Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-08-12
CHAPTER Y.

at the Genguln OluO on MS wa! ANt
marketing. TO see IL by chance any mail
had lodged there for me. This time he
had 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-
yelope was square and of delicate shade
between violet and gray, and my name
was written on it in fine, bold hand
Inside was a single sheet:
my Dear Mr.. Pirate or Hermit (Whlch-
ever you are):
al 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 It In my pocket, hardly
knowing whether 10 be yexed or pleased
The truth Of the matter is that l found
Miss Graham's last visit disconcerting
1t seemed absurd, but she had In some
strange manner changed the tone OF the
beach. Instead OF being a place for calm,
solitary musing, It had assumed the as
pect Of spot made for company. l had
never before felt the need Of pointing out
| the pink shades Of the sands and the
golden crests of the rolling combers, nor
of recurring another's admiration OF the
circling sulls. Now / did, and the result
was that the more beautiful the beach,
the more restless was l, and this did not
suit me at all. l was not so dull as to
miss the cause OF this change, and that
was the reason why the note both vexed
and pleased me. was vexed that
should be glad, and yet glad that l was
in the way Of being further vexed.
looked at the barometer after din
ner: 1t was falling glanced at the
sky: It was still deep, dome-like blue,
but there were clouds stealing across 1t
that betokened storm. The wind was
veering 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
ed into the cabin; that was empty.
climbed the stairs, and, coming again on
deck. saw Miss Graham starting across
the causeway. 1t was low tide, and the
path was above water, covered with
shells and barnacles. I threw over a
rope-ladder that had made and hung at
the side, and helped her on boari. She
had on a soft, white lace hat that drop
ped at the edges and looked delightfully."-
summery. Her gown was white; indeed,
the only color she wore was a gold chain
and locket that hung low about her neck.
She pointed proudly to her stout tan
walking-shoes.
II am wiser to-day" she said; much
more of a ea-woman."
l had thought once before that | hal
tasted fully the sense OF exploration OF
the Ship, but now found that 1 had
not. Like two inquisitivs 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. "Tbere
was nothing found In iti" she asked
Nothing"
ut seems a shame. How are we ever
to find the clue II not in the chestY'
Eve must look for 1t out Of doors"
said. Perhaps II we wish hard enough.
the spirits of the old rovers will come
back"
So took cushions that lay with INV
painting things and made her a seat On
deck, and l lighted my pipe, and told her
all l had dreamed about the Shin. and
how / was sure, II we only had sufficient
faith, that 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 NJ
the men have met" she said. Now
you seem quite in your setting. II al.
most makes me doubt that I'm only air
hours from town."
You're not, you're thousand miles
from town, In another world, In anotber
sphere. We don't talk the language a,
town out here on the Ship; we tain
different tongue"
She shifted SO that she could look ovsr
the sea, her chin still propped in her
hand. Talk that tongue" she said IN
that little tone Of command peculiar 70
her. "
talked OF the sea and ships, of trsa..
ures hidden under the waves. Of dere,ic..
that hoated for years without ha,na
sighted, OF the Ancient Mariner and ths
Flying Dutchman and all the tboussnd
and one legends Of ghost ships and thar
crews. Meanwhile watched her toll
IN the dreamy lustre Of her eyes-e,sv
that shaded to blue-the soft brown coin,
OF her cheeks and brow, the curling snId
OF her hair beneath her big white b.t
and the delicate little hand that n,,,om.
her chin. noted the locket. oval .nd
nat, with her initials B. G. intertw,naS
and the heavy gold links of the chair
that softly stirred with her even breath.
she was a child listening to world.oId
stories but knew she was also a woman
VINO mad come to change Alastajr.
stopped, and for time we bo,b 80,
silent, while the benedictiop Of th., -
flo r,ous afternoon rested upon our m,,its
There seemed no Limitation to The xn,,s
Inc sea stretched out far past the Shift.
ing snoai and melted into the sky. and
tnat IN turn rose immeasurably biah
Only the white clouds aecked IN. A. d.
oiue. casting patches of shade. dive,
tipped, upon the waves, and ths, 90.
US the lure Of contrast.
Barbara looked up-I think II wa.