Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-05-06

bOu s-uos 1sA 1*E$ 1hc pifau'
ed.
Don't ask yon whao2'
Don't ask me anything please
l shall be greatly obliged to you il
you will humor me.
/ Well, you are . queer GIRL hi
commented. you reach the poin,
where life has no further charms
for you, and then Immediately be.
gin to ask favors.'
Under pretense Of wo<king at the
engine, he managed to turn the lit.
tie lantern 80 that it shed q fuller
light upon her face.
The cheeks were pallid natural.
ly, Joe inwardly commented-but
the great. tender eyes and inexpres.
sibly sweet face did not belong to q
woman who would deliberately end
her life.
1t was face with which any man
not wholly brute would be unablc
to avoid falling in love.
See here came suddenly from
Joe, you didn't really mean to
jump into the water
'Oh, but you promised, sir, to
ask me no questions
Il didn't promise; it was you who
made the request
Il make it again. she pleaded.
Surely you will humor me-
And do everything else that you
ask cried Joe, suddenly, over.
whelmed and conquered by the most
wonderful little face he had ever
seen. 'What shall | do, first OF
all p
Talk about something cheerful, ,
she urged, with a shiver.
We'll, in the first place, you are
certainly wet, and You must be
cold
Oh, no; the night is too warm
for that
Won't yon take little taste OF
this brandy he suggested, pro-
ducing his flask. 1T may save you
from catching a severe cold.' She
took the flask, but only the merest
drop passed her lips.
Then Joe, in obedience to her
whim, branched out into deserta-
tions on the most general topics.
He felt that he was talking like an
idiot, but he evidently pleased her,
for soon she joined in his talk, and
displayed not only uncommon in
telligence, but vivacity that was
hardly to be expected.
All this time they had been speed
ing up the North river. Joe sud-
denly awakened from his delicious
absorption to find that they were
opposite Harlem.
Where shall ! land you % he
asked.
Anywhere: l must be getting
home.'
'And may l escort You there p
| 'Oh, no; not for worlds.
Her look was both pleading and
frightened.
'At least, may / call tomorrow,
to make sure that you have not suf.
fered from your exposure %
Please don't think of doing that
either. And don't try to find out
anything about me-
Il am gentleman said Joe.
with simplicity that must have
touched her. The boat had landed
by this time. She stood up, shook
out her garments-which were al
most dry by this time-and held
out her hand.
'Good-by,' she said, 'and thank
you-thank you for more than
can tell you. We shall probably
never meet sgain, but shall al
ways look back upon you as one Of
my friends. Thank you again,
most earnestly, and good-by.'
| Joe held her hand for few sec
onds longer than he needed to, anG
tipped his hat almost reverently a.
she glided away.
NO, she certainly didn't mean Il
commit suicide he soliloquized
gazing intently at her rapidly dis
appearing form. 'Confound it, i
Imeet that girl again, / shall Ger
tainly fall in love with her. Wha
is all the mystery back Of this af
fair. wonder
The Nancy backed water again
then steamed down the river. Twen
ty minutes later the launch was a
!, her berth, and fifteen minutes afte
that the ERE was drawn and al
made snug about her.