Rock Island Argus., 1908-08-28

IuakeS- up Her Hllnu II stays Hlaue Hl), |
and l made up my mind yesterday, |
Bobbie"
'You mean your Aunt Isobel made it |
up for Xou," Robert Ashton answered.
looking at Katherine Millard ,as she
perched beside him in the bow of the
boat. The wind blew her hair into dis
tracing ripples. She put back Il strand |
of it as she faced him. replying:
"She did have a good deal TO do with !
it, 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 fol
common sense? Besides, there are mo-
ments when | feel that she knows me
better than l know myself. L do love
the ct cete.as of life so, Bobby! Love in
a Harlem fat would never do for me,
1 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
er given you the least cause for hope.
I've always been perfectly frank with
you. haven't I?">
always"
'"Then L can't see why you should
protest so much.''
"Well, for one reason | hate to see
you flinging 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 foreso thing
simply because it's beyond your reach
And then there's Il third reason. We
could be SO gloriously happyw
The girl averted her eyes.
"Couldn't weT'' he persisted
II don't know"-She faltered.
''Ah, but you do know! You know
we're one in everything. That's why l
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 Rathboner
"Bobbie, if you make fun of my
friend l won't take you sailing again
But. Katherine
"Now. Bobbie.'' For a second time
| she faced him squarely. "l've told you
my minds made up, and l mean what
/ say. You've been 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 it for me? Either
you must promise me not TO mention
it again or I'll have to give up seeing
| you entirely
"All right he replied. with that
! characteristic boyishness that womer
always found so adorable in him. I'll
be good"
He nodded at her smilingly. and she
told herself that after all. he was only
| q boy with boys ardor-twenty-fivt
and not yet grown up! But that was
because she was looking at his smile
and not at what lay in his eyes.
She let out the main sheet of the
White Lady until the spray dashed
i across the bow of the trim little craft
1t was gray day. with a hint of raIr
in the air and the sea gulls hoverin.
inland-such day as sends the usua
summer resorter to cOZy chair by
Pickering logs with novel close a
hand and the fisher folk out to opel
sea with the promise of a heavy catch
Between gray green water and slat,
gray sky the White Lady seemed th
only thing afloat as she skinned an,
tackled and lifted on the crest of tn
waves They were racing to wind
ward now. and the homes of the shor
dwellers faded in the distance. Her
J and there stood the solitary houses o
I, fishermen; then these, too, becam
fewer.
Il The shore rose to bare. rocky head
: lands capped with stunted pines
\ gaunt, jagged rocks with the waite
\ creaming at their base. Islands rost
4 mere specks in the distance. only dis
\ cernible because of the surf that play
\ ed about them or the dwelling or tw
n that reclaimed them from utter lionel
ness. The White Lady throbbed an
few. so tense, so alive, so seemingl
: a part Of the elements. that 1t wa
Y hard to believe her thing Of WOO
X and canvas.
y "Look out" sang Ashton as the bos
X came suddenly about. THAT was
Y pretty close shave"
y "Who sails with ME holds life i
N Fee" laughed Katherine, intoxicate
y with wave and wind and foam.
r "There is such thing as commo
y sense" quoted Ashton.
Y But the wine of the sea was in Kat
V crimes blood. She rounded anotht
n fat rock triumphantly.
~ Careful cautioned Ashton.
X "Afraidg she taunted, with uplifte
" chin. and then laughed as scarf,
X surged across his keen young face.
ii sail where you like! I don't care
w he cried
n You think" she scoffed recklessl
w that just because I'm girl car
W manage my own boat. Why, roun
W ing these rocks is a perfect game f
,H me! I've done it lots of times.
W course / know the summer people a
W warned against it. But I'm not 4 SUI
w mer person at heart. I'm what Ca
W tain Davy calls a regular salt, and
W allow no mutiny on the part of n
W crew So there! And whoever 8
= cepts my invitation to sail accepts t
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