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.,nr TOOK Il step toward the line by
which her boat was fastened.
| ALLOW me-"
''It you think You can.-safely." she
said; and the laughter that lurked in
her eyes annoyed me-.
| "'rhe feminine knot is designed for
the confusion Of man." observed.
twitching vanly at the rope, which
was tied securely in unfamiliar loops.
She was singular]y unresponsive.
| The thought that she was probably
| laughing at my clumsiness did not
make my fingers more nimhe.
The nautical Instructor at ST.
+; Agatha's is undoubtedly woman
/ This knot must come in the post-grad
uate course. But my galantry is
equal. ] trust, to your patience"
/ The maid in the red tame -shanter
continued silent. The wet rope was
obdnrate, the knot more and more
| hopeless. and n1- efforts to make light
Of the situation awakened no response
in the girl / tugged away at the rope.
attacking It's tangIe on various the.
ories.
"A case for surgery. I'm afraid. A
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 nay
shoulder-seized an end that | had
ignored, gave it. sharp tug with
slim, brown hand and pulled the knot
free.
"7here." she exclaimed with little
laugh; IT 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 rny failure.
She scorned the hand extended,
but embarked with light, confident
| step and took the paddle. 1t was grow
ing 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
glory OF sunset.
With few skillful strokes she
brought her little craft beside my
pipe. which she deftly caught on the
paddle blade and tossed to the wharf.
Perhaps you can pipe q tune upon
It" she said. dipping the paddle.
You put mo under great obliga-
tions." | declared Are all the girls
at ST. A9atha's as amiable?"
II shouldn't say so! I'm great ex-
ception. n.-and--l really shouldn't he
talking to you at all, It's against the
rules! And We don't encourage smok-
ing"
The chaplain doesn't smoke, 1 sup.
pose"
Not in chapel: believe it isn't
! done. And we rarely see him any
where else
She had idled with ihe paddle so
far, but now she lifted her eyes and
drew back the blade for Il long stroke
But in the wood.-this morning
by the WALL"
l hate myself to this day for having
40 startled her. The poised blade
dropped into the water with splash;
she brought the canoe trit1e nearer
to the wharf with an almost imper-
"eptib1e stroke, aW turned toward me
with wonder anS'dismay I'm her eyes
! SO you are an eavesdropper and de.
tecttve. are youo | beg that you will
give your master my compliments!
/
! really owe YOU an apology; thought
YOU were gentleman" she exclaimed
with whitening emphasis. and dipped
her blade deep in fight.
] called, stammering incoherently,
after her. but her light argosy SKINNED
the water steadily. The paddle rose
and fell with trained precision. making
scarcely a ripple as she stole softly
away toward the fairy towers of the
sunset. stood looking after her,
goaded with self-contempt. A glory of
purple and scarlet and gold filled the
west. Suddenly the wind 1noaned in
The wood behind the line of cottages,
swept over me and rippled the surface
nf the lake I watched it's flight until
1t caught her canoe and marked the
ilmsy crafts quick response, as the
shaken waters bore her alert figure up
ward on the swell. her blade still main
tanning its regular dip, until she dis
appeared behind little peninsula that
made harbor near the school
grounds.
The red tan-o' -shanter seemed at
last to merge in the red sky, and I
turned cheerlessly to my canoe.
CHAPTER VII.
The Man on the WALL