Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-12-11
CHAPTER V.

OF mind, So | was getting back 10 my
accustomed serene outlook on the beach
wh.n ct dinner | found tiny note lying
vt my pats, Charles frequently stopped
at the Penguin Club on his way from
marketing, to see II by chance any mail
TX lodged there for me. This time he
lad discovered the diminutive missive
aforesaid tucked into the box that was
reserved for me, and which usually CON
tanned only the daily papers The en-
velope was square and of delicate shade
between violet and gray, and my name
was written on II In fine, bold hand.
Inside was a single sheet:
my Dear Mr.. Pirate or Hermit (Which
ever you are)
"I shall visit the Ship Friday after
noon-when the tide Is low"
There was no name, not even bare
initial.
| looked at my calendar was apt to
forget the days Of the week-and found
that It was already Friday. | folded up
the note and put 1t In my pocket, hardly
knowing whether to be vexed or pleased.
The truth Of the matter is that l found
Miss Graham's last visit disconcertlng'
II seemed absurd. but she had In some
strange manner changed the tone OF the
beach. Instead of being place Tor calm,
solitary musing, It had assumed the as
pect of a spot made for company. mad
never before felt the need of pointing out
the pink shades of the sands and the
rolden crests Of the rolling combers, nor
of recurring another's admiration OF the
circling gulls. Now / did. and the result
wns that the more beautiful the beach,
and this did not
suit me at all. was not so dull as to
miss the cause of this change, ana that
was the reason why the note both vexed
and pleased me- l was vexeo 'na' 1
should be glad, and yet glad that was
In the way Of being further yexed.
1 looked at the barometer after DIN
n<r, II was falling. glanced at tne
styi It was still a deep, dome-like Diue'
but there were clouds stealing across IL
that betokened storm. The wind was
vsering into the northeast; we. might
have bad weather at a moments notice.
At the appointed time | went up the
beach and clambered aboard the ship.
There was no one on board. descend
cd into the cabin; that was empty. l
climbed the stairs, and, coming again on
deck. saw Miss Graham starting across
the causeway. 1t was low tide, and the
pnth was above water, covered with
shells and barnacles. l threw over a
rope-ladder that had made and hung at
the side, and helped her on boari. She
had on q soft, white lace hat that drop
ned at the edges and looked delightfully."-
summery. Her gown was white; Indeed,
the only color she wore was gold chain
and locket that hung low about her neck.
She pointed proudly to her stout tan
walking-shoes.
.I am wiser to-day" she said; much
more of a sea-woman.'
/ had thought once before that l hal
tasted fully the sense of exploration of
the Ship, but now l found that l had
not Like two inquisitive children play
ing at being explorers, we ransacked
every corner of the cabin, humping the
boards for secret hiding-places, peering
into the dim recesses Of the hunks. She
opened the brass-bound chest. There
was nothing found In itI' she asked.
Nothing"
at seems a shame How are we ever
to find the clue II not In the chestg'
I'VE must look for It out Of DOORS"
.aid. perhaps If we wish hard enough,
the spirits Of the old rovers will come
back"
So I took cushions that lay with my
painting things and made, her a seat on
deck. and / lighted my pipe told her
all | had dreamed about the Ship, and
how / was sure, II we only had sufficient
faith. that a man would come out Of the
sea to sail her again and bring her as
fine adventures as any she had known.
@How different you are from most OF
the men l have met r. she said. Nov
Won seem quite In your setting. Ii al
most makes me doubt that I'm only siI
hours from town."
you're not, you're a thousand miles
from town, in another world, In another
sphere. We don't talk the language oil
town out here on the Ship; we talk 9
different tongue"
She shifted so that she could look over
the sea, her chin still propped In hel
hand. Talk that tongue" she said II
that little tone of command peculiar t
her.
I talked of the sea and ships, of treas
ures hidden under the waves, of derelict
that hoated for years without beinl
sighted, of the Ancient Mariner and tn
FLYING Dutchman and all the thousani
and one legends Of ghost ships and thei
crews. Meanwhile / watched her, tool
In the dreamy lustre Of her eyes-gra.
that shaded to blue-the soft brown colo
of her cheeks and brow, the curling gol
of her hair beneath her big white hat
and the delicate little hand that pillowe
her chin. l noted the locket, oval an
fat, with her initials b. G. intertwinet
and the heavy gold links of the chat
that softly stirred with her even breathi
She was a child listening to world-ol
stories, but l knew she was also woma
who had come to change Alastair.
l stopped, and for a time we both sa
silent, while the benediction Of that gle
rious afternoon rested upon our spirits
Tbers seemed no limitation to the worlC
The sea stretched out far past the Shift
ing Shoal and melted into the sky, an
that In turn rose immeasurably higl
Only the white clouds hecksd the dee
blue. casting patches of shade, silye
tipped, upon the waves, and that gay