Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-05-10
CHAPTER Vi.-contirvsd.
e-.,n.-s l..s :, s.l-.. Ass.'ii O.

beg your pardon. ! said. stepping
away fFom the canoe.
She did not wear the covert coat OF
the morning. but red knit jacket. bat
toned tight about her, She Was youns
with every emphasis of youth. \ paiE
Of dark blue eyes examined me with
good. .humofei curiosity. She Was on
good terms with the sum reioie-d in
the brown of her cheeks. so eloquent
a. lompanioaship with the outdoor
Ncsld-a certificate indeed Of the Ia
yor Of Heaven. Sho~ me. in October.
a girl with face of tan. who's. hands
have piled a paddle or driven golf
ball or cas-, a ny beneath the blue
arches of summer. and ! Will suffer
her seofn in Joy. She may N"'- m"
dull and refut. my ~is-st word with
laughter. for hers arc the privileges OF
tho sist~thooi OF Diana: and that soft
broas.. thos. daring fugitive Ircekies
beneath her eyes. link her io ii'nea
when Pan whisti.d upon his reed and
all the days wcr. long.
Her rubber soi-i outing shoes had
made possible her silent approach. and
sh. enJoyssi I was sure. my diseom'
fiturc nj being taken una~arcs-
I had Hnaleh-d on my cap aud stood
waiting beside tn. canoe. feeling. !
must admit. a tEin. guilty at being
caught In tho unwarrantabie inspection
Of another persons pEoporty-paE'!efi'
iar!y a person 10 wholly pleasing To
the eye.
II bciI-y.-f believe that IL my pad
die" she said. a little timidiy I thought.
I iookc-i down and found to my an
.oyancc that held her paddle In my
hand.-was In fact leaning upon II
with cool air Of propr!c,orship.
"Agnin. beg your pardon" ! said.
II hadn't expected"
She eyed me calmly. with the STARE
Of the child that arrives at drawing.
room door by mistake and scrutiuixes
th. guests without awe. didn't know
what had expected or had not expect.
cd, and she manifested no Intention OF
helping me to explain. Her short skirt
rut ,yKt.d IL or iG-not morc-and
al hclng the case there was no rca.
son Why should not be master OF tho
situation. As fumblcd my pipe the
hot Goals OF tobacco burned my hand
She laughed little. then caught
herself and gravcly watched the pipe
bound from the dock Into the water.
''Too bad she said. her eyes upon
II: but II you hurry you may get 1t
before Il floats away"
Thank you for the suggestion" I
said. But l did not relish the Idea OF
kncciing on the dock to Ash for pipe
before strange school girl who was.
] felt sure. anxious TO laugh Mt me.
She took a step toward the line by
which her boat was fastened.
ALLOW me-"
''If you think you can.-safely." she
said: and the laughter that mrked In
her eyes annoyed me.
''The feminine knot Is designed for
| the confusion OF man." I observed.
twitching vainly Mt the rope. which
was tied securely In unfamiliar loops.
She was singularly unresponsive.
The thought that she was probably
laughing at my clumsiness did not
make my fingers more nimble.
"The nautical instructor at St.
Agatha's is undoubtedly a woman.
I This knot must come in the post-grad-
uate course. But my gallantry Is
equal. trust. to your patience
The maid in the red tam.o.shanter
continued silent. The wet rope was
otAyiate. the knot more and more
4 hoY ,ss. and my efforts to make light
ofl,O situation awakened no response
in 1 - girl. l tugged away at the rope.
attacking It's tangle on various the
ories.
"a case for surgery, I'm afraid. A
truly gordian knot, but haven't my
knife"
"Oh, but you wouldn't" she ex-
claimed II think can manage"
She bent down. was aware that
the sleeve of her jacket brushed my
shoulder-seized an end that I had
ignored, gave 1t a sharp tug with a
slim, brown hand and pulled the knot
free.
"There!" she exclaimed with little
laugh; II might have saved you all
the bother"
"How dull of me! But didn't have
the combination" said. steadying the
canoe carefully to mitigate the ignom-
my of my failure.
She scorned the hand extended,
but embarked with light, confident
step and took the paddle. 1t was grow
Hing late. The shadows in the wood
were deepening; chill crept over the
water, and, beyond the tower of the
chapel, the sky was bright with the
Aglory of sunset.
With few skillful strokes she
brought her little craft beside my
pipe. which she deftly caught on the
fpaddle blade and tossed to the wharf.
IA Perhaps you can pipe tune upon
It," she said. dipping the paddle.
"You put me under great obliga-