Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-05-16
,apdy beach lay white and shining n


sandy beach lay white and shining In
the sun.
do you think we'll make ftf' she
asked quietly.
well try" he answered. with equal
repression Their eyes met in the un
Outstanding of common peril There
was much against them. but wind aud
tide were with them, and when the
Cults Wing sank ii was within few
feet Of the islands shore.
Peyton stepped out and carried Miss
Ainsley TO land. Then he pulie! il the
boat as far as he could and made 1t
fast
"Marooned!' cried Miss Ainsley
lightly. She did not refer TO their past
danger, nor did he. save TO say solicit
tously, Miss Ainsley you're soaking
wetr'
$50 are you! But the suns strong
| end hot on this little beach and Wen
soon dry. When dc you think they'll
| come for usr'
"I'm afraid we won't be missed till
nightfall, and It's only 3 o'clock now.
! Thank heaven my matches aren't
| damp, and we can build fire!'
! "Crusoe the second!" laughed Miss
| Ainsley. "Do you think the wreck Will
yield us anything? 1t should, accord
| ing to the best story books"
Nothing but the bailing pail and a
coffeepot and two tin cups in the
stern locker"
"Get them" she besought "Well
use them to cook with"
"Cook whatf"
Miss Ainsley's eyes danced. "Oh,
Crusoe, Crusoe! Haven't you any inn
agination? Don't you know there's al
ways food on desert island-sea
gulls' eggs and things like that? Come
along and let's explore"
There! | told you'll" she exclaimed
as their wanderings brought them to
little spring. isn't that pretty, the
way 1t bubbles up between the moss
and ferns? And / do believe there's
been a picnic here. Look at that bit
of orange peel"
Eyes, and see this!' cried Peyton,
emerging from a thicket with brown
paper parcel in his hand.
Something the picnickers forgot"
cried Miss Ainsley ecstatically. "Open
It, quickr'
Peyton caught the fire of her en-
thusiasm "Tea and sugar and a loaf
| Of bread" he laughed.
Bread exclaimed Miss Ainsey.
do you think that it's stale?" She
pulled bit from the heel of the loaf
| and nibbled it furtively. mo! It's
fresh. There must have been picnic
here this morning. Well have feast,
| regular feast"
| Time went swiftly in preparing IL.
| Peyton found some backberries. and
! Miss Alnslie made plates Of leaves.
| They built fire of driftwood on the
beach, and over a pile of stones the
coffeepot sang pleasantly. 1t was
sunset when they seated themselves
Iuxuriousiy on the sand and ate what
Viola Ainslie called the fruits of their
toll
This tea is the best | ever tasted"
Peyton declared.
you didn't know | was such a good
cook. did your" Miss Ainsle inquired
as she sat opposite him poking at the
fire.
"They will be coming for US Soon"
said Peyton, land then our day will be
over
Yes" said Miss Ainslie with some.
thing strangely like sigh
Behind them the woods of the little
island We're deepening into the shad
ow: the waves broke softly on the
beach; the rosy flames of the fire shone
brightly out into the gathering dusk
Listen" she added. In the distance
could be heard the faint, steady puff
Ing of a steam launch. They've seen
the fire." she exclaimed. shielding her
eyes with her hand.
There's McNugget." cried ~Peytop
almost savagely. "and l suppose you're
glad" He was kneeling on the sand
picking up the tin cups.
Miss Ainsley smiled. "Oh, Robinson
Crusoe," she said softly. how very
blind you arev'
Peyton dropped the cups and stared
at her. "You mean he breathed
IL mean that-this afternoon when I
tHouSbt tndt pcrnaps we've WouuH
reach the shore-it didn't seem as IL
the other things mattered at ali.
knew then what really counted most.
I knew that wealth was nothing and
that | only wanted you = you = your
The last words were almost inaudlble,
and Peyton had to lean very near TO
catch them Then the voice of the mill
lionaire McNugget reached them
through the megaphone.
"Coming!" cried Miss Ainslie in an
swer. Hurry up, Crusoe. Why on
earth are you carrying that old coffee
pot under your arm?"
"It's trophy" said Peyton, "of a
shipwreck that has made me the hap.
| piest man on earth"