The Helena independent., 1892-08-07
STORY: A kNOTTEO CORD.
Tied by Young Bride, and It
Was Useful Soon After
ward.
Drifting Down the River With
the Tide in Search of
Game.
And the Mtshap That Bsfei the Happy
Couple-A Story by Charles kei-
sey Gaines.

Written for The HELENA INDEPENDENT
THE BOAT WAS A MERE WISP OF
NJ thinnest cedar and wavered like =
Wv leaf ~ held it. step lightly to the
CENTER" said. gazing upon her through
the faint, witching starlight, land them
"And then" she cried mocklnRly. "Oh,
yes; walk steadily to the bow and seat my
self. OF course! Don't know it all2''
"By heart?' said l.
"Yes, by heart.' she admitted softly,
''every word that ever you spoke to me.
And how else should step but lightly. you
fussy, uncomplimentary--lo and my
lord and king" she concluded in breath
less whisper.
We were but nine days married, Mad1e
and I. We GOULD not bear ~ yat the rude
stare of the world. and like birds VIC had
flown to the depths of the forest. Eccen-
trio! What cared wei-reveliing amid
woods and waters, adorinR each other. hap
py beyond belief. 1t was the fulfllment of
our dreams. itself how dreamlike!
| The painter lay at our feet. STOPPING,
she caught it up. Before l step at all, :"
she announced, imperiously. II shall tie a
good, hard knot in this rope. See how the
enly housekeeping in this boat"
| "Oh. hurry!" muttered, with a sudden
thrill Of impatienoe. 1T will be broad
light before we get under way, and there'll
be no chance of deer."
How slight matter! Yet She
stopped and looked at me; l knew that her
eyelids trembled; up to shat moment no
such tone had ever Jared upon her ear
from me. The knot was half tied, but the
cord dropped from her hand; she entered
the skiff without word.
How quickly things ever to be remem-
beted seem to be forgotten! Il dipped nv
paddle in the dark water, and as we glided
from the deep shRde of the overhanRing
wood and came under the sparkling sky OF
the open river all shadows seemed left be-
hind.
She twined her fingers around the not un
familiar stock of light rife. 1T seems
dreadful to shoot at them," she said, "but
l'll try.''
1t was the last hour of night. but as vet
10 star had waned. On the water all wal
dim; the shore was belt of darkness; the
voices of the forest wers sunk to a whisper
An expert with the paddle, ! loved nv art
The canoe, under my delighted touch
slipped onward, smooth ana still. l coult
hear a faint ripple from the PROV as it GU
the wavelets; | could hear the low rustic OF
l.
almost hear the soft breathing of my lovec
one. If a lily pod brushed beneath the
keel the sound broke like a crash on The
silence. But the keen. thin blade was mute
not even when let my hand lave with it in
the warm eush that swelled along the side
did any gurgle rise from its eddying st -oke
It was an hour of ecstasy-how can tel
it? We were lovers in world so new anc
fresh and sweet. floating alone in the trem
ulous gloom. and as for the future, ol
whittier this tranquil stream was bea "ine
us-whither does every stream bear every
life?
The banks that we skirted first we're high
and steep and gave little hope of game
Then the river widened, the shores were
low and marshy. and the light fringe of lily
pods broadened to undulatino meadow
that reached far out over rods of pondlikt
shadows. The forest was waking now, anG
the air WAS full of noises. crashings in tn,
brush, splashings among the reeds woot
cries of everv sort. just before u.s. almost
at the waters edge--a weird sight Away
and spectral in that wan light-a grove O
dead timber stretched up with gaunt
blanched arms az il in warning. saw tha
MadRe dropped her glance. All over thu
surface of the water chill shreds Of mis-
were scudding. and the familiar expans
loomed ont like an unknown sea. sllph
shiyer sent its tremor through the skiff
Have We not come n long way?" she nuI
, INJURED.
Again I was betrayed. "Oh, be still
, This is the very place for game" Tn
hasty whisper left my lips with an arrow
hiss. She gave a little gasp as if an AFRO,
, indeed had struck her. Dearest l orie
aloud, for the hunt WAS forgotten. Sh
: turned with bright look, but her eye
shone with tears. Il didn't mean to-" sh
said simply. II didn't see any, and didn'
think they'd scare. l was just a little b
, afraid myself"
, burned with remorse. But for til
|, -prudish hunt We should have had Il settle
ment then and there. but cedar skitfs III
sensitive in matters of decorum and eve