Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-02-16
Il have some matches he answered,

Il nave some matches, ne answered,
pulling out little silver case.
Anne, he went ON, you know you
love me-
4 know that hate you. she an
swered.
''Anne, he said, smiling at her, I'm
going to give you just one minute to
tell me you love me, and, if you don't
say it. then I'm going to prove it to
YOU
Anne's heart painted to say Yes" but
her stubborn will would not yield. She
said weakly, Ned, r.
.Time..' called out Ned, and then he
lit match and leaned over tie letter.
Anne bent forward, her lips parted. her
fingers twitching The canoe rocked
dangerously.
"Of course love Ned T" read the
man slowly '.The letter, he interrupt
ed himself. seems to be from err
some one to Clara Carlton. OF course l
love Ned, but he is too sure of it, and
mean
lie never finished the sentence, for in
her attempt to snatch the letter Anne
upset the canoe and landed Ned, her.
self and the letter in the muddy river.
When she regained her balance and
thought Of Ned she discovered him
turning the canoe right side up and
paying no attention at all to her. Her
first thought was that it was fortunate
he had caught hold of the boat Then
she gasped in amazement. for he had
let it go, and it was floating down
stream.
Ned Cramer, are you crazy?" she
screamed. Catch itv'
I'll take you to the island first" he
answered and waded through the shall
low water to the bald. sandy spot they
called an island 1t happened that
when he set her down her feet touched
something hard but which moved
nevertheless.
Ned she screamed, its d tnrtle!
Ned had started away, and he called
over his shoulder:
They won't bite if you don't scare
them or the snakes either"
Snakes. She held her dripping
skirts tightly around her and stood, a
pathetic but nevertheless a funny fig
ure, fear written in every line of her
body. She was too frightened to move
when she saw the great turtle she had
stepped on come straight toward her,
craning its bald, snaky head from side
to side The tears rolled unheeded down
her face and mingled with the water
that dripped from her stringy, wet hair
She sobbed helplessly and with horri-
fed eyes was still watching the turtle,
which had stopped in his tracks and
was leering at her, when she heard
Ned's voice. Never had anything
sounded so good to her ears.
''Do you love me, Amer
How one will suffer for prides sake
She turned her face toward him, I'M
mindful of tears:
81 hate you.' she sobbed.
''All right" he called cheerfully; I'll
just paddle around little, and when
you're ready you call and I'll come. AS
said before. the snakes won't be apt
to bite unless you should happen to
step on them or something.
He turned the canoe and took a doz-
en- strokes, feeling like a beastly cad
every time the paddle touched the wa
ter Then a voice, wild and desperate
with fear, shrieked:
Ned, come back
Coming" he sailed wait, Anne.
But Anne, terrified beyond endur
ance by the advancing turtle, ran into
the water, and he pulled her, drip
ping, sobbing, disheyeled figure, into
the shelter of the canoe and his arms.
You'll never regret it, Anne" he
said softly.
But you WILL she sobbed. I'll
I'll lead you an awful lifer'