Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1906-01-16


knowledge his existence by so much as
the flicker Of an eyelash. She showed
no disposition to leave the waters be-
cause he was there but padded about
for nearly an hour to get an appetite
for breakfast. The first time Mr.. Smith
addressed her he said:
"Yonr pardon, am sure, but you sit
| too far forward in your canoe. The
bow of the craft should rest ON the sur
face, instead of pushing the water in
front of it..
There was no response, except that
| perhaps she moved an inch or two far
Their forward, and ten minutes later he
tried again.
IF may make 50 bold l would say
that you grip your paddle altogether
too high
She let her hands slide up to grip it
higher and turned the bow Of the canoe
toward camp. Mr.. Smith hoped the
girl would return to the race that after
noon to fish, and he was not disappolnt-
ed. She appeared at half past o'clock
and went right to business. He gave
her friendly nod as she appeared, but
her eyes were on her fish line.
The club man saw that he had q flint
hearted girl to deal with and he did
not know how to act with her. The
best he could hope for was that she
might fall into the race from her inse-
cure position, and it was this hope that
had caused him to tie his canoe at
convenient spot If he could have the
luck to save her life she must unbend.
The thing that Mr.. Smith wanted to
happen did happen. The girl was play
ing big fish when she suddenly lost
her balance and went into the water
with great splash. While Mr.. Smith
was hoping for and half expecting 1t.
he wasn't prepared for the event. He
had to secure his fish pole and then I'M
tie it. 1t was all Of a minute and
half before he was afioat. Then the
girl was out of sight. He drove the
canoe down the race, but fate was
against him. 1t struck snag and
turned over, and he had a hard swim
to reach the bank. When he had shak-
en- the water from his clothes and look
ed around the first thing he saw was
the girl. She was fishing In her old
place.
"Ba Jove, but thought you drown
ed. called Mr.. Smith when he had
walked up the stream to his old place.
The girl lifted her hook and renewed
the bait but that was all. Mr.. Smith |
and his canoe withdrew for the rest Of
the afternoon, but that night he took d
terrible resolve. That girl should rec
ognize his presence on earth or he
would run her down and drown her.
He had fully made up his mind to that
when he fell asleep and he was firm
In the resolve when he turned out at
sunrise
He was hardly afloat when he caught |
sight of the other canoeist. Something
in her attitude expressed defiance. She
padded up the bay, and he followed.
When a good half mile above the dam
she turned her canoe and stiffened up.
1t was a plain challenge to race, and
Mr.. Smith accepted it,
The girl had a start Of thirty feet,
and the man generously allowed her to |
keep it for half the distance. Then. to |
his surprise, though he put forth every |
effort he could to close the gap, he could |
only do so inch by inch. Soon he saw
that she was making for the center of |
the dam. Had he been offered 500 to |
send his canoe over that fall he would |
have refused It. He wanted to refuse |
now, but the figure in the canoe ahead |
was defying him. He was a eanoeist. |
and, IL he dared not follow where girl |
led, what would become of his reputa-
ton?
He hoped until the last moment that |
1t was only bluff and that before the |
canoe approached too closely 1t would |
sheer off. but the girl held her way and |
the barks were not ten feet apart when |
they took the long leap
An hour later PilIsbury Smith opened |
his eyes. He was in his bed in the |
hotel
"How do you feely' asked the doctor.
Say. did save her llfeY' was asked. |
"No, you Ounce. She swan to the |
bank with you and afterward saved |
both Canoes"
"Ba Jove. doctor: ba Jover'