Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-06-09


"Only my friends call me Katha-
r1ne."
~And am I not, may I not be, one of
your friends"
We'll. yes; I suppose 30. but you are
% young"
Il am just twenty-seven, madam,
and you, I suppose, are
~Never be ungallant enough to sup
pose a young lady's age You may do
those things In Philadelphia II you
Ike, but tits not the custom here Be-
stdes, I mean too young a friend. You
have not known me long enough. that
f."
"Long enough! I have known you
ever since Tuesday Of last week."
-And this Is Friday-just ten days,
ten long daysy' she replied triumphant
".
"Long daysr' he cried. every short
one for me-"
~Long or short, SIR. do you think you
can know me In that period? Is It pos
sibie I am so easily fathomedT" she
WChs ous chlhih6.
Now, 1t is Ill making love in a row
boat at best, and when one Is In al
nest and the other jests 1t Is well nigh
impossible; o to these remarks Lieu
tenant Seymour made no further an
swer a v viciously to ply the oars and
drive the boat rapidly toward the land
ing.
Miss Katharine gazed vacantly about
the familiar river upon whose banks
she had been born and bred, and finally
noticing the sun had gone down, clos
ing the short day, she once more drew
her cloak closely about her and re
sumed the neglected conversation.
wont you please stop looking al
me In that manner, and won't you
please row harder, or is your strength
all centered in your gazelsaypy~a%ss
""I am rowing as fast as I can, Miss
Wilton, especially with this
"Oh, / forgot your wounded shout
der! Does it hurt? Does It pain you
I am SO sorry. Let peF6w."
THANK you, no. l think I a man.
age it myself. The only pain / have ia
when you are unkind to me-"
At that moment, to his great annoy
ance, his oar stuck fast In the oarlock,
and he straightway did that very IN
sailorly thing known as catching a
crab.
Katharine Wilton laughed. There
was music in her voice, but this time II
did not awaken a responsive chord In
the young Extricating his oar
violently. he silently resumed his work.
"Do you like crabs, Mr.. SEYMOUR
she said, with apparent ~irrelevance.
II don't like catching them. Miss VIII
ton," he admitted ruefully.
"Oh, / mean eating them! We were
talking about your appetite, were we
not? Well, Dinah devils them de-
liciously. I'll have some done for
you" she continued, with suspicious
innocence.
Seymour groaned In spirit at her
perversity. and for the first time in his
life felt an intense sympathy with
devfled crabs, but he continued his la
Dor in silence and with great dignity.
What am / to infer from your ST
ence on this important subject, sir 7
The subject Of edibles, which every
body says is OF the first. Importance
to men-does not appear to interest
you at all"
He made no further reply.
The young girl gazed Mt his pale
face at first In much amusement, but
the laughter gradually died away, and
finally her glance fell to the water by
her side. A few strong strokes, strong
enough, In spite of a wounded shout
der, to indicate wrathful purpose and
sudden determination to the astute
maiden, and the little boat swung In
beside the wharf. Throwing the oars
inboard with easy skill. Seymour sat
motfOnless while the boat glided swift
~ down toward the landing steps, and
the silence was broken only by the
soft, delicious lip. lip, lip Of the wa
ter, which seemed to cling to and ca
ress the bow OF the skiff until It final
ly came to rest. The man waited un-
til the girl booked up at him. She saw
In his resolute mien the outward and
visible sign Of his inward determine
ton, and she realized that the game
10 bravely and piQuantly played since
she met him was lost. They had near
ly arrived at the foregone conclusion.
well. Mr.. Seymour" she said final
y. I'VE are here at last. For what are
you waff1ngY'
ssUaiffpO FOR vcs,o
"For mer'
aye. only for your
lido not understand you"
you understand nothing apparent
~, but I will explain" He stepped
out on the landing stage, and after
taking a turn OF two with the painter
to secure the boat he turned toward
his captive with a ceremonious bow.
"Permit me to help you ashore"
"Oh, thank you, Lieutenant Seymour.
II I only could In this little boat I
would courtesy tn return for that ef-
fort" she answered, with tremulous
and transparent bravery. But when
the little palm met his own brown one
tt seemed To steal axyay soYno of Tho