The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-03-10
al he stretched forward. II wish that

al he stretched forward. II wish that
girl had kept STILL" he added angrily
as gust of wind snatched the loose
end Of the scarf out of his reach
"There, Miss Razzle-dazzle. hope
you'll be satisfied
AS he uttered the order. clutching the
silk, the point to which he had been
clinging loosened, and with shout of
dismay he plunged headlOng over the
edge and fell. slipping, struggling. slid
Ing, to the rocks below.
There was long silence after the
loose stones had ceased falling. Then
the wounded man stirred. groaned and
fell back. For awhile he lay quiet,
striving to think clearly. All at once
he started A rill of cold water slid
under him and out again. He had for
gotten the tide With infinite pain he
dragged himself to the spot where his
boat should have been. Already it had
courtesied far beyond his reach. Over
head the gulls were startled by peals
Of laughter that rang round the craggy
island-hysterical laughter and shout
ing as John. exhausted by desperate
efforts to climb above the swift rising
tide, signaled vainly to a fishing boat
that scuddrl past before the increasing
wind. Then night came, and the wind
talked to him.
John was not afraid of death. but
there were some things he was sorry
for, things he would have changed had
he known. He wished he had not been
so unkind to little RaZZedazzle; he
hoped Laura would not blame her now
he wished-no. after all. it was better
that he had not spoken, better that it
had ended as it did. Laura was only
amusing herself after all, as he had
started to do. She would regret him
very little-not enough to spoil her win
ter. How differently RaZzlc-dazzle
would feel for any one she loved. lie
smiled. as every one smiled when
thinking of her. Gradually his past
stood out in perspective, and he under
stood it. Her dark eyes looked at him
blue and forgiving. '.She was the real
sort" he said to himself as if life were
all over for her too. He sighed. lift
ing himself by instinct as high as he
could in the rising water. Every wave
broke over him now The foam looked
like sea faces come up TO stare at him
II hope little RazZlcdaZzle would think
this the right sort of courage"
What was that? Had some one called
He stared. listening. Above the plunge
r,,I I. ,f I'll V,I
clear. low, as if in shame of entreatinl
him. Laura, could il be? And yet
who else? lie listened, in his tense
eagerness forgetting to answer, fear
full that motion would dispel the
strangely sweet fancy.
John. O-o-o-O-h John! Where are
you, John?' And Razzlc -dazzle's face
eager, passiOnatcly searching and strip
ped of all its scorn, glimmered out OF
the darkness close at his side.
"Don't say you love me because
just because IL have she began il
harsh, gasping sob when he tried t,
tell her. IF you knew how | hat
wanted you to die and then l had t,
come after you, because-b ecause-oh
you mustn't forgive me! Hate me!
deserve it,
But John laughed even there "If
should hate the one who loved IN,
enough to risk her life for mine. wha
can | give the one who loved me onl,
wei enough to risk my life for this bi
of silk"
And the scarf itself was the answer