San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-09
CHAPTER XVIII.

odlN lOT d MISUNDERSTANDING JnG
non-committal phrase, ut is strange"
giving the emphasis to the ''is." They
both sat silent looking off on the
water, gloriously gilded by the rays,
of the western sun. Then Paul looked
at his, watch. II lacked but few min
utes of o'clock. He took up the.
glasses and pointed them toward the.
island, in whose tree the mysterious,
| softhatted stranger seemed so fond
| Of nesting. There was no soft-hatted,
stranger in the tree. Paul swept the.
part of the island in view. and saw
some one busy putting out a small boat.
r Eyes, said Paul, hes coming to-
night, sure enough. Let's give him a.
surprise pa 'ty and row out to meet
him ourselves. He may take the hint.
We have time. What do you sayp"
I'm more than ready" sala. Miss
Lebourgeois. 81 have longed to have a
| close view of him, and this is just my
chance, despite that soft hat he, pulls
| so provokingly over his head-unless
he gives us the slip and pulls out of
| our way. We cannot chase him, can
we? That would be hardly dignified."
! mo, l hardly think it would be-"
said Paul. "Yet l should hate to let
him get by. But probably he's a bet
ter oarsman than am, for am all
out of practice, and he, from your ac-
count, ought to be in splendid form"
He does row beautifully" replied
| Miss Lebourgeois. II must say that
for him. If he wasn't a good oarsman
he could not keep his head so ridicu-
lousy low down, for it must be hard
task. His boat goes along smoothly,
and easily, and swiftly. But you'll
see soon for yourself"
They had not been standing still
while this talk had been going on.
They had been walking quickly to the
little cove where the row-boats were
sheltered. Paul found the oars in the
rowlocks of one. all ready for USE He
handed Miss Lebourgeois in and she
took the tiller ropes. He made as good
time as possible while sheltered by the
island until they came around the
| point. At sign from his companion
he settled down to an easy, don't-care
stroke, suited to rowing a lady around
in barge. The boat was headed for
the track of the western sun, which
gave her an excuse for turning and
lowering her head little, so that when
the boats came near, the man with the
soft hat could not get good, square
view of her.
In low tone she said to Paul. Hes
very near us now. You had better slowly
stop rowing, and let her drift awhile"
Paul did it, first padding little and
then, stopping, drew the oars across
the thwarts, and rested his hands on
them, and his head on his hands, in a
very natural informal, chatty attitude.
The stranger was abreast of them by
this time, not changing his usual course
hairs breadth, SO Miss Lebourgeois
afterward said, nor taking the least
notice of them. His big soft hat was
pulled down close to conceal his feat
ures, and neither of them. much to the
disappointment of Miss Lebourgeois,
could get the slightest look at his face
The impression ne made on Paul was
that of a powerful young fellow, of
stocky English build, who knew how to
handle boat He shot by them in a
surprisingly short time, and disap-
peared around the point of the ISL
and, He usually landed: Miss Lee,
bourgeois said, on an island quite a
little beyond QuassapauP, where there
was a small hotel, or inn, or saloon, &C
oArlinns - 81, -
he rowed back Miss Lebourgeois did
not know. She had never seen him do
it. 1t must be after dark and he must
know his course well, for he was al
ways at his post in the tree next
day
Paul and Miss Lebourgeois eyed each
other with great disappointment at the
Miss Lebourgeois broke out in hearty
laugh We'll" she said, my man in
the shadow is still there. He didn't
get away. What a foolish girl you
must think me, Mr.. Terry, to find
mystery because at certain
times man amuses himself
by rowing over fixed counsel
Why, l take my bath every day at
that time. and he may battle then, too
He may believe in exercise after bath
ing-some people-foolish people-do.
It's true he's always in Stony Creek
when go there, but that may be
coincidence, too. Since have told you
all about it, have come myself to dis
believe in my mystery. Don't ever
tell about i 1t would sound too
silly"
No" said >aul, II don't believe it's
all nonsense. It's too queer, too regu-
larly queer for that. l should like to
see him when he goes back. Thereu
be a moon tonight, won't there? It's