The Topeka state journal., 1908-10-27
THE EVENING STORY
Ill Winds Good.
IBy Charles Graves.l

lBy Charles GraveS.I
A flood of golden morning sunshine,
streaming through the windows and
falling full upon his face. awakened Tom
Goodhue. 1t awakened him with
rather unpleasant start, and brought
to his mind the disquieting suspicion
that he had oversight.
He came out of bed with bound and
looked at his watch. 1t was $3.50. Half
past nine, and he had an appointment
to go sailing with Helen Caverly at 9
sharpl Surely the gods of misfortune
severally and collectively were follow
ing in his traini
He dressed in record-breaking time,
bounded down the stairs, and. break
fastless, made all speed to the long
pier in front of the hotel, his mind busy
with the many apologies he would un-
doubtedly need in few moments.
But the apologies were doomed, for
the present, at least, to remain unspo-
ken; for when he reached the pier he
saw, running out of the harbor before
the smart breeze. knockabout with
well known pennant fiuttering from the
mast.
Evidently Miss Caverly had grown
weary Of waiting for him. Goodhue
took long, lugubrious look at the dis
tant sail and groaned.
Yet he was not the man to submit
tamely to adverse circumstance. At
the end of the pier lay hope in the
shape of his own power boat. pulling at
her painter as she swung to the tide.
In a moment he had scrambled aboard.
pulled the cover from the engine and
turned over the hywheel.
There was a series of sharp reports.
He threw off the moorings, sprang to
the little wheel in the bow and the
power boat went tearing away from the
pier, sending up twin waves of white
spurme at her bow as she sped In pur-
suit of the distant knockabout.
The engine of a power boat, however
is not one of the things to be classed
among such certainties as death and
taxes. Scarcely had he passed the can
buoy on the outer ledge. when there
was an ominous coughing of the ex-
haust..
Immediately it grew spasmodic and
seemed to take a half-hearted despair
ing note. Then it ceased altogether,
and, with this cessation. the little craft
lay helpless on the long swells coming
in from the bay.
Countless precedent cases had taught
Goodhue what to do. He pulled off his
coat, caught up a wrench and attacked
the engine not without certain grim
wrath.
At the end of half an hour, despite all
his art and all his mad efforts with the
wrench, the engine, beyond few deris-
i've choking puffs, refused to respond.
Goodhue hurled the wrench angrily
into the locker, shook vindictive fist
at the balky machinery and delivered
himself of his opinions concisely and
forcefully.
sail. momentarily growing smaller to
the eastward, and ruefully surveyed
the blue streak of shore behind him.
not without certain poignant longings
for breakfast.
All his labors had merely succeeded
in getting him stalled here in the mid
die of the bay. He grunted his dis
gust. tied his handkerchief to boat
hook as an improvised signal of dis
tress and set it up in the stern. Then
he stretched himself upon the cush-
ions and calmly went to sleep.
He was awakened by ripping
laughter. He jumped up to find close
alongside a knockabout with its sail
rafting sharply as it headed into the
wind. BY the tiller was Helen
took in his plight.
Goodhue struck melodramatlc
attitude, one hand on his forehead,
the other at his throat.
Help" he cried, nodding toward
his distress signal.
The girl laughed again.
What on earth are you doing out
here so early in the morning. she
said mockingly. "Are you aware that
it is but trifie past 10:30?"
81 am pursuing you, said he, "or
rather was pursuing you. until this
this unmentionable engine went back
"And why were you pursuing me?
81 wanted that sail you promised
me this morning"
'I waited for you until long
after g.
Goodhue grinned sheepishly. Il
oversight" he confessed lamely.
Then when I got down to the pier
and found you gone l started out in
the power boat-without any break
fast"
what noble self-sacrifce." she
Knocked.
And I'd have caught you. too, but
for that engine. 1t always breaks
down when you want it most. How
ever, you've seen my plight and come
alongside, and that's the main thing.
after all. We can have the sail now,
can't we?''
DO you think you deserve it?"
Frankly 1 don't; but I'm going to
trust to your generosity"
She looked at him doubtfully for a
moment. "Of course" she said at
length, 81 can't desert you like this
helpless as you are upon the high
seas. Come aboard. I'll tow you
back. You must be very hungry by
this time
Goodhue caught up the boat-hook.
pulled the the, power boa boat longsMide M the the, knock,
moment the painter was fast, and towing
the HELPLESS craft behind her, the knock
about was headed shoreward.
The girl held the tiller. Goodhue sat
down beside her.
IT was particularly anxious to come
out sailing with you this morning." said
he.
80 it would SEEM she observed dryly.
There was very particular reason
why I shouldn't miss it," he went on
placidly. ignoring her tone. IT wanted
to finish out what 1 was saying to you
night before last on the Gregory's piazza,
when that idiot of a Benson came out
and interrupted u.s..
A wave of color surged into the girl
cheek Her nose went up in the air a
fraction of an inch.
''Under the circumstances" said she,
considering the fact that / have just
rescued you from a rather trying situa-
tion. it seems to me no gentleman would
take advantage-
Goodhue moved closer to her.
sNo gentleman would have missed his
appointment with you this morning.
said he. Therefore / am no gentleman;
Col he n