Evening journal., 1899-01-30


She knew how the boys could "run
her into the wind" when they wanted
to stop; but In the same breath she re-
membered how once, in turning the
wind had lifted the boat of the hind
runners and Slowed her around on the
fore runners, and how narrowly they
had escaped being swept clean CT.
She dared not try it.
If she could tie up the sails-but she
did not venture to get to her feet; She
was afraid the wind would take her
off them. And the fact was THAT she
did not know what to do to the sails
anyhow. She did not understand them
And meanwhile the ice boat few fast
and faster 1t whizzed. Not for a
minute did Edna confess to herself
that her courage was oozing; but she
looked ahead down the white stretch
of ice, and her heart beat with great
! jumps What If she couldn't stop at
all? In that case. first or last, she
should smash into something-and
/ then.
She wished she had not touched the
boat; she might have known She
couldn't do it. The wind seemed TO
roar in her ears; the runners. in their
increased speed, had taken on a sort
of screech. It was dreadful.
What was that zigzag dark lire
ahead? A crack. Not big one. Not
so big, she thought, but that the boat
would slide over it..
There was a sudden crash, lurch.
! Edna fa1f brv horI sarl-aI Fror,
rudder, the breath jerked from her
body and for a bewilderd moment
she half believed her head had been
jerked of her shoulders. She felt her
self thrown with mighty strength
which carried her along the ice at
swift speed for several rods.
She had a confused fear that she
should never stop; but at last she did,
and she slowly sat up. Her first con-
FictiOn was that all her bones were
broken; her next, that certainly the
side Of her on which she had slidden
was sore. And her third. that down
the distant bank were two figures com
ing on a run-Gilbert and sgd.
She got to her feet I'm q hurry. A
long way off lay the ice boat, with
her bowsprit stuck fhs; where it had
struck in the jagged edge of the crack;
it being a crack of no mean size. And
Edna was still standing there and
staring at it. and rubbing her bruised
elbow. when the boys came racing and
striding across the ice But She was
ready for them; she stood up straight
81 don't think it's broRen!" she
called out.
"Are you broken ?" sgd shouted back
that's the question:" And they be-
gan TO talk together.
I'VE saw you" said Gilbert
"We knew II must be YOU" said Svd
though we couldn't believe IT,"
"That crack! Goodness. why didn't
you stop her? You went sliding oil her
and over the ice like a bird! Are YOU
hurt? No? sure?"
"sure!" said Edna, and then they
b all burst out laughing
"Say, what did you do It for?" said
sgd. where were you trying TO gel
to, anyhow"
'To the Corletts'," said Edna. Will
lifted chin. 81 was invited, but yot
r went off without me. and I thought II
60, anyhow, and get there ahead o.
YOU"
"Dut you didn't quite" syt
chuclded.
There, let her he. said Gilbert
E "She's got n lQt a. nerve. anyhow
2 hasn't she, though? sae's all right
sayi"
Edna's lip began to tremble. Tha
e. speech gratdcd her, and touched he
heart. 81 was real mad because yo,
3 went of without me-" She faltered.
e Gilbert and sgd looked at each other
, They dug their toes into the ice. "Shal
- we tell her?" said Gilbert
"Might as we'll" Syd responded
"Say see here. Edna" He crossed hi
thumbs. "You know how bad you'v
. wanted to know what that meant
/, Well we couldn't tell you, because It.
. about you"
:. TITS a surprise party" said Gilbert
. cor it was. Next Thursday night
: That's why we wanted to go to Jo
, Corletts without you. We were go
. ing TO get Joe and the three Of us wer
= going around to invite the girls an
: boys. We'd have gone down on the ic
: boat ourselves, but we were going owe
= on the north road to invite the Gibson.
= and coming home around that way
- We weren't going TO breathe a word (
you about it. We hadn't even told moth
e er, not yet"
e ITS what we've been doing so muc
J. whispering about lately" said sgd.
q 'For me-" said Edna, slowly. ".
I surprise party!" She grew red; he
cFes filed. "Oh, dearl I've been av
Il fully mean. I've been real hateful an
e horrid. Oh. dear me, suzl It woul
:. have served me right II Td-well I
y just ought TO have broken an arm, c
d something!"
N "No, you hadn't" said Gilbert. 81
II was real spunky of you to do it, Edna
d Two or three lessons. and you'll /
4. a dabster with an ice boat" said sgd.
And it's all right about the surpris
a party" said Gilbert, "all but the su
le prise; Wen have it just the sam
le You'll have just as much fun. anyho
le Come on! We'll go the rest Of the wa