Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-04-03
(Copyright, by
Snoi1Nw Sfnr1r Duh

NE5, .D.''' z's'; =
: THEREAFTER was clear and cold and
still save for thesfeeting ripples made
by TPan1ding's swift oars as he drove
his shell determinedlyg toward the op-
posite. shore. dingy Panama was
pulled quite over his eyes; could one
have caught their look, sterner ex-
preston was in the mild gray depths
than they had ever before worn. His
shirt sleeves were rolled back to the
elbows, the brown muscular fore
arms flashing like bronze in the sun
light, and with severy dexterous
stroke, the grim lines about his mouth
became more set @s'
Suddenly the BOAT scraped on the
sand and Paulding sprang ashore, fas-
tening it to one of the willows that
dipped its branches low into the wa
ter. He stood a moment, surveying
the placid eXpaRse of treacherous
green. Over the distant edge of it,
curved itself in vivid contrast High
up in the west, the sun glowed
fiery challenge. =. Paulding waited till
the lake grew saffron under it's van
ishing splendor, then wheeled abrupt
ly and walked up the bank, flinging
himself down on, the spongy carpet of
daisy-studded grass.
An hour slipped by, and he did not
stir: He was cynically reviewing the
past and wondering, with last, des-
perate thread of hope, if life had
really come to an end for him in this
tragic way; suicides grave!
Cynthia was no weakling, he knew
that. She was, as matter of fact,
uncompromising, and he could not
even try to deceive himself further
with visions of her relenting. When,
on the occasion of his last call, she
had coldly send down word that she
would not meet him, then or ever,
he had felt in his bones that her
words were final. Every effort to CON-
municate with her, thereafter, either
personally or by letter, had been met
by the same uncompromising frigid-
ity. Every note had been returned
with the seal unbroken; she would
not even allow him syllable or ap-
peal. And for what? He cudgled his
ingenuity in vain. Obviously, he had
committed some objectionable sin in
Cynthia's eyes, and quite as obvious
ly, he was never even to know what
it was!
Another 60 minutes were gone, and
with groan, Paulding dragged him.
self stiff1y to his feet and moved
down to the waters edge. Twilight
had choked away the pretty pink haze
and long, drab shadows were begin
ning##to culver grewsomely over the
lake. With :benumbed fingers, he
united the rope that fastened his shell
and threw it in the bottom of the boat.
He settled himself with painstaking
careSin his seat and resting on his
oars sat3for a moment, gazing about
hin1at the familiar landmarks. every
| VIII fnayie ssdoubly dear by associa-
tioh Fort was here, almost on this
| very spot, that Cynthia had given hin,
her hand and he had kissed her on
the lips to seal their betrothal.
Twenty feet out, the water was
Deep It.swould be but a moments
work., and-setting his lips, he shot
| ahead like3san arrow, then gradually
slowed down. His face was quite
pa3es almost 7ashen, and his heart was
pounding heavily. His eyes, from
mild gray, had grown perfectly black
Suddenly he dropped his oars and
sprang into the water. 1t closed over
him, sending millions of circles rip
ping away in every direction. II
was icy cold and chilled Paulding to
| the marrow. His head emerged after
seconds time, ten feet nearer shore
A few powerful strokes brought hin
| to firm ground. He clambered IN tn
bank, shaking himself like a dreoched
| terrier.
THE DEVIL" he muttered.
Then some sudden revulsion of feoG
ing caused him to laugh aloud. Theg>
was an instantaneous echo, and with
a hot, guilty feeling, Paulding turned
and glared in the direction from
which it came
Less than rod away, a girl, slim
and graceful, in a white yachting suit
smiled at him over the yapan.
| "Cynthia!"
The next minute, he was at hel
side. But she deity evaded his touch
and stood regarding him with cold, in
scrutible eyes He noticed with {
pang that her cheeks had lost some
of their roundness and much of Their
old-time color. .....
why did you come here to.day?'
he asked, steadying his voice by ar
effort.
The girl remained silent, with quiz
ical eyes. Her fips, trembling, HUI
mid and half-parted, closed abruptly
over the words she would have ut
tered. Her mute. gaze accused him
more plainly than words could have
done.t= = -..ssss ~ -. : -.
Cynthia. he began after con
strained asilence, tell me why YOU
refused ''3'at g sss go !.
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