
Then he covered his face.
"a punishment he groancd; IS,
just punishment for my ~actious!'
He wished he could only see An.oi
nette once more and ask her to foreiy.
him. Perhaps she had cared. Pcrhap.
she would be sorry. He would never
see her again, or any other living
creature. For he could never reach tn,
land.
He would wait until the last moment
then attempt to swim it. But he had nc
hope.
1t was getting Of towards dusk. The
water rising would soon have covered
the rocks.
He tried to think calmly. He won.
dered if Eiinor would erieve. Hi
understanding choked HIM as h,
thought of his mother.
"Oh, Heavcn!" he cried with Il sob.
Then-thcn what was that?
The sound of oars?
He turned swiftly. u%ncovering hi.
face.
A boat! Thank God! A boat wa
creeping against the tide, and some
thing white glimmercd through The
twilight. And all ut once he felt it mus
be she.
'Antoinette." he cried out her nam,
as if it We're his dearest hope.
And then her clear sweet voice rams
back to him:
YES. 1t is /. l must pull CAREFUL,
just here;' and slowly she drew close t.
the rocks.
"Now," she said. And he dropped
lightly in the boat.
You have saved me-" he said, and
his voice shook.
You could not have managed to swim
it," she answered.
81 suppose not. But l should have
tried.n
She shivered.
Thank Heaven. l remembered where
you WERE" she said.
He took the ours from her hands.
al will pull ashore" he said.
In silence she gave him her seat and
took the rope to steer,
She was thankful for the dusk, per.
haps, since it hid her pallor.
"Antoinette, | owe you my life"
She wis looking out intcntly for the
point ut which to steer.
81 am glad ] knew" she said.
He waited Il little, then spoke awk-
wardly:
What can | do 10 repay youen
ooh, hush!' She cried half impaticnt-
ly. lit was nothing"
at was life OF death to me- he said
in Il serious voice.
81 meant my coming out was moth
ing"
81 thought of you," he went on, land
of my mother"
And of Miss Hastings?:H she sus-
gcstcd without emotion.
''My mother would have missed me
most" he returned. '.Elinor would
have cared, ] suppose; but she is still
young, and young people ccovc from
"Do theypn asked Antoinette sharply.
Il do not think could, tiff anyone I
cared for We're lost
She puzzled him now. Perhaps he
had been utterly mistaken. Perhaps
she had a lover whom she loved.
"Therc is someone hat you care for,
dear child?" he said softly,
She started.
"Yes," she said detiantly.
Her answer brought him vast relief.
81 am so glad" he said earnestly.
81 would like TO plan the happiest future
for you. | suppose | shall be happy
myself. My mother is suited, and Miss
Hastings is very amiablc.'
They were close to the landing, and
Antoinctte seemed wholly occupied
with the boat.
Resting on his oars, he spoke with a
sudden impulse:
Tel me, are you very happy in this
Very happy" she answered, laugh
ing wildly. II would not change places
with anyone on earth"
Il am SO glad" he said once more.
IL feared-you won't be angy, An.
toinette? want to tell you the truth, |
think so much of you, dear child.
was afraid you might think Twas trying
toto uitle with you myself. God
knows | had no thought Of it. You
won't be angry, Antoinette?"
No. she answered softly; 81 an
not angry. l never thought of YOU as
G t%ritler."
And we shall always be friendsp"
always
The old pathetic ring was in hcl
voice.
They landed and walked slowly home.
ward.
At the gate he paused, and with q
sudden movement drew from his finger
the ring that had sparklcd there.
Wear this for my sake, dear Antoi.
nctte," he said.
She snatched her hand away with q
sharp cry:
'No-oh no! Not that"
But he. insisting, slipped it on.
Then she broke away from him and
ran in. I'm tn hep avn RI m