Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-08-01

blended in muddy torrent. At the
last bend in the Ohio they came in
sight of the fotilla. Moored on the
bank were the boats, and moving about
the shore the pilgrim voyagers. There
was f1utter Of handkerchiefs, and
halloo of welcome as the newcomer
glided to landing-place, and the tired
travellers stepped to shore.
Mrs. Blennerhasset's eyes sought but
one face in the crowd. Her husband
sat on fallen tree in the background.
His companion, with whom he WAS in
earnest conversation, was a small, Mthe
man, below the medium height. ander
whose high, pointed forehead dark eyes
flashed with mesmeric power These,
and the dilated nostrils, were the only
signs of excitement. His voice was
very low, his manner quiet, with move
ments restrained, except that he con-
stantly poked one long forefnger in mis-
listeners face. All the 'vehemence of
a strong soul seemed condensed in that
gesture.
A man approached and, bowling, said:
"Col. Burr, our party from the east
has come, and word has it that Mrs.
Blennerhasset is with Them
Harmon Blennerhasset rose with q
startled EXPLANATIONS: my wife-here?
rushed to the landing, where his wife
with her little sons and the others were
disembarking.
"Welcome, Mavourneen! Aid you,
Mrs. Creighton? And Lavender? VIII
wonders never cease?"
In the midst of the hurried explana-
ton which followed, COL Burr ap-
preached. He greeted the ladies with
soft cordially rather fitted to the
drawing room than this river bank,
where every lingering ray of sun
served but to illumine the embracing
waters, leaving the snow-pied bluffs on
either side in dusky gloom.
The leader invited the newly arrived
voyagers to supper on his boat, and
the time passed delightfully."-; enlivened
by the seductive charm of his manner
and conversation. Winslow, too, was
brilliant talker when the spirit
moved, and they, with the two elder
women, flashed wit and wisdom to
which the others listened with an ad-
miring attention which was a good
fashion Of the time.
Later, however, a current of sadness
lay underneath the gayety, and Laven-
der slipped out, and up to the deck
alone.
The moon, loW-hung and wan, like a
dim torch lighted wandering wrack
Of clouds. The quiet beauty Of the
night, and the lullaby of waves rocking
the anchored boat, soothed her-dis-
PEELED her forebodings of the uncertain
morrow.
Pardon mel seem destined to dis
turb your reveries."
She smiled family at Winslow's ap-
proach, but made no reply, and for a
time they stood together in silence. He
was conscious of her mood, with an in
stinctive delicacy commonly. called
feminine, but which, when it exists at
all in men, is above that of women.
The power of Winslow's personality
lay in happy adaptation, when he 50
pleased, to the moods of others.
''The moon has unsociably drawn be-
hind that veil of cloud. Can't take
her place, and share your thoughts? I
will be as silent as a confessor, if you
command"
"You are very kind, but for your own
sake do not open your ears to my bur-
dens. Why, they are heavy for me
and I am a woman!" she concluded,
smiling.
"tn the name of my sex, accept the
inference"
. He leaned against the boats edge,
Watching her. Only her profile shone,
clear-cut against the background Of
cloud-swept sky. Winslow was a
lover of beauty in the abstract; it's
poetical value appealed to him, and it
was with an interest at once sensuous
and impersonal that he studied the girl
before him. An almost classical cor
rectness of outline was given warmth
and tone by q subtle charm that
seemed original with her. This charm
lay in the indefnable atmosphere
which enveloped her-gave her a
unique personality. "She seems so
much alive!" was his mental comment
upon the girl whose thread Of life lad
become so closely and suddenly en-
tangled with his own.
Meanwhile the object of his thoughts
said: "'This has been happy evening,
but am all the more sad now, realiz-
ing that it Is our last glimpse Of civil
lied society for many long day. To-
morrow-ah! what will tomorrow
be-" Her. voice broke, and Winslow
fastened to say: "When I left the
cabin Col. Burr and Mr.. Blennerhasset
were in consultation with your mother;
no doubt matters will be arranged as
you would wish. III am only sorry
you are not going farther with us. We
we have much enjoyed your COM
pany." '..-..=
"And we can never forget your kind
ness" j -: - 49, :. !,
There was q short silence as their
eyes met. Just then a gentleman came
on deck to say that Col. Burr desired au-
dience with Mr. u Winslow. = Excusing
himself, Charles went below. z:<:F>
!. Descending into the cabin, which
served as parlor, he was greeted by
Aaron Burr with formal courtesy: - =
- " y. ~, ITO Be Continued g. !. S#'*s
~ 3S13H = - ). 800 T..
81 Took Old Mans Measure. s. :.sz::