Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-09-04

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Ine canoe was going like a flying
fish, and by the time Peggy reached
the extremity of her terror Nautilus Is
land point, at the mouth Of the harbor,
was close at hand upon the port side.
I'VE must 20 back" said Peggy.
"Not for worlds" he replied. "Why
should you be afraid? No one will ever
know. We can have an hour or two
upon the water, and then | can set you
ashore so quietly
4 must have been crazyw she ex-
claimed. Il am risking my whole life
for absolutely nothing"
The canoe jumped about ten feet IN
der the influence of the stroke which
Waring gave. After the relief which
this cxcrtion afforded he was able to
speak.
$50 l am absolutely nothing to your"
he demanded.
"GOodnc6sw she exclaimed. 81 should
hope so. Why, Arthur, I'm married.!
You don't seem to understand the sit
uation."
1t is hard to say why this accusation,
very chiIdishly made, produced such
an effect upon Waring, but somehow it
struck him as the refinement of cru
city. 1t seemed to him in that instant
az if he had done nothing for six
months except to darkly mediate upon
this very matter. Not understand it!
The fUTCc tnut lIc put upon tire puauiv
had in it the essence of very hard
word. Perhaps the paddle objected on
conscientious grounds to being used as
something to swear with. At any rate,
it snapped short off.
WarinG nearly went overheard with
the shock.
'Neycr mind, Peggy" said he,
Strengthening up and steadying the
rocking canoe Il have a spare
He stopped suddenly, his eyes star
Ing downward into the canoe.
Eternal hcaycnsw he cried. "Mill
has forgotten it"'
"AIiII' was the individual from whom
the canoe was hired the most careful
and accurate man who ever fitted out
a craft Of any sort for the uses Of the
amateur boatmen. That he should
have forgotten the spare paddle was
nothing short of miracle.
Waring sat up on his seat and shrug-
gcd his shoulders. Then he caressed
his downy mustache with his left hand
while he held the useless staff of the
paddle in his right. And the ebb tide,
which runs very strong at that point,
was busy with the canoe.
"Is it very serious| queried Peggy,
who felt, but did not fully grasp, the
situation.
Peggy" said he, we're adrift.
That's the truth about us. The tide Is
running out, and what wind there IS
IS olfshore We're going down the bay
at the rate Of about three knots"
Cant we get some one to help usr'
she asked.
He looked at her steadily.
There isn't any one handy" said he,
"and even if there were do you think
we'd better call attention to ourselves
Peggy, you can't think how sorry, how
deadly, terribly sorry, am to have got
you into this scrape."
Then indeed the girl saw what had
happened. They were adrift. and they
dared not call for help.
It's Il choice between q scandal and
watcry grave" he said, laughing
nervously. Il can stand up here and
yell until somebody in the town or on
the water may possibly hear me, but
If one hears everybody will hear-even-
tually."
In Peggy's youthful mind a sentence
was ringing like the sound Of surf on a
shore. BE sure thy sin shall find thee
| out" She did not know where the sen.
timent came from, but 1t seemed to fit
the situation precisely.
She looked around over the water
| No craft was visible but the little
| steamer coming across from Long Is
! land. She seemed to be rushing straight
| for them, and heaven only knew how
many acquaintances might be ABOARD
/ of her.
Put your parasOl over your lef'
| shoulder" said Waring "Then they
can't see your face. Confound them
/ They're going to shave us close, and
/ haven't any paddle. There's John WI
/ liams IN the pilothouse. l know hin
/ from here and he knows me. III
| wouldn't dare run SO close to a canoe
| unless he knew who was handling her
If should wave this broken paddle
But dare not. He'd stop the steamer
| Blast him"
The steamer seemed TO be swinging
even closer. Waring became seriousl,
alarmed lest the swell should upset th
canoe, for he had no means of heading
| her up to it.
Peggy" he cried, "shall l yell t
him.
Never" she whispered, covering be
hind her parasol Il would rathe
drown
There's somebody up forward who
looking at us through a fleldglass,
said Waring