San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-11
this Miss Lebourgeois agreed.

light, which soon sparkled on the
water, and chatted of many things
Miss Lebourgeois school days in
days, Franks career, now that he had
no special object in life, and other
topics of common interest. They were
so deeply engrossed that they did not
take much note of sudden change in
the weather Innocent clouds came
up and looked beautifully fleecy in the
moonlight, but their fleece soon was
gone and it grew darker and darker.
Then The clouds settled down upon
them, and, though it did not rain,
great bank of fog enveloped
them. They discovered that
they were completely turned
around. They did not know which di.
rection was shore, which their island,
or which the sound stretching over to
Long Island, miles away. The tide
had been running out, and they must
probably have drifted quite little
distance out into the sound. Paul
struck q match and looked at his
watch. 1t was only Q o'clock. Just
the time that mother and Frank are
coming home" exclaimed Miss Lebour.
geois, "what will they think? What
will they say? How frightened mother
will be-" This was the only thing
Miss Lebourgeois said which could be
called an expression of fear or of criti-
cism. But it cut Paul TO the heart.
81 am fine man for you to confide
in" he said, ito row you out and not
notice this fog. How shall ever face
your mother or Frank again?"
''Oh, it is l who am to blame, not
you" said Miss Lebourgeois, breaking
In upon him. "You have not been on
the water in long time, and have
been here all these weeks, and seen
these horrid fogs come up sudden
lyS more than once. And then
Frank has warned me about them over
and over again, for l do little rowing
all by myself"
"Well, that must be settled when we
get on shore. But meanwhile we must
do something. Isn't there any light
house about here that will sound a fog
bell, so that we can get our bearings?"
NO" said Miss Lebourgeois. there
is none nearer than New Haven, or
across on Long Island, and we could
never hear that"
And haven't the least thing t o
make signal light with" returned
Paul. And if l had it would do no
good in this fog, which will certainly
chill you through. Here, take my
coat. have thick waistcoat on, so
that shall not mind Well, l do de-
clare" he hastily added, as his hand
touched his hip pocket, here is luck.
l have my whisky flask with me. and it
is full, so that can at any rate save
you from cold"
Paul carefully made his way TO Miss
Lebourgeois' seat and wrapped his coat
around her, despite her protests. He
found that she was shivering already
from the chill damp, and he compelled |
her to swallow big dose of the
whisky. Then new thought struck !
him.
Miss Lebourgeois, he said, ut !
really makes very little difference, / |
suppose, so completely are we out of !
our bearings, whether we row on or
we drift. But the exercise of |
rowing will keep the cold out, and then
we may row right and hit something.
You say you can row; suppose you take
a turn at the oars. AS have nothing
to steer by, you had better guide your
self"
Miss Lebourgeois and Paul changed
places. There was not enough tide for
them to distinguish any particular
trift. So she began a slow, steady
stroke, trying to keep the direction
The boat was headed, hoping to bring
Up somewhere, If it was only anywhere.
Paul lit cigar, and for five or ten
minutes all was silence. Suddenly she
stopped.
Are you tired?" Paul asked, anxi-
,usly.
mo, but what is that noise?" she
Isked in turn.
Then they both strained their ears
o listen 1t was luckily a calm sea,
md, but for the fog, they might have
leard quite distance. At first moth s
ng was audible. Then it came
ertainly through the fog, the dreaded
ound of fog whistle. They waited {
for half minute, and then
came again. There was no doubt '
bout it. +
at must be some excursion boat" c
fiSs Lebourgeoie remarked mo
ocular boats ever go up or down this f
art of the sound so early in the even.