The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-08-23
YHE Y0ILING OF YV0NNE,

VI uUjyNA'
/, faint oscillation of darkness within dark
ness.
A sigh of relief escaped her and, fearing
that she might grow faint from excess Of
emotion. she crouched down upon the
ledge to collect her thoughts and summon
all the resources which life and love de-
manded.
For five minutes, perhaps, she stared.
stolidly into the gloom.
Then she stopped and tore the hem from
her skirt, but paused again and held it in
her hands.
ut would be too heavy" she said.
A matted strand of hair blew across her
eyes. This seemed TO arouse her COM
pletcly.
For the first time it came to her that she
was strangely sheltered from the wind,
which roared above and beyond her.
The wind is off-shole."
The sound of her own voice aroused her
courage and then one of the inspirations
which seem reserved for desperate emer-
sencies sent Il thrill to her very heart.
Selling the long, silken strand of hair
which had blown into her face, she tore it
out by the roots. Not Il muscle quivered.
Slnsle-handed, armed only with her physi-
cal and the simple garb of u
breton girl, she had set herself to fight the
subtle legtons of the sea.
1t was Iphigenia defiant.
Measurlng-all but neutrality-suspicious.
locks which had become as precious as
spun gold, she ~untangled and tore away
another cluster, tying it end to end with
the illst. feverishly weaving her knotted
rope in tho dark. The delicate nicely of
her task, OIL the one hand called for the
utmost care, and yet how long could the
she'll OF a boat grind upon the goading
horns OF a rock.
The coil at her feet grew larger. and the/
glory of her brow, curl by curl. fadeA
! away.
AT last it was finished.
And hcnceforth who shall say that the |
sti1f Breton bonnet, with its outspread
wings, is merely picturesque? To the ends
OF those wings She attached a TRAVERSE
cord OF hair and caught it in the center
with a rope of ringlets.
She held her breath, and her question
was more than half a prayer as sl!e tossed 4
the head-dress high in the air, with its J
open crown to the wind.
will it fail NEE
1t quickly filed and darted away towarI
the sea. The rope jerked and tightent
then pulled with an even tension. *
white object, like a circling gull, wa3y
easily distinguished against the dark
background of sea and sky.
Standing close against the cliff, she paid
out the cord and watched the lessening
proportions of the kite until it lowered
directly over the stranded boat.
II say. MARTINI"
A response came from tho
bow of the boat. Marlin had found the
calm of the strong soul which consents
to die.
DO you belle Re in angels?"
What are you talking about?"
nat WlnGed messenger is this that haa l.
come for us?'
Marlin raised himself and looked. Surely +
1t was no bird of any latitude and be- /
longed only among unearthly apparitions. j
High above the mast it dipped and cir /
cled and Yet by no chance tloated far |
away.
Both men started in mute establishment.
Its a bonnet" said Elphinstone.
Its tied" said Marlin.
Then 1T must be tied to something"
Your logic is still active. Can it be pos
sible-'
BY a common impulse both men sprang
for the locker and drew out the reserve
coil of cable. With desperate strength
Marlin hurled the corded end across what |
ever might be attached to the singular l
visitant. An instant later they held the 4
Breton bonnet and it's invisible Irvine in \
their hands.
Pull 1t tw.ce-very gently"
Immediately the rope was pulled twicel
in silent response from the other end.
At this touch of human communication 4
both men gave a shout which rose above ]
the roar of the sea. Il
Its uncanny," said Elpinstone. l
Its life, my boy" 4
Rapidly they tied the reserve cable to
the knotted hair-rope, and having given !
the signal. watched it squirm:ng away in
the darkness like an attenuated sea SER
pent. When 1T paused they attached thei
other end to the Prov Of the BOAT. 4,
When five minutes had passed. Marlinf
gave a tentative pull on the cable. 1t wasS
evidently fastened. He pulled with all hid
strength and 1t held firm.
Up there on the dark ledge Yvonne had !
passed a moose over the jutting end of the (
stone and held 1t in place with her hands. /
The men lowered themselves along the !
side Of the boat and finally found a foot !
Ing on the rock. With a united effort they {
lifted 1t and pushed off. The water rushed (
through the ragged crevice of the hull.
Can we pull ashore before she fills" /
asked Elphinstone, doubtfully.
That's the question:"
They grasped the cable together ana
began a steady, rhythmic stroke, feeding
the surplus into the bow with a rapidity
that was in itself invigorating. boat, 4
falrly In the current. first swung round
below the estuary, but now it was NOV
ing at right angles toward that myster-
ious PIVOT midway the bluff. Once it
seemed best for Elphinstone to bail, while&S3,
Martin tugged alone. The boat was dang
gerously near full. Then the rhythmioA
strokes were resumed and the boilinG&
waters leaped behind them. Ti
Finally they came under the ice shore,N
and now the gunwale was beating againsq
the headland along which hung the rope.1'
who's there?" called Marlin. l.
Inc only answer was a fluttering figure
which came rapidly down the cable and
fell in a heap at the feet Of the astonished
Americans.
"Yvonne. did you ever hear Of the Mo-
religion?"
'Farbleu! No M'seu Marlin. I know |
only of the religion of lie bon Dieu."
Returning health had chased away some
OF the quiet sadness of her eyes, and
fringes of soft hair peeped out from be-
meath her Breton bonnet.
Why do you ask, M'seu Marlin?"
Il shall tell YOU a story"
Tell me first the story of how you