The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-11-21


low than when he had first tome into
her ken. She knew that she loved him,
ana IN some subtle way it was conveyed
to her that he must love her; vet ali her
arts were in vain. They had walked the
beach; they had plunged into the surf
together; they had sat on the piazza for
hours. And after each one Of these tete-
a-tetes funston found himself alone.
diseemforted. uncertain.
Hang t. old chapi" be sid to him-
self, = wish could keen away from tfst
girl. I'm gone on her, surs ana the
worst Of Il is she doesn't care a hang for
me; I know it, II told her loved her.
she'd guy the life out Of me"
One morning. after one Of these in
teryiews, when the wind blew fresh
nom the southwest, Miss Merlin ap-
preached him On the bathing beach.
Don't you want to go for saii 2? she
said, The boat lG e the end of the
wharf now"
funston submitted, In a few moments
they were sitting In boat.
Make fast those halliards." ordered
Miss Merlin, as she grasped the tilIer.
Now cast offl'
The breeze caught the sail, and they
were away.
II was a strange sensation for Tun.
ston. For the first time in his life he felt
thoroughly cowed. This fraH cookie.
shell that almost Win 4 movement 81
his body he could overturn, was not to
his liking.
I wouldn't go too far out, " he said.
No, I'm moi" J" smiled Miss Merlin, as
she eased of the sheet. "I'm going to
run along the shore. Sit more in the
middle, please"
Running before the wind, the boat
righted Itself, and they bowled along
merrily.
How do you like it?" asked Miss
Merlin ''I'il be the captain and youIl
be the first mate"
Pretty good, said funston. "But
| suppose I ought to be the captain and
You the first mate. I don't like to have
anyone else do the work"
In the distance was a steam launch
that had grown nearer and nearer.
Miss Merlin, with her eye upon It. now
suddenly hauled in the main sheet and
brought the boat up Into the wind. The
enect was apparent, for the wind. which
had been increasing, was now cutie
strong.
And then something happenedZso
suddenly, to funston, that it was all
over before he had g chance to move. "A
lower and lower and IN an instant sha
.apsized, leaving them both Houndering !
h the ocean.
funston dove and. coming up on the |
other side, put one arm around the cap
tain, while with his other he reached
out and grabbed the centerboard.
In another moment he had worked his |
way toward the bow. The steam launch !
seemed miles away.
Are you all right?" he said, az they
their breath.
She chung to him desperately.
Don't let me gol" she cried.
Don't be afraid" he replied.
He kept his arm around her, with the
roar Of water ia his ears, and, conscious
Of his superb strength, he felt sense
Df exultation.
Somehow, as he saw her look Into his
eyes, he realized the truth.
Il love you" he said. eff we get out
Of this all right, will you-wilI your
Yes" she replied, and chung TO him 1
closer than ever.
And then the steam launch rescued
them.
The next night they sat together on
the piazza. Her head was on his shoul.
der. Her hand was in his He looked
on into the dark, distant waters.
'Pm glad that thing happened" be
said Why, if It hadn't happened
might have gono away without know.
ing. / never should have had the cour.
age to ask you, because, somehow,
while you said nice things to me. I
thought you were only playing with me.
It was only when / saw that look IN
your eyes that felt, after all, you might
love me. Dearest little one, what
lucky accident that was!"
She looked up suddenly.
Peter, dear" she replied, ''wlll you
forgive me?"
Forgive youl" he repeated. "For
She smiled.
Didn't you know" she said. nthat
wasn't an accident? Icapsized the boat
on purpose Town Topics