Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-12-19

Irregular group Of tiny houses, and /;
; safe beach for a boat. The cottage
hang there, looking like swallows
NESTS, seemingly exposed to des.ruc
ton, yet the humble and modesr
refuge of hazardous toll, and venturin.
even to adorn themselves with tiny
patches Of garden ground, where
/ flourish such plants as can brave the
saline breeze with its sprinkling dash
Of briny spray.
Just beyond the little station ot
Burnmouth is glimpse OF such 6
small cluster of dwellings-part OF
the scattered colony Of fishermen
who inhabit the coast. They are a re
markable race, these fisher-folk. and
distinct in physique, in feature, and II
temperament from the landward Low
ianders even as the rugged head
lands and broken bays where they
dwell differ from the gently-swelling
wellwatered, and richly cultivated
fields OF the Merse.
1t was merely this chance GLIMPSE
Of the little hamlet that induced
Wilfrid Neuthorn to break his journey
northward at that place To some
minds the predetermined is unatrac-
tive; the momentary suggestion of i'm
pulse Offers all the charm of the IN
known. Wilfrid had been ordered off
for holiday, which he had planned to
spend at North Berwick. He said to
himself as he sauntered down the
little platform that his original
destination was within reach if this
unfamiliar neighborhcoI should prove
unsatisfactory.
An inquiry Of an official regarding
the important question Of LODGINGS
elected a headshake.
I dinna ken; there's no a great
deal o accommodation here, and I'm
thinkin' what there is will be "a ta'en
up. But We wad get rooms either in
Ayton or Eyemouth, nae doot.
There's a very dacent woman in Eve
mouth, a cousin O. my ain wife's,
has rooms to let; and if they dinna
suit ye might hear q some at the
pUstOffice."
Wei, you can send down my traps
with the train. III walk over there
myself, and see what I can spot" said
Wilfrid
As he climbed the steep stair of the
sunken station the sun glittered on
something at his feet. bright amongst
the cinders Of the path. He stopped
and picked from the ground a couple
Of small pendants, apparently detach-
ed from watchchain or bracelet. if one
might judge by the fragment Of o
broken ring still remaining-a cr0o..---
ed siXpence. worn smooth with age.
and a small S0ldplated heart.
A faint il09ic smile fitted across
his feature as he turned the trifes
over in hi hand.
We'll. il Omens count for anything.
| ought TO be in luck lie said. "The
symbols Of money and true love-the
two commodities Of which [ stand most
in need, Or is it to be taken TO means
that having lost the genuine articles
I am only to have the symbols p
After all. this is not really mine-II
can leave it at the postoffice so that
it can be restored to the lawful
owner
He slipped the treasure trove into |
his waistcoat pocket, and set his face
seward 1t was a lovely evening, |
radiant, calm, and pure. In the shorn
fields the harvest stacks were ranked |
evenly, but as VT frost had not |
marred the summer story Of the trees |
nor redeemed the brambles in the |
hedges. A cool air refreshed the |
earth after the sultry heat Of the day, |
a soft, faintly-purpled mist zoned the |
eastern sky. BY the time he had |
reached the bridge under which the |
wearied Eye flows down a lazy, dark |
creep Of water between blisterirg |
boats to the harbor it was the
gloamin' hour. and the stars began TO
emerge in the infinite zenith.
Wilfrid sauntered at leisure down |
the irregular streets. AS he stopped |
with a townsman's interest to read a |
bill in newsagent's window a girl |
came from the shop. She almost |
CUIlQ6u Will Hill DIS UG turned away, |
and as the word Of conventional |
apology passed between them Wilfrid |
had an impression Of grey eyes, shin |
ing like stars, in delicate little face, |
framed in soft, golden hair. The girl f!
was dressed in gray from head to foot, !
even to the gray gloves and the tiny, |
round felt hat. A faint watt Of per-
fu2ne foated from the tiny bunch of
heliCtrope pinned on the lapel of her
coat, we'll according with the sugges-
ton of daintiness and sweetness in
her face
Wilfrid could not resist the tempta-
ton to lock after this exquisite fleet
ing vision. AS she vanished down
one Of the elusive side streets which
honeycomb the old smuggling town he
turned regretfully away. But he had
no longer any doubts as to the wisdom
Of spending his holiday at Eyemouth.
CHAPTER H.
Shes like little gray innet:
that's what | always think when [ see
her" unused Wilfrid, standing in his
shirt-sleeves at a discreet distance
from the window, and watching the
slim figure of the girl in gray as she
passed up the sheIl-strewn path of the