Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1895-07-09

Entering the precincts sacred to Rar-
bara, she pulled the shining copper
kettle forward on the spotlsss stove
everything was in the highest state of
polish and threw out little glints and
sparks Of light. Upon the snowy floor
lay the immense Irvine mat which had
cost Barbara untold hours of toll to
knit, and was the apple of her eye, but
Don's pet detestation. For some req.
son, deeply hidden in his canine mind,
he had determined that Barbara's mat
should not remain on Barbara's kitch-
en- floor. The small ball of raveled-out
Irvine, which the German woman had
as yet not found time to reknit, lay
tucked under the mat. Don sneaked
slyly in at the open door, seized
the ball between his sharp teeth,
and dashed off toward the beach, with
Margery in hot pursuit, while stitch by
stitch the wonderful mat melted away,
like mist before the morning sun.
Margery caught the dog at last, ard,
pulling the Irvine from him, had begun
to administer severe lecture, when
suddenly the words died on her lips,
for her eye caught sight of an empty
boat, riding lightly upon the water
not many yards distant from the
shore. It was Aunt Dorcas' little skiff,
and the girls heart almost ceased
beating as she watched it swing idly
to and fro, and asked herself what
horrible thing must have happened.
Don raised his head and uttered a
quick, sharp bark. Margerys troubled
eye travelled over the smooth expanse
of water toward Gulls rock. Then
She gave great cry, for the sinking
sun fell upon three female figures
huddled together on the very summit.
She understood all There was q
grand view in the surrounding coun-
try from this spot, and Aunt Dorcas
was in the habit of landing every new
conner there, when the tide served, and
pointing out the various beauties.
This time the boat must have been
carelessly secured, for it had evidently
too late to recapture it.
Gulls rock was not more than a
quarter of a mile distant, and Margery
could easily discern each separate
figure. Her mother and her aunt
stood together, their arms entwined;
and behind them lowered Barbara,
with the oars over her shoulders. Now
and then she put the oars down and
waved both arms wildly in the air;
and then Margery could hear that she
was shouting for help. At first the
girl was only slightly troubled. She be-
gan to try to recall in which direction
their nearest neighbor lived. There
was not another pair of oars on the
place, and she certainly must send
some one to take the boat back to the
stranded party. She was wandering
up and down rather vaguely, when
she noticed that the waves were run
ming in rapidly, and that each one, as
it curled over and receded. encroached
little farther upon the sand than it's
predecessor.
Margery will never forget that mo-
ment; for all at once she remembered
that Cults rock was deep under water
at high tide, and that the tide was run
ming in now. Why had she wasted so
much time? She must run for help;
but where? The nearest house was
half a mile away. Each time she
turned toward the rock she saw that
the water was creeping slowly and
surely toward the summit, and the
girl clasped her hands in despair and
sobbed aloud as she realized her help
lessness.
Don's bright eyes were fixed upon
the spot, too, and every now and
again he would run out into the water
and utter a sharp little bark Of per
plexity, and then return to gaze up
into Margery's face. The girl paid no
attention to the small creature, but in
her misery she wandered backward
and forward, wringing her hands and
moaning. Presently her foot became
entangled in the Irvine of Barbara's
mat. AS she bent to free herself a
thought darted through her mind.
''Yes," she said aloud, lit is our only
hope, our only chance"
The next moment Margery was in
the shining kitchen, and had seized
the remains of the mat and was drag
ging it down to the beach; while Don,
quite wild with joy, gyrated and gam
boiled around her, swapping and tug
ging at her burden.
With trembling fingers the girl
pulled at the cord; it was stout and
strong, and raveled out smoothly and
swiftly. Then she tried to calculate
the distance from the beach to CULTS
rock, but her agitation and fright
were too great. The women stood in
the same place, and the water seemed
now to lap to their feet. Margery
waved her hand and called. She heard
an answering cry, but it sounded so
faint and despairing that she did not
trust herself to look again; so, calling
Don to her, she stroked his pretty
head gently and said:
You must 60, Don. You must try
to reach Them
The dog gazed up into her eyes with
absolutely human intelligence, as
though he understood the workings of
her mind, while she fastened an end of
the Irvine through his collar. Then
she bent and kissed the silky, white
head.