The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-10-30

sinking below the surface showed, IKE
black shadow, through the blue wa.
tiers. Thither she steered her way.
The bathing woman, who was stand.
Ing as sentinel behind q long row Of
curious, sand-ingrained, faded garments
which, secured by stones, lay supine
on the yellow sands, addressed her as
she passed:
Where be ZEE going to, missy'
TO the rocks"
"Then place to mind the tide; her
comes in powerful fast and strong out
yonder. Don't zee 60 out tn far, miss.
It's safe enough IL youth be a bit care
full"
Helen nodded. ''She would be care
full" she said, and strobe on fast.
She toiled laboriously over the rough
and broken shingle which interviewed
between the sands and those splendid
rocks-her destination. Most girls
would have been daunted by the OBJ
stacles Of that long and painful walk,
and would soon have turned back to
join those comrades who were content
with pleasures less difficult Of access,
but with Helen 1t wis altogether other
wise. An impeachment in her route was
merely thing to be surmounted; It
was no barrier to stop her progress.
When once that formidable possession
Of hers, her mind, was made up, her
purpose, she had accustomed herself to
consider, was inaexible.
She found the distance she had to
traverse was far greater than she had
anticipated, and 1t was long before she
tired, hot and footsore-reached the
desired spot and sat down on the first
low rock at hand to rest and look about
her. The air was redolent Of the breath
Of the sea; bright breeze was blow
ing, which put q ''sharp head" on the
chopping waves, and cut them up into
bustling, zigzag ridges that splashed
and broke continually against the rocka
and tossed and swayed the heavy lay.
ers Of seaweed to and fro.
Save for Helen the place was desert.
ed; the sea would chafe and fret so
foolishly, it seemed to her, so sadly,
too, as though memory would not let
it rest though the sky was cloudless.
Helen leaned back against the rock
and watched the water, more thought
full than was her wont. It was very
cool in the shade Of the cliff; the seq.
gulls swooped lazily about the bay,
and feet of fishing smacks, their
tawny sails bright In the sunshine,
were sailing past before the wind.
Presently she emerged from the sha-
dow and began to cross the rocks, steer
ing her course toward their furthest
ledge, which formed natural break
water on the west Of the reef. She
was light and agile Of limb, possessed
q fairly steady head, and ready eye,
but the path she trod was q perilous
one, for the seaweed which grew on
the rocks concealed the pools, and was
moreover, both Shiny and slippery.
To avoid the catastrophe Of spelling
her boots and stockings she took them
of and put them upon an adjacent
rock. Then, with an easy mind, and
happy as child, she waded through
the tepid pools in which the green rib
bon and pink-tree seaweed aoated,
where wildly green rock fish darted
to and fro, and sea anemOnes unfOlded
their tinted limbs until they bloomed
like the blossoms Of chrysanthemum
in the sunshine. Her observant eye
missed none Of the beauties at her
feet, but every now and then she re-
membered the dangers Of the tide,
and kept an outlook on the sea.
She was enjoying herself after a
childish fashion; the warm, transpar-
ent water was tempting. She rolled
her sleeves up high, and kneeling down
before pool she plunged her hand and
arm down among the seaweed and the
stones. She was laughing at the awk-
ward fight Of tiny crab when O call
a clear, loud call-startled her to her
feet.
She stood up, raised her dripping,
white hand to shade her eyes. and star
ed In the direction whence the sound
had come. A little sailing boat, in
which were seated Mr.. Jones and the
gentleman whom Helen had seen be
fore in the yellow-wheeled dog-cart,
was within twenty yards of her. It
was the former Of these two young men
who had 60 unceremoniously hailed
her.
"Hey, hey! You mustn't stay there
don't stay therew he cried. '"The tide
has turned; in two minutes those gullies
behind you will be three feet deep.
II. you don't want ducking, you had
better hurry up. I can tel! you"
was exasperating. She did not move;
she stood little, to be sure that those
dreadful feet Of hers were concealed,
and then she cast a hurried glance
around. Where was the rock upon
which she had stored her belongings?
Alas! she had not marked the place
and now she could not find It.
Ito be Continued.)
Little Farms IN Japan.
Japan, and not France or Belgium,
would appear to be the land of petite