Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-03-18
CHAPTER vl.-continued

SIillDp oAlS I'LL AINAl Al u obiN ~ go 49,
tage. Mr.. Gordon Benne was properly
introduced, explained his queer actions,
returned the lost bag.
CHAPTER VI.-Continued.
Il am glad it amuses you" l remarked,
in my most frigid manner, which |
have been told is extremely chilling.
ooh, / say" he said quickly, don't
look at it that way. Why, it was moth
ing after all. had made two trips on
that old boat this summer, and m of
those dilapidated chairs broke down
with me and nearly pitched me over
board. l complained, but the company
would not get new ones, which put
my back up a bit, so l got into the
habit of examining them, and when
/ found one weak in the back or legs
II just pitched it overheard. That
wasn't so bad, was it? OF course
never thought how 1t looked, and
did 'mutter,' but I'm heartily glad you
did not hear what I said"
1t was a very simple explanation
so simple, in fact, that | felt provoked
lit had not occurred to me, and l hated
to think how he would relate the in
.cident to his friend Mr.. Blake, and
how they would laugh over it. So
merely looked out at the ocean and
made a frosty, im%personal remark
about the view.
: But instead of the familiar land.
scape | found myself looking straight
into two very blue eyes with a trace
of anxiety in them, and a sunburned
hand was extended toward me appeal.
ingly.
Let's shake and be friends" he
said heartily. I'm sorry l alarmed
you, but I'm glad I found out my of.
Tense. / was determined | would know
what it was. When the general wrote
me his daughter was here, and l dis
covered who it was, l was delighted,
for of course | saw you all on the boat,
and l wanted awfully to know you
You don't mind my saying SO? Then
when l got snubbed so numerically
I could not understand it. Shall we
start all over again, and will you ex
plain to your friends that I am in
possession Of all my senses and hope
to keep them a while 1onger?"
Well, it was impossible not to smile
also, and indeed I was very glad of a
chance to descend gracefully from my
high horse, so we shook hands grave.
ly and started all over again, as he
had suggested.
l inquired where he spent the night,
and he mentioned the hotel we had
deserted, so / told him about the rob.
berry. He had heard nothing, having
left very early in the morning, mean
ing to sail home in time for breakfast.
| asked him if his boat suffered any
i'll effects from the storm, and his man
ner grew all at once constrained and
ill at ease, so I changed the subject,
fearing that it might have been IT.
r~evocably damaged against our slip,
and feeling somewhat responsible. |
spoke Of the cottage, and how we en-
joyed life here, and the contrast it
was to the hotel.
YES" he said absently "it's a jolly
little place. But, tell me, how did you
hear of it, and how did you manage to
get it? I understood it was not for
rent"
/ told him he was mistaken; that
we had no trouble at all in securing
1t, and that the rent was ridiculously
low, all things considered.
Il would like to know to whom II
belongs" / remarked. Il understand
1t was some woman's whim, and she
has tired of it, Perhaps we might get
some of our relatives to buy it and
come here every summer"
Don't you know anything about it?'
The was looking at me curiously now
mot a thing" / said lightly; do
you"
A dull red flush was distinctly visi.
BILE beneath his coat of tan as he re-
piled to my question.
I'm not a native, you know. ! was
here for a bit last year, and | liked it;
50 when l had a chance to buy an is.
land, house and all, / jumped at 1t.
But~Im not wise about my neighbors.
/ do know that this cottage was oc-
cupied last summer, and l heard the
people we're very unsocial and never
received a guest or entered the village
while they we're here; and. Of course,
there we're stories. Gossip fiourishes
on a mystery, you know"
We'll" ! returned, Il don't care how
mysterious the former tenants were,
but I'm glad they did not come back,
Perhaps they we're In mourning, or In
valids, or something Of that sort"
mo doubt" he agreed hastily; mo
doubt"
And then we changed the subject
and talked of other things till the
sound Of voices and laughter told me
Elizabeth and Gabrielle were return
ing from the village. They brought
Lady Edith and Lord Wilfrid both
home with them to dinner, and 1t was
not difficult to persuade Mr.. Bennett
to stay also, 8 % we had the first OF
some very merry repasts, where
.