The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-05-11
WHEN THE FOG
SHUT DOW N

copyright, 1904. by Richard B. Shelton.l
1t was not until the tender began
| TO bob about in lively fashion that Nc
| Cusker would admit to himself the
| past half hour had been momentarily
| growing upon him. Yet he dared not
stop rowing lest the girl should sus.
| pect the truth. He shut his teeth hard
| as he bent over the oars.
The gray, dreary mist which had
| shut down like pail seemed growing
more dense, and by this he knew that
darkness was coming on. Somehow in
| the fog he had missed the yachts at
the mornings, and now the motion of
the tender as she slid over the long III.
coming swells told him they We're well
out in the bay.
It was serious predicament. The
| fog gave no sign of lifting, and, with
darkness coming on, the chances Of
spending night in the open boat Were
somewhat more than McCusker cared
to contemplate.
"Sorry, Miss Carey. but we've over
shot the mark and pulled past the
! yachts in the fog. Hard port, please.
| Well make them in trice."
The girl smiled as she brought the
boat about.
II wonder you can get your bearings
at oil in. this wretched fog she said.
Something in her tone made McCus-
ker look up quickly.
'And have my own suspicious as
to our present plight. Honestly, now,
do you know where we are?"
"Oh. there's not the slightest dan
GER" McCusker began reassuringly.
$50 we are not lost, then" she said
lightly. 'srhis Is great fun"
McCusker looked at her with undis
guised admiration.
yes" said he; ''we're really lost.
And, by George, it makes 1t lot cas-
Ter to have some one along you can
tell the truth to without sending her
into Mysteries"
1.-The worst-tell it ALI" the girl de.
manded.
"Well," said he, "we're out in the
bay somewhere, that's evident, and
heaven only knows where we can find
the yachts. We may drift round all
night but not If can help it, he end
ed, with determination.
He put his hands to his mouth and
shouted again and again at the top Of
his voice, but got no answer.
"Humph!'' he commented. @Just as
l thought. Nothing to do but pull for
it. It's rather uncertain, but, It's better
than drifting anyway"
He took up the oars, and the tender
shot ahead under his powerful strokes.
There was no sound save the creaking
Of the oars in their oarlocks and the
wash of the boat as she rode over the
swells.
Darkness was fast coming on. The
mist walls which hemmed them in
changed from CHASTITY white to dull
gray. NcCusker could scarcely make
out the face of the girl in the stern
sheets Then slowly the gray deep
ened into black, and night was upon
them. Every few minutes the man
ceased rowing and shouted through
the mist, but the sound Of his voice
|
Here's fxw he said at length.
1--WE don't seem to be getting any
where Are you coldy'
mot a bit' she said cheerfully
You'd best stop rowing and trust to
the tide. 1t must be making in now
You're firing yourself out and all to nc
purpose"
hnys sold hn Gtxr-o c,{v ~,
must find the yachts"
"Impossibilites admit of no 'musts,''
she observed philosophically.
II know" he said, "but the whole
future hangs on it. If we drift round
all night-you see-that is
'Oh," she said quickly, you'd better
row, think"
voice. McCusker dug the oars savage
~ into the water.
I'm afraid you don't understand
he said finally.
The girl said nothing.
''Its this way be said desperately
'if-if we drift round all night you'll
think when 1 ask you to marry me, as
I've been trying to get up the courage
to do for weeks, that I'm prompted tt
do 50 by a sense of obligation. It will
be no such thing, but you'll think so
just the same. Therefore I want tt
make the yachts and prove to you
would have asked you anyway"
The girl was silent McCusker fan
cied he heard low chuckle from thu
vicinity of the stern sheets, but pro
tracted listening on his part failed tt
verify this.
he pulled away with all his might
Presently he noticed that the tender
no longer rose and fell. They were IL
the quiet waters of the harbor. n,
could have shouted for JOY He ben
OvQr tho OarS with now oporOx, Now