The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-09-10
HIGH time.
By CONSTANCE
DARCY MACKAY.
Copyrighted, 1908. by Associated
Literary Press.

Literary Press.
E>~~~>~~>~~1
Then j suppose it's no use to ar.
gue?"
Not the slightest. When a Willard
makes up her mind 1t stays made up
and l made up my mind yesterday
Bobbie."
you mean your Aunt lsobel made II
up for you" Robert Ashton answered,
looking at katherine Willard as she
perched beside him in the bow Of the
boat. The wind blew her hair into dis
tracing rippIes. She put back a strand
Of it as she faced him, replying:
'She did have a good deal to do with
1t, I'll admit But. after all, she has
lived much longer in this world than
have and has gained more wisdom"
Yes, worldly wisdom"
isn't that often another name for
common sense? Besides, there are mo-
ments when feel that she knows me
better than l know myself. l do love
the ct ceteras of life so. Bobby Love In
a Harlem fiat would never do for me.
l want all the pate de fois gras of ex-
istence and none of the rye bread
And You know from the first I've new
err given you the least cause for hope.
I've always been perfectly frank with
you, haven't II"
Always"
Then l can't see why you should
protest so much"
We'll, for one reason | hate to sec
you fiinging yourself away on old Sen
ator Rathbone."
Thank your
And, for another, what man gives
up the girl he loves without struggle
1t isn't human nature to forego thing
simply because it's beyond your reach.
And then there's third reason. We
could be so gloriously happyw
The girl avertsd her eyes.
Couldn't ?" he persisted.
81 don't know she faltered.
'Ah. but you do know! You know
we're one In everything. That's why |
dare to persist so much. We like the
same things. We like the same people.
We have the same sense of humor-ex.
cept in the case of Senator Rathbone"
"Bobbie, II you make fun of my
friend l won't take you sailing again.
But, Katherine
"Now, Bobbie" For second time
she faced him squarely. "I've told you
my minds made up, and l mean what
l say. You've been a good friend to
me, and I've enjoyed the times we've
had together But If we're to be good
friends still this kind of thing can't
keep going on. Don't you see how
hard you are making 1t for me? Either
you must promise me not to mention
1t again or I'll have to give up seeing
you entirely"
"All right" he replied, with that
characteristic boyishness that women
always found so adorable in him. oil
be good"
He nodded at her smilingly, and she
told herself that, after all. he was only
n boy with a boys ardor-twenty-fve
and not yet grown up But that was
because she was looking ut his smile
and not at what lay in his eyes.
She let out the main sheet of the
White Lady until the spray dashed
across the bow Of the trim little craft
1t was gray day, with hint Of rain
in the air and the sea gulls lowering
inland-such a day as sends the usual
summer resorter to a coy chair by
HiaIy IL ut
hand and the fisher folk out to open
sea with the promise Of heavy catch
Between gray green water and slate
gray sky the White Lady seemed the
only thing afioat as she skinned and
tackled and lifted on the crest Of the
waves. They were racing to wind
ward now, and the homes Of the shore
jewellers faded In the distance. Here
and there stood the solitary houses Of
fishermen; then these. too, became
fewer.
The shore rose to bare rocky head
lands capped with stunted pines
gaunt. jagged rocks with the water
crea ming at their base Islands rose
mere specks In the distance. only dis
Cernible because of the surf that play
ed about them or the dwelling or two
that reclaimed them from utter lonell-
ness. The White Lady throbbed and
flew. 80 tense, so alive, so seemingly
part Of the elements, that 1t was
hard to believe her n thing Of wood
and canvas
Look Quit" sang Ashton as the boat
came suddenly about. THAT was a
pretty close shave"
WHO sails with me holds life In
fee" laughed katherine, intoxicated
with wave and wind and foam
There is such a thing as common
sense" quoted Ashton.