Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-12-28

She did not come. But the next day he
found her reading in the woods. She was
sslf-possessed, but this time she blushed
when suddenly he appeared before her.
And now how soft were their accents so diff
ferent from the tone of raillery that had
characterized their first meeting.
And thus they met, sometimes every day
for week, and then not at all for several
days. She would never agree to an APP
pointment, always leaving their meeting to
chance. One day they sat gazing out upon
the dreamy sea. II had taken so severe a
course in athletics that had reason to be-
lieve that all emotion had been trained out
of me-" he said. "Violent exercise is some
times an offset to strong mental might
say heart emotion. But find that with me
this belief was all fallacy." She looked at
bin as if she did not understand his mean
ing, and, though he knew she did. vet he
pretended that he did not. "Have you been
trying to feel strong emotion!" she asked.
and he replied: mo, not trying to feel it."
II don't know what you mean" she said.
and then he cried: ooh, yes, you do
and he put his arms about her; and the
hours flew and the sun sunk low and famed
upon the water, "like your hair spread
out" he said. And then they heard the old
man calling her. He was near at hand and
he saw Crandall. Here" said he, GIVE
got word to say that may be of use to you.
From this time on you will see the black
flag Of my ancestors flying from the tower
on my house. If you come on my land YOU
will be shot, and if you attempt to influence
any further the mind of this child / viii,
hunt you and kill you"
"She is to be my wife," said Crandall.
Then she is to be a bride and widow at
the same time" replied the old man. He
led the girl away and Crandal went home
and walked the floor all night; and when
morning came he looked out and there was
the black flag of the Ponchartrain pirates
floating from the tower on the old mans
house. He roamed about in the woods all
day, but did not see the girl. And each
morning there was the black flag, and there
it was at night, patch of deeper darkness
against the dark sky; and one night, when
lightning flashed, he saw it streaming, red,
like flame-like her hair. Once he ven.
tured near the house, and bullet nipped a
bit OF bark under tree just above his head.
Early one morning he stood on the pier
waiting for the sun to rise, but, instead a
cloud and a wind arose, almost hurricane.
Suddenly he saw sailboat near by, strug.
Cling hard, and then it was overturned and
blown fast away, leaving man struggling
in the water-an old man, and Crandall
thought that he recognized the girls grand.
father. He did not hesitate. He sprang
into the sea, seized the old fellow and swan
to shore with him; and, staggering upon the
sand, he looked at Crandall and said: "You
fool, why didn't you let ME drown?"
Crandall went home and sat down to
brood, with the black flag still in sight 1t
was the last day of the year. Early the next
morning before it was light he went out and
was standing near his door when cloud
lifted and the sun flashed; and then his.
heart leaped, for the black flag was gone.
And just at that moment the old man, lead
ing the girl by the hand, came round the
corner of the house. IT have brought you a
New Years present" he said