The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-10-20


wound. l confess her conduct exas-
perated me wasn't even as nice as I
might have been had she never LEFT
Australia. /, at times, regretted that
she was our fathers third cousin once
removed and had no other English
relatives to visit, this autumn. AZ
last. when-when he did speak
laughed at him., and suggested Gwen
eth as substitute; and'-she con-
cluded, with wretched attempt af
bravado. "You see-he has acted on
my suggestion"
Tom was mentally denouncing HIM
self as laundering fool and Gweneth
as a meddlesOme hypocrite.
course" he said, you are not yet GER
tain she will accept him."
Helen sprang to her feet and stood,
an indignant beauty with flashing
eyes, before him. accept him." she
cried, with scorn; "can there be
shadow of doubt of such thing ?@she
will be only too pleased. too proud, as
any giN might Accept him, indeed!
she would never have the imperti-
nence to refuse. He, the cleyerest,
manifest man in the world, the most
brilliant K. G. in England. Accept
him! OF course, she will. Only
only" her voice broke, "she will never
love him as do, who worshiped the
very ground he walked upon" She
sat down, her eyes full Of despair. mo
one will ever love him as do" she
said.
Tom was feeling i'll with sympathy,
but his face was still as hard as flint.
81 must say" he said doggedly, that
you had a queer way Of showing your
affection. I fear now there Is nothing
to be DONE"
Helen pushed back the golden hair
from her face 1.-THE house suffocates
me-" she said. LET us go on the
river. I may feel better there"
Her brother threw on his coat.
Downstairs they caught sight of the
much-discussed couple standing to-
gether on the veranda. Gweneth had
for once dropped her knitting, and
was holding a flower in her hand. and
Meredith was near her talking in a
low voice.
Tom felt his sisters fingers tighten
on his arm. They hurried down the
garden path unseen. Near the bank
the boat lay moored, the cushion and
oars ready therein. A moment or two
more, and the brother and sister were
going swiftly down stream, and the
house was out of sight.
Helen took advantage Of the gloam-
ing, and when her attention was not
claimed by steering cried softly I'M
seen. "They will say" she. declared
presently, "that Gweneth has cut me
out"
81 am afraid we must admit the
fact" her brother answered .merciless-
~.
Cali the same" Helen declared with
spirit, sit is whom Meredith loves
woman always knows" she said, tri-
umph creeping into her voice Then
she began to laugh. II must laugh"
she explained, with tears in her eyes.
''Think Of Gweneth as Meredith's wife;
she won't understand him in the least.
She will think him cross when he is
only enthusiastic, and vulgar when he
Is witty; she never you know, saw a
joke in her life; and the smell Of to-
bacco is abomination to her." Her
voice had trailed into a sob.
Toms endurance had run out. II
may" he said, with suppressed wrath.
"lack imagination, and I am not
woman, but even did 1 suffer from
both infirmities, I'm hanged If I'd
care a tinker's curse for a man who
had behaved in such manner. But
he concluded loftily, Il do not under
stand women"
From the woods through which the
stream ran came now the soughing of
wind in the tree tops, and tiny wave
let's began to stir the surface of the
river.
There will be rain, Tom said, J"and
you have no coat We had better turn
there is barely time to get back for
dinner"
The words, simple In themselves,
brought fresh agony to Helen. Life
was to be lived, dinner to be eaten,
though Meredith was lost to her. Des-
pair clutched her heart, death with it's
oblivion seemed kind; she looked down
into the darkening waters.
BE careful how you steer" cried
Tom, as he turned the boat-"the
lights queer"
Carefulness and Helen were at that
moment antipodalEa watery grave al
Turing from world empty Of Mere
dith Gathering gloom, the narrow
ness Of the stream did the rest-a mo-
ment later the boat ran into the oppo-
site bank with an ominous grating
sound. Tom swore horribly. Helen
put her fingers to her ears. Save
yourself, DEAR" she cried; don't mind
me- prefer to die"
Catch that oar and don't be an
idiot" yelled Tom Something white
glided by swiftly and was lost In the
darkness.