The Portland daily press., 1891-08-27

greater lOlSS Ohtu USUAL D6IOro rising
wind, which bid fair to be small sized
gale before morning. Then back to the
hotel for promenade on the piazzas,
and finally cosy tete-a-tete in the most
secluded corner, where Mistress Milly's
scheme of retaliation progressed SO rapid
" that within an hour Mr.. Dugall was
eloouently pcrtraying the delights of a
sail over to Watch Hill and dinner at
one of the hotels. And would Mrs.
Golfer let him escort her over tomorrow
"Oh, but-these women, you know.
How they would talk"
"Wen, surely, you don't mind them.
Well just start off quietly after break
fast, as if for an hours sail, and if thew
do gossip we'll have a nice day anyhow.
and be home here by dinner time. And
you know it won't half equal Mrs. Lee
sons doings."
"By the way, where is the widow this
evening, Mr.. DugallY'
"Why, don't you know? Sumner came
over an hour ago with his catamaran and
invited your husband to try its speed
around the island, and nothing would do
but Mrs. Leeson and her sister must 90
along. And they haven't got back yet.
Come, now! won't this give the gossips
enough to talk about tomorrow, SO they
won't be thinking of us? You'll go, Mrs
Colter?"
"Well, won't promise, but if l come
down in my boating suit you can see
Tom about engaging the Mermaid"
~ To- al a. a.
ing wasn't much fun after all, and, oh,
where was Rob all this time? After q
quarter hour of wandering thoughts and
increasing indignation against the whole
sisterhood of widows she felt that she
must have solitude; so, with merely a
glance into the parlor, where Major
Larned, the proud father of the lovelest
baby in the hotel, was delighting an adj
miring audience with the inspiring
strains of "Nancy Lee" she ran up
stairs and locked herself into her room
for the inevitable good cry in which
feminine human nature finds safety
valve in most emotional crises. The
better to indulge in this luxury she got
into wrapper and cuddled down on the
bed in the dark.
AS yet, her feeling Of indignation and
resentment were stronger than her anx-
iety, for Robert was good sailor and
there was neither fog nor storm tonight
to make it dangerous on the water, and
SO she thought more of the comments
which would be made on his increasing
intimacy with the widow than of any
danger to the party. "I believe will
go over to Watch Hill tomorrow. I'm
sure won't pose as the neglected wife.
and there's no knowing what folly that
woman will try to lead him into, though
| don't suppose he could help her going
tonightr'
Here her thoughts grew indistinct, and
the next thing she knew she was aroused
from what might have been long and
sound nap to find herself still alone.
She struck light. Past midnight and
all quiet below stairs; but outside the
wind was fairly bowling. 1t was real
gale now, and eve " little while the
hotel would tremble all through, in spite
of the iron cables which chained it to
the rocks. 1t was fearful to think that
Robert was somewhere out in the storm,
and that nothing could be done until
daylight, and not even then if the gale
continued, as the hotels pleasure boats
were not built to face such wind.
There would be no use in arousing any
one else; she must just wait patiently
until the household should be stirring.
and she could advise with some of the
gentlemen. But, oh, the loneliness Of
that vigil To her dying day she never
forgot it. How long it seemed since
last night, when Rob had been safe be-
side herl She recalled the little Jokes
they had laughed over, and how merry
and affectionate he had been.
But then he always was sweet tenn
pered and loving, always making some
plan for her comfort and amusement.
And to think how angry she had been
only a few hours ago about that
wretched motel To be sure, he hadn't
known it, but she felt just as remorse-
full as if she had put her feelings into
words and had scolded him well. What
if he had, for lack of other amusements.
drifted into an idle Irritation? No doubt
that Janet Lesson had almost forced it
on him, just as she had invited herself
on board the catamaran. Anyway, it
didn't matter now-nothing mattered
but to have Bob back.
BY and by the darkness was all gone,
and various noises told of the beginning
of another days business. As soon as
she thought the Office would be open,
Mrs. Golfer was down stairs endeavoring
to get some comfort from the clerks as
surance that catalnaran was never
known to capsize; that Mr.. Sumner did
not understand his new craft very we'll,
and that they had probably been driven
along by the wind, and had been unable
to return to the island. In few hours
they'd be back, all safe. AS the various
guests appeared for breakfast, they one
and all reiterated this opinion, and were
very kind in their efforts to cheer her.
Through the field glass they could see
that there was no catamaran lying at the
dock on the nearest Connecticut shore,
but it might have been driven across the
five miles of water separating them from
Fishers island The gale still continued,
SO that it was not considered safe for
any one to leave the island in sailboat,
SO there was nothing to do but sit patient
ly and watch from the piazzas for any
approaching boat. Mr. Dugall had, with
the other guests, rendered his sympathy,
but had too much tact to remind her of
last evenings project, which would,
however, occasionally intrude itself on
her memory, only to make her more self
reproachful and more loving toward the
absent Robert.
Slowly the hours crept away, until
nearly noon, when suddenly the tempo
rary holder of the glass announced that
the Putting Pig, small ferryboat run
ming between Fishers island and the
Connecticut shore, was about starting
out from the island, and If the runa-
ways had found harbor there they
would get the Pigs captain to bring
them over. Every one became excited
then, and the Pigs slow progress was
breathlessly watched. 1t was very
rough, and several times she seemed on
the point Of turning back, but still she
struggled on, and by and by something
like woman's feather crowned hat was
discovered in the pilot house, the only
spot sheltered from the wind. Yes,
there were two of them, and now there
is a handkerchief waving and the Pig
is seen to make decided turn away
from its usual landing, and toward the