The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-15

IL was WIG March day. ana tho
e~sing wind sang in the rigging OF the
ships Tho weather horizon. dark aud
brilliant, In ominous alterations
showed a sky OF plledup cloud inter.
spersed with Inhy patches where
squalls were bursting To lcoward
the broad lagoon stretching for a
dozen mlres IN the tree topped rim OF
reef smoked with tho haze OF an i'm.
pending gale Ashore the palms bent
like grass In the succeeding gusts, and
che ocean beaches rovcrbcratoi with
a furious sun Tho great aiUll OF
Maxim, no higher than Il man. no
wider than n couple of furlDuEs. but
in circumference a sinuous giant OF 90
miles or more, lay like n snake on tho
boIstorous waters Of the equator and
-dehod the sea and storm
Within the lagoon. and not far OF
the settlement, two ships rocked at
anchor One, the Northern Light,
was a powerful topsail schooner OF
hundred tons; straight bowed, low in
the water, built on fine lines and yet
SPARED for safety. the sort Of vessel
that does well under plain sail, and
when pressed can fly. The other. the
Edelweisg, was q miniature fore and
after OF about 20 tons toy OF dell.
ocacy and grace, betraying at glance
that she had been designed a yacht.
and in spite OF fallen fortunes, was
still sailed as one The man that laid
her lee rail under would get danger as
well as speed for his pains, and In
Cline would be likely TO satisfy
taste for both by making swift trip
10 The bottom.
The deck of the Northern Light
vas empty save for the single tall fig
ure Of Gregory Cole. captain and
owner, who was leaning over the rail
gazing at the Edelweiss He was a
man OF about &c. hts tanned, hand.
some face overcast and sOmbGr, his
eyes. with their characteristic hunted
look. fixed in an uneasy stare on his
SMALLER nejghbor.
He had never known how passion
ately he had loved Madgc Blanchard
until he had lost her, until after that
wild quarrel on NOnootCh when her
father had called him SLAYER 10 his
face, and they had parted on either
side in anger; until he had beaten up
from westward to find her the month.
cid wife Of Joe Horrible Somehow, in
tthe course of those long. miserable
months, he had never thought of her
marrying; he felt SO confident OF
chat fierce love she had so often con.
4essed for him; he had come back re-
ypentant, ashamed Of the burning of.
ifense he had then taken, determined
20 let bygones be bygones, and to be.
gin. II need be, new and more
iblameless way OF life.
He had TO see her. He was mad to
-see her. Tho thought of her tortured
land tempted him without end Sup.
pose she, too, had learned that love
As stronger than oneself; that the
mouth can say Yes when the heart
self, had found the time to repent her
folly? Was he the man TO leave
her thus; to acquieBce tamely In a
decision that was doubtless already
abhorrent to her: TO remain with un.
lifted hands when she might be on
IRE for the sign to come to him?
No. never! he'd beg her forgiveness
and offer her the choice. Yes or no!
1t was for her to choose
He Jumped into the dinghy and
pulled over 10 the schooner. Small
ut distance. she seemed to shrink as
he drew near her, 30 that when he
stood up he was surprised TO find his
head above the rail. So this was
Horrible, this coarse, red.faced trader,
with the pug nose, the fat hands. the
faded blue eyes that met his own 30
gourly!
Capt. Horblef" said Gregory Cole
"Glad to see you aboard" said
They shook hands and sat side by
hide on the rail.