The National tribune., 1901-04-04

here; a fisherman one day pointed ont to
me the cut il made in the woods, as mark
ing the trolling g-course. / think it crosses
the railroad. and il we can strike that,
we'll have a straight and comparatively
easy road to either Mayyille or Point
Chautauqua. What do you say?" There
was no reply. "Margaret.'' he cried. In
the silence that followed the cry his heart
stopped beating. Margaret he called
in terror, springing to the tree on which
he had left her.
Was it sob that answered him, or only
the seughing of the storm? He held his
breath to listen. STOPPING and feeling
carefully along the log, his outstretched
hands touched her long hair, wet and un-
bound.
'Why. Margaret, why didn't you an
swer me!' he cried, putting his arms about
her, as he stopped beside her. N"Why
didn't you answer me, darling? 1t fright
ened me nearly to deathi'-
.Oh, Gilbert, Gilbert, isn't it awful.''
she sobbed, drawing back and pushing him
neFyousiy away.
aAwfuI?-to be alive, Margaret?"
TITS awful!' she repeated, passionately.
tits awful What shall we dof'
'sDo!" Their next move was so plain
TO Sears that it seemed superfuous to dis
cuss it.
..what-oh. what will people sayg'
W hts Al We sAiS thO
OF the most fortunate people who ever
escaped going down into watery grave"
"You-know what | meanr interrupted
the girl. She spoke with a passionate in
tensity. and Gilbert could divine rather
than see that she had turned her back
to him, as if in horror. Trying to gather
up the heavy, dripping mass of her hair,
she added coldly before he could reply,
.'What time is it2"
Utterly mystified and rather alarmed,
Sears said: 81 don't know-about 8
O'Clock, | guess. My matches are wet
and my watch has stopped"
"And there's no earthly chance Of our
getting home tonight broke out Mar
garet. "Hark" as a sweet, distant sound
of bells came sintermittently to them ON
tie wind. That's the 10 o'clock chimes,
and gates are Shut even if we could get
there"
'And what of that, MargaretT' asked
Sears. Are we not both ashore, both un-
hurt| He put out his hand, but she
shrank back, saying shrilIy:
.'You don't seem to understand! What
will people say when l come back in the
morning, after having been away with
you all night?" she gasped. "All night,
What will mamma sayI She'll make me
marry Mr.. Bettson tomorrow, or-or-"
She paused, choking.
''0r whatZ"-
''Turn me out of the houser'
= "And-and which will you choose, Mar
garetfD
She did not reply. Utterly unstrung
with the danger they had been through.
now it was passed, numb with the per
piexity, the cold, the suspense, the dark
ness Margaret's mind refused TO grapple
with the question. She put her hands
up again to the clinging masses of her
hair. II haven't got hair-pin. or
anything she moaned.
Would a handkerchief be of any sery-
icef" asked Gilbert, fumbling at his drip
mime was in my belt, and It's gone"
replied the girl, her teeth chattering with
q nervous chill.
81 think / have mine; it'll be wet, Of
course, but-hellow Gilbert exclaimed,
suddenly. Il had forgotten; but it's
lucky my memory is all that have lost.
Here is my pocket-book with q lot of
thousand-dollar bill Bettson passed over
70 me as Aunt Lucy's sop for losing the
rest Of her legacy. Everything is as wet
as a rat"
Margaret wrung the water out of the
handkerchief Gilbert gave her, twisted
her hair into n great bun at the back of
her neck and bound it up with the hand
kerchief
.'What-what do you suppose they are
doing now?" she asked, TREMENDOUSLY.
"Whof-oh, the people at home? They
are worrying, you may be sure, and won
dering whether we are drowned. There
were good many boats out, but few in
the middle of the lake as we were. They
say. and it's very likely true, that a
small craft getting the full force of such
a storm as this seldom weathers it. But
we've not only come out uninjured, but
without losing anything but your hand
kerchief-and my hat" he added, smiling
IN an attempt TO relieve the evidently ter
ribls strain Margaret was under. Tie
girl was silent, nervOusly wringing her
heavy skirts, which clung around her feet
and made walking almost impossible.
"What--what made you keep that bill,
Gilbertr' she asked, at last. 'Why didn't
you deposit it?v
81 thought I'd like to give it to you,
sometime, perhaps"
ITO met What for?"
Sears bit his lip. ''I-hope you won't
mind. meant TO give it to you for a
present when we were-married."