Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-06-07

|
yet to come, for with the drenching
and the fright there was every chance
| of a serious illness for his loved one,
| but how was he to get her home from
this now barren island without a boat
and with two good miles of shining
| water between her and her fathers
| home.
The question was difficult one, and
one that Kitty, with all her woman's
ingenuity, was hardly able to answer.
At last they sensibly decided that
inaction would not do, and slowly
and carefully they made their way
along the very edge of the water in
an attempt to explore the entire
island, to find, if possible, some
stranded craft that might be baled and
caullled with withered moss sufficient
ly to enable them to risk the home
ward journey.
The fire still ragged at one extre nifty
of the island, but at the other the
! blackeEed and dismantled trees stood
out like skeletons among shoulder
| ing underbrush and fallen branches.
Suddenly Kittie exclaimed with a
happy laugh, ''See, dearest! There is
Herbert Hilton's boat! How strange
it should be here without its owner"
and the face, at first Illuminated with
happy smile, was suddenly shaded
by an anxious look of terror.
at is strange" Roy Dallas answered
her little soberly, as the thought
flashed through his mind also that
Hilton might have been either per-
petrator or victim of the sudden con-
migration, but without hesitation he
seized the painter and drawing the
boat up closely to the shore lifted
kittie in before even he glanced
about to see if any one was near him.
While her lover held the boat as
steadily as possible, Kittie made her
way carefully to the stern but before
she had fairly reached her seat the
sound of blow fell upon her ear, and
turning, she was just in time to see
her lover fall head foremost on the
ground, when Herbert Hilton cut the
dangling rope and springing in pushed
the frail craft far out into the water.
kittie shriel<ed aloud in agony as
she saw her lover fall, but the man
who held the oars stood threateningly
before her and, grasping her wrists
firmly in his hands, he muttered
tiercely between his teeth, "Be still,
Miss Minturn, if you would save your
own sweet life! l saw you when you
started for this afternoons excursion
and have followed solely to secure re-
venge for the misery You have brought
upon me.
II loved you once and offered you
my heart and hand, which, as you re-
member, was refused by you with alb
solute Indifference.
"Now l viii have my turn! I will
denounce you in the village and swear
that the blow l struck your lover was
solely to defend your weakening hon
or! | will swear he cut his boat adrift
for the purpose of keeping you here
all night, and your fair name will be
smirched forever, unless"-but Kittie
had endured enough without waiting
for his villainous conditions.
hands from his and threw herself
across the boat in wild attempt to
see her lover, and Herbert Hilton,
moving quickly to preserve the bal
ance of the little craft, stumbled and
fell clumsily ahead and in another
moment was foundering in the water.
Quick as thought Kittie seized the
oars anc. pulled madly for the shore,
and Hilton, recovering from the shock,
struck out boldly as possible as he
started after her in fierce pursuit.
The race was short, but what would
be the ending? Kittie turned her head
and saw her lover still lying helpless
on the sand. He could not defend her
from this angry man, and she gave a
quick, dcspairing glance in the direc-
ton of the swimmer.
Another minute and he would reach
the boat, for Kittie was unskilled at
the oars, but even as she felt her
strength give way, great, black OBJ
ject rose upon the water Immediately
behind the struggling man and, drop
ping her oars with a warning shrek,
the poor girl tainted at this added hor-
ror.
moment later the bay was tinged
with blood where Herbert Hilton dis
appeared beneath the CLASSY water.
Wind and tide alone drove Kitties
boat upon the shore and grounded it
beside her injured lover, and when, a
half hour later, party from the
mainland, attracted by the smoke and
fire, came suddenly upon them from
the bay, it required much vigorous
skill and action on their part to re-
store either Roy or Kittie to their
reason.
A few days later some one rowing
by the place discovered Herbert Hill
toms body lying on the beach, and
when approached the awful fact was
revealed that both his legs had been
devoured by shark, but no one ever
knew the entire circumstance of his
death; for Roy and Kittie, shuddering
at his fate, decided he should rest in
peace after so fierce a retribution.
An Old Compliment.
One Of the neatest and most adroit
compliments ever turned out was