Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-16

her hands. Guess we'd better wait Guess
I'll wait" said Rodney. holding the boat with
no evident flaw in this discrimination.
"Oh, dear. then, said Miss Falkner, "I'll run
back and see"
.'Kate-love-child. you're not going out in
that shaky little sail boat, surely? What would
your father ssy2 It's positively against his in
structions."
Instructions! Oh. boshr' said Kate. who
had certainly never regarded them as Of any
deepe significance. Come along"
but forbid you! l insist I'll forbid that
mani I'll tell him."
keep quiet or I'll kill your murmured Kate,
softly.
Thus threatened with her untimely decease,
at last Mrs. Hills wilted with the faintness Of
despair
''You look fustered, marm," said Rodney.
assisting her into the boat and regarding her
with far more attention than he had bestowed
on the younger woman.
Well may" replied Mrs. Hills, but glanced
at hate 8 smiling, unconscious face and dared
not proceed further.
BE you this young lady's mother?" inquired
the inqusitive dweler by the sea.
mo-" replied Mrs. Hills. Miss Faikners
mother was mercifuly taken from life's sor-
rows while her child was still a mere infant"
The young man received this piously and
simply. Kate heard much more in il than he
did. She laughed.
I'VE are going over to Cone Island blue fish
ing, dear Mrs. Hills" she said 1.-The effort
would be more fatiguing for you than my
father could possibly allow. Will you remain
In the boat, which will probably be safe unless
gale should come up, or select q place Of
shelter on the island, being careful to get out
OF the reach Of high tide, however,"
Mrs. Hills shivered.
"Nhy shol" said Rodney, ''Tn see that Mrs.
Hills is safe and comfortable-safe and COM
Portable. too-why, shot,
Mrs. Hills was inspired with q sudden CRATE
full confidence in Rodney. She was not ill
pleased 10 seat herself in a quiet nook under
his direction, with her book. and depute to him
for a few hours the espionage Of her delightful
charge.
Il guess you'll enjoy this more than trolling
for 'em in the boat" said Rodney. Besides,
Mrs. Hills there. she was nervous after put
the sails up. She feels easier ashore"
He complacently filled large clay pipe and
Lit it. As he baited Miss Falkners line and
threw it out for her. the smoke from that
rustic pipe was waited full into her beauteous,
her naughty, her worshipful face. She. to
whom the least breath Of the choice perfume
Of Hiram Spaulding's cigar had been obnox-
ious. drank in this stiff breeze of plebeian to-
bacco with no evidence of discomfort. She
ran or stood still with the line according
Rodney commanded. Once. when she had the
good fortune to run in with a large fish, his
orders were unmodified and terse. She obeyed
implicitly, a lurking revengefulness IN her
bright, mischievous eyes. But if Rodney had
been handsome while waiting istlessly on the
beach in the morning he appeared now a very
god of the seas. throwing the line out with his
swift. powerful arm, his eyes glowing with the
excitement of the sport and the sharp COM
mands issued to his savagely delighted pupil,
the wind in his cheeks and the salt air ia his
thick, wet curls.
So the two fished together as wildly and
eagerly savage children. Kate herself had
been too pleased and excited to note until now,
as she was growing a trifie wearied. that it was
the sport alone Rodney was absorbed in and
not in any sense the rare. the singular, the I'M
paralleled privilege Of Beauty Falkner's society.
She thought to remedy this unprecedented
fact in her experience by an appeal to Rodney
with her dark, thrilling eyes. I'm tired she
drawled, suddenly RELOCATING to the dim past
all interest in the fishing question. Take me
home at once"-she returned to him the gaze
langudly diverted toward the sea-''at once;
do you hear?"
Rodney composedly pulled vigorous cloud
OF tobacco in her face as he proceeded to fill
his bag with the fish they had caught.
'Twenty-four! 1 swan, you'd ought to been
born along shore. You're perfect little shark
at en- you are.
The young sailors eyes were fixed shiningly
on his spois, though his tone was not without
q certain sort of admiration.
''Thank you," replied Miss Falkner. in those
fine, chilling accents which would have caused
most men to look at her.
Rodney only threw the bag over his shoulder.
"Come along" he said, gayly and peremp-
torily as the Beauty herself had ever pronounced
those words.
At the boat Kate lifted to him again those en-
thrallfng orbs She even laid on his wretched
tarpaulin sleeve a hand as really lovely as was
any ever chronicled in fiction. I'VE will run
the boat out q little way and hide under the
island somewhere, Just to what Mrs. Hills
will do when she discovers We are gone. Come,
/ wish to 60 at once"
Rodney saluted her with another burly watt
from his pipe. As he meditated a slow illumi-
nation dawned on his features. He removed
his pipe for a moment. and allowed that in
genuous smile to lurk about his mouth under
his knightly mustache. That nd be quite q
joke for you and me, wouldn't it?''
We'll, wish to go, that's all; SO please push
your boat out at once"
Guess not. Guess it nd be too hard on Mrs.
Hills"
The stupid, innocent youth stood still, smil-
ingly chewing that far-off flavor of wickedness
suggested by Miss Falkner.
She glanced at him impatiently. spark in
her eye. Il employed you to use your boat for
my pleasure today. l wish to put out for lit
tie while; that is enough"
"Waal, now, you didn't employ me to scare
old women, did your"
II was almost the first time he had looked at
her with any personal directness; his classical
face was also wholly genial; his fine eyes
twinkled upon her with just shadow of re-
proach in their clear blue depths.
Poor though he was, Kate Falkner believed
that she loved him. He was quite unconscious
Of that fact
You set down in the boat, ;" said he, patron
izingly, land I'll go and get Mrs. Hills"
Kate sat down and strangely mediated.
.'You look tired, love-" said Mrs. Hills when
they were securely seated in the boat together
pillowing Hates head on her kind bosom; that
was one of her duties as WELL Kate did not
hesitate to make a reposeful refuge of that
maligned and cruelty entreated breast.
She fell sound asleep. At the landing she
woke up and moved of a little way with Mrs.
Hills. Then, as if the thought had suddenly
occurred to her. "Oh. forgot to pay him!" she
exclaimed, and ran back.
Rodney was fastening his boat; she put some
money in his hand. Her brilliant eyes were
large and liquid from their repose; there was a
vivid rose color where her cheek had pressed
against Mrs. Hills dress.
II was very naughty" she said "Tm sorry,
indeed. Will you let me go again?"
Rodney gave her g goodnight watt from his
now relighted pipe why, sho! yes" he re-
piled, simply; lin course you may
Mrs. Hills enjoyed so much the assistance
given her by the serious and able bodied Rod
ney in chaperoning her difficult charge that she
did not mention to Mr.. Falkner the various fish
ing excursions which went on under her per-
sonal knowledge and permission.
Hiram Spaulding came down at the hosts in.
vitstion to spend the Sabbath. He observed
that Miss Falkner was particularly light
hearted, ischievous and insolent but he did
not appear to suffer in the least from her light
ness. He talked on the grave subjects Of bust
ynll.t E.ll-