Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-11-26
place; it was in keeping With i char

place; it was in keeping with lis char
acter that he had spluttered out his
passion at this untoward season, and it
was like him also to ruin his cause by
fash OF impertinence. Deep in her
heart Mignon knew that it was not his
declaration-is any woman above the
secret triumph ?-but the last barb that
ranked. She would have pardoned
him his outburst for all sakes. but the
thing that could not be forgotten was
the rude violence of his query. She felt
the heat OF open shame.
An hour, two hours, passed. Bobby
had left his post once and crossed to
Mignon, been repulsed by quick word
over shoulder apd returned to the COM
pany of his devils. He had tried to
slip his white jacket over her back TO
protect 1t from the sun, but she had
thrust him back, though she felt dizzy
and faint and scorched by the shade
less glare. She dipped her palm into
the water and drank the muddy stuff;
her hunger had passed, giving place
TO a throat dryness and a dazed, sick
sensation that made her feel unnerved
and feeble. She blinked up at the sun,
too proud to ask the time of Bobby,
and guessed that 1t must be past 3
o'clock. There was as yet no abating
of the heat; rather it seemed more ty-
rannical than at first.
They sat on, back turned to back,
gloomy, angry, severed by the sand
strip and the will of Mignon. Bobby
was in a fever to help her and encour-
age her. He looked at her once or
twice wistfully, but the unrelenting
back daunted him. And Mignon
crouched upon the sand with a pale,
miserable face, the very ghost of the
mornings girl. Another hour ragged
past.
Bobby, what is that on the right
bank-far-a long way off?"
Bobby leaped to her side. He could
hardly believe his ears. She had spok-
en- to him.
"Where?" he said. unable to grasp
more than the one fact for the second.
'sFollow my finger and look!" said
Mignon in an excited voice that show
ed that she, at any rate, had thrust
his ill-starred love venture and Its As-
ouel into the background. What rs
it?"
"a horse-a man-riding fast-nNar-
er, nearer. Its" He stopped. The
name choked him. He could not swal-
low the last drop of his cup of bitter
ness.
Its Mr.. Cotter," said Mignon calm
". 81 knew he would come. He will
help us now"
"He will if he can" said Bobby, try
ing to assume an ordinary tone and an
Indifferent manner. ''But how will he
get at us?'
"Mr. Cotter," said Mignon, with
look upwards that was the final lash
of punishment, will find a way"
She waved her handkerchief, and
presently, as he drew into full view,
the horseman galloping still. tossed a
vigorous arm in answer.
Another two minutes brought him
to the bank opposite the islet and with
in .eouting ken. They could see his
face-a shaded dab under hemlet-
but not his features.
CotteT made a speaking trumpet OF
his hands. There floated across the
water
s-Delarue-safe?
"Yesi" doomed Bobby in answer.
right" from Cotter. Tim going
to unship the mast and push the boat
up stream"
He trotted down the bank and the
Argonauts watched him with eager
eyes.
Something wrong" said Bobby, as
| Cotter paused upon the bank, stones
throw further inland than, but parallel
with, the boat He made an advance
riverwards, and retraced his steps.
II see," said Mignon, half aloud. az If
she were talking to herself, "the boat has
stuck among the reeds and they are in
the water. deeper, perhaps, than a mans
height. though it all lookel like dry land
from here 1t must be thirty yards from
the true shore at least"
The difficulty puzzled the rescuer. He