Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-12-03

toward tho yacht, which had now crept
into full view. tnd under freshenins /
breeze was bear southwark
"tuil speed, lima"
The engine responded instantly, and We
cut through tho water smartlr, There /
was space OF about Twenty-Five yards
wecn the boatman aud tho nearer
shore. I did not believe that he would
Go more than try to annoy us by forcing
us on the swnmpy shore; for II was
stll broad daylight. and wo were likely
nj any moment to meet other craft. l
was confident that with any sort Of luck
could slip past him and gain the strait
or dodge and run round him 'before he
could change the course Of his heavy
skiH.
kicked the end OF an oar which the
launch carried for emergencies and
lima, on this hint, drew It toward him.
"You can see some OF the roofs OF Port
. Anrandale across the neck here" | re
marked seeing that the woman had be-
| Gun TO watch the approaching boat I'm
easily.
kept UP a rapid fire of talk, but
| listened only to the engines regular
beat The launch was now close to the
Italians boat. and having nearly com
pietod the semi-circe I was obliged to
turn a little to watch him. Suddenly he
| set NJ straight and lay to with the oars,
pulling hard toward n point we must
pass in order to clear the strait and
roach the upper lake again The fellow
hostile intentions were clear to all OF
Us row and we all silently awaited the
outcome. His skff rose high in air UNI
der the impulsion of his strong arms
and if he struck our lighter craft amid
ship, as seemed inevitable he would UNI
6ou5tediy swamp us.
lima half rose. glanced toward the
yacht. which was heading for the strait.
and then at me- but | shook my head.
Mind the engine. Lima | said with
as much GOODNESS as I could muster
The margin between us and the skif
rapidly diminished. and the italian turn
ed to take his bearings with every lift
OF his oars. He had thrown off his cap.
and as he looked over his shoulder ! saw
his evil face sharply outlined. | counted
slowly to myself the number of strokes
that would ne necessary to bring him in
collision If he persisted. charging against
his progress our own swift. arrow-like
fiCht over the water. The shore was
close. and I had counted on n fun depth
Of water. hut lima now called out
warningly in his shrill pipe and our
bottom scraped as l veered off. This
Vancouver cost mo the equivalent Of ten
of the Italians deep strokes, and the
shallow water added a new element OF
danger.
stand by with the oar. lima" call
ed in low tone: and | saw in flash
Miss Pats face, quite calm. but with her
lips set tight
Ten Yards remained | Judged, between
the sllff and the strait, and there was
nothing for us now but to let speed and
space work out their problem.
lima stood up and seized the oar, 7
threw the wheel hard aport in a last
hope OF lodging. and the launch listed
badly as 1t swung round, Then the bow
Of the skiff rose high. and Helen shrank
away with little cry. there a
scratching and grinding for an instant
MS lima, bending forward, dug the oar
into the sklns bow and checked 1t with
the full weight OF his body AS we fend
ed off the car snapped and he tumbled
Into the water with great splash. while
we swervcd and rocked for a moment
md then sped on through the little
strait.
Looking back. 7 saw lima swimming
for the shore He rose in the water and
called AN right" and knew he would
take excellent care OF himself. The Ital-
ian had shipped his and lay where
We had left him, and / heard him. above
the beat of our engine. laugh derisively
as wa glided out of sight, The water
rippled pleasantly beneath US; the shall
lows brushed the quiet blue with fleet
wings. and In the west the sun was
spreading a thousand glories upon the
up-piling clouds. Out in the upper lake
the wind freshened and we heard the
low rumble of thunder.
Miss Holhrook. viii you please steer
for me?"-and IN effecting the necessary
change Of position that ! might get 20
tho engine Ne We're all able to regain our
composure. | saw Miss Pat touch her
forehead with her handkerchief but she
said nothing. Even after St Agatha $
pier hove in sight silence held us all
The wind. continuing TO freshen. was
whipping the lake with n sharp lash
and I made much of my trining business
with the engine, and Of the necessity
for occasional directions to the girl al
the wheel
My conlriton at the danger to which
had stupidity broL ght them was stron1
IN ne; but there were other things tt
think Of Miss Pat could not be deceiyec
as to the animus of our encounter, foi
the Italians conduct could hardly be &C
counted for on the score o. stupidity
and the natural peace and quiet Of this
region only emphasized the gravity o
her plight. Ny first thought was that
must at once arrange for her remova
n some other place, With Henry Iol
brook stablishcd within a few miles o
St. agatha's the school certainly NJ
longer a tenable harbOrage.