The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-02-18
CoDgnsas ~ - Bo55,-asTrin o.
cHAPTER VI.-contlnued.

with every emphasis Of youth. A pair Z
Of dark blue eyes examined me with /
good-humored curiosity. She was on /;
good terms with the sum rejoiced in {
the brown Of her cheeks. so eloquent (;
Of companiOnship with the outdoor 4
world-a certificate indeed Of the IA
yor Of Heaven. Show me, in October,
a girl with face Of tan, whose hands
have piled a paddle or driven a golf
ball or cast a fly beneath the blue
arches Of summer, and l VIII suffer
her scorn in joy. She may vote me
dull and refute my wisest word with
laughter. for hers are the privileges OF
the sisterhood of Diana; and that soft
bronze. those daring fugitive freckles
beneath her eyes, link her to times
when Pan Whistled upon his reed and /
all the days were long.
Her rubber-soled outing shoes had I
made possible her silent approach, and /
/ she enjoyed, was sure. my discom- /
! future at being taken unawares.
/ had snatched OF my cap and stood
I waiting beside the canoe, feeling, l
/ must admit, a trife guilty at being
/ caught in the unwarrantable inspection
Of another persons property-particu-
larly a person so wholly pleasing TO
the eye.
7 belieye-I believe that is my pad
die" she said, little timidly thought,
and yet with definiteness.
1 looked down and found to my an
noyance that I held her paddle in my
hand.-was in fact leaning upon it
with cool air Of proprietOrship.
Again, I beg your pardon" I said.
q hadn't expected"
She eyed me calmly. with the stare
of the child that arrives at drawing
room door by mistake and scrutinizes
the guests without awe. I didn't know
what I had expected or had not expect
ed. and she manifested no intention Of
helping me to explain. Her short skirt
suggested Is or 16-nOt mOre-and
such being the case there was no rea-
son why 1 should not be master Of the
situation. As I fumbled my pipe the
hot Goals Of tobacco burned my hand
and I cast the thing from me.
She laughed a little. then caught
herself and gravely watched the pipe
bound from the dock into the water.
Too bad." she said. her eyes upon
it; but if you hurry you may get it
before it floats away
Thank you for the suggestion"
said. But l did not relish the idea OF
kneeling on the dock to fish for pipe
before a strange school girl who was,
l felt sure, anxious to laugh at me.
She took q step toward the line by
which her boat was fastened
ALLOW me"
IF you think you can.-safely," she
said; and the laughter that lurked in
her eyes annoyed me.
THE feminine knot Is designed foI
the confusion of man" I observed
twitching vainly at the rope, which
was tied securely in unfamiliar loops
She was singularly unresponsiye
The thought that she was probably
laughing at my clumsiness did no
make my fingers more nimble-
The nautical instructor at st
Agatha's is undoubtedly a woman
This knot must come in the POSTCARD
uaLe GOuLSG- buN LIZ S@-AAe~-AN%-
} equal. trust, to your patience"
The maid in the red tam-o'-shante
continued silent. The wet rope wa
obdurate. the knot more and NOR
homeless. and my efforts 10 make lish
of the situation awakened no respOns
in the girl tugged away at the rope
attacking its tangle on various the
cries.
"A case for surgery, I'm afraid.
truly gordian knot, but haven't m
knife"
oh. but you wouldn't" she e,
claimed. 4 think can manage"
she bent down. was aware ths
the sleeve of her jacket brushed m
shoulder-seized an end that ha
ignored, gave It a sharp tug with
slim. brown hand and pulled the knC
free.
"Theret" she exclaimed with littl
laugh: 4 might have saved you a
the bother"
How dull of me. But didn't hay
the combination" 1 said. steadying II
canoe carefully to mitigate the ignOr
inv of my failure.
She scorned the hand extende
but embarked with light, confdel
step and took the paddle. It was gro'
ing late. The shadows IN the Voc
were deepening; a chill orept over Il
water and, beyond the tower Of Il
chanel. the sky was bright with Il
glory of sunset.
With few skillful strokes 81
brought her little craft beside n
pipe. which she deity caught on Il
paddle blade and tossed to the wha
Perhaps you can pipe tune up'
!. IT," she said. dipping the paddle
: you put me under great oolis
lions" I declared. Are all the glI
at st. Agaths's as amiaole?"