The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-02-21

still with the wind astern.
Outside the sea lay a. smooth as
within the harbor. The wind blew
steadily of the shore, 90 that, close
hauled, one might fetch up or down
channel with equal ease. The girl be-
gan to flatten the sails and asked her
companion to bear a hand. Their hands
met over a rope, and the man noted
with surprise that the girls was fever
ishly hot. Then she brought the boats
nose round to the eastward, and heel.
ing gently over the dark water they be-
gan to skirt the misty coast, with the
breeze on their left cheeks.
"How much farther?' asked the min
lister.
She nodded toward the first point in
the direction Of Plymouth. He turned
his coat collar up about his ears and
wondered If his duty would often take
him on such journeys as this; also he
felt thankful that the sea was smooth.
he might or might not be given to sea.
sickness, but somehow he was sincerely
glad that he had not to be put I'd the
test for the first time in this girls pres.
ence.
They passed the small headland, and
still the boat held on its way.
81 had no idea you were going to
take me this distance. Didn't you tell
me the house lay beyond the point
we've just passed?"
To his amazement the girl drew her.
self up, looked him straight in the face
and said:
"There's no such place"
"What?'
''There's no such place. There's no.
body i'll at all. told you lie.''
'You told me lie! Then why in
the name of common sense am here?"
because, young minister-because,
sir, I'm sick o. love for you, an I want
ZEE to marry me-"
'Great heaven!' the young minister
muttered, recoiling, lis the girl mad?'
"Ah, but look at me, sirl" She SEEM
ed to grow still taller as she stood there,
resting one hand on the tiller and look
ing at him with perfectly serious eyes.
"Look at me we'll before your fancy
lights 'pon some other O. the girls. To
morrow they'll be all after ZEE, an
this'll be my only chance, for my IA
theirs no better'n plain fisherman, an
they're all above me in money an rank.
I be but common Ruan girl, an my
family is counted for naught. But look
at me we'll. There's none stronger nor
comelier nor that II love thee so dear +"
The young man positively gasped.
"Set me ashore at once" he command
ed, stamping his foot.
NAY, that will not till thou prom
Use, an that's fat. Dear lad, listen-an
consent, consent-an I swear to thee
thou'll never be sorry fort"
II never heard such awful impropri-
ETY. in my life. Turn back. I order you
to steer back to the harbor at once!''
She shook her head. "No, lad,
won't. An, what's more, you don t
know how to handle boat an couldn' t
get back by yourself. not in month. -
''This is stark madness. You-you
abandoned woman, how long do you
mean to keep me here?''
''Till thon give in to me. We'm goin
straight t'ward Plymouth now, an if
the wind holds-as 'twill-we'll be off
the Rame in two hours. If you haven't
said me yes by that, maybe We'll go
on, or perhaps we'll run across to the
coast O. France
''Girl, do you know that if I'm not
back by daybreak I'm rnined?'
''And, oh, man, man, can't zee SEQ
that I'm ruined, too, if I turn back
without your word? How shall I show
my face in Troy streets again. tell me?''
At this sudden transference of respon
sibility the minister staggered.
"You should have tScught of that
before" he said, employing the one OBJ
vious answer.
'O' course I thought O. it. But for
love O. you I made up my mind to risk
it. An now there's no goin back. - She
paused moment and then added as a
thought struck her, "Why, lad, doesn' t
that prove love zee uncommon?'
81 prefer not to consider the question.
Once more, will you 60 back?"
II can't"
He bit his lips and moved forward to
seated himself sulkily. The girl tossed
him an end of rope.
Dear, better coil that up an sit up.
ont. The frost'll strike chill into
thee
With this she resumed her old atti.
tude by the tiller. Her eyes were fixed
ahead, her gaze passing just over the
minister's hat. When he glanced up,
he saw the rime twinkling OH her shoul.
Ge 4A