The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-07-20
CHAPTER |,


Elizabeth did not indulge in hay
r every year and consequently
+ to be very careful about breath
where there Is vegetation 1t would
pr have happened; or, rather, we
I'D not have been mixed up with it.
don't know after all whether it was
Gabrielle's gold beads that were
blame just as much as Elizabeth's
fever; for II the string had not
ken everything would have been
right.
abrielle and Elizabeth are friends.
" know each others inmOst
lights, and their past lives contain
reservations whatever from one
r. Dther-which seems a little hard
the men whose pictures they have
med and preserved as relics
am their friend also, but l still
re a few undivulged thoughts, as
Nl as a modest number of reserva-
s. My name is Eliza, but l prefer
e&spell 1t Elise. and perhaps l am a
be envious of the other two, having
= my own alter ego by her mar
4ge and never replaced her. How
"a pr, that doesn't belong to the story
<ich really begins on the steamer
1t carried us to Canada
x3 Elizabeth had heard OF an island vii
Re up there where hay fever was I'M
Dwn, and she read us SO many ex-
let's concerning 1t from a booklet
kept in her work basket that about
first Of June we cut adrift from
- respective families and started
= to spend the summer there. We
hid do this with propriety, for we
ID all passed the pin-feather age, al
epugh ! wish 1t distinctly understood
- were still long way from being
4fingy about the throat
1--WE were sitting on the deck of the
4eamer watching the moonlight on
8e water and enjoying ourselves very
inch indeed when a man came around
Ne corner of the cabin and sat down
oar us, as. of course, he had a per-
ct right to do. Suddenly Gabrielle.
mo was next him, jumped up and
utched my arm.
Come away" she whispered. Come
way"
And, OF course, we came forthwith.
ne was quite pale and trembling
Vhen we reached the cabin, and for a
4ew minutes was unable to satisfy our
{priosity; but at last she spoke.
al He threw chair into the water"
NE said, in an awed voice.
r Obi" said Elizabeth, with evident
4sgust. lis that all? thought it was
qpmething interesting"
= 1T was quite enough" insisted
Qabrielle. 81 was afraid he might
Arow me next. You should have seen
is face and heard him muttering."
IN What did he mutter?" Elizabeth
l<ked the whole of a story or none
e ALL
Il couldn't hear. But l think"-Ga-
1rielle glanced around apprehensively
II think he's crazy, and l don't like
icing on boat with an unguarded in
Ane man. You never know what they
IRE going to do. Besides, he looked
II me-"
u did not blame him there, for Cab
uelle Is we'll worth looking at, espe-
dally when she is gazing at the moon
nth the uplifted expression she re-
9erves for that purpose. sometimes
4onder why she doesn't think some
Nan on earth worth it, but she says
distance lends enchantment in such
matters, and l suppose she knows her
own affairs best.
Perhaps his keeper is somewhere
around" specialized Elizabeth Lets
30 back and see If he is still there"
So We reconnoitered stealthily, and
paw him sitting quietly smoking and
not looking at all dangerous-a rather
GALL, spare man in blue serge clothes,
with a cap pulled down over his eyes.
and the air of one who Is quite sat
1sfied with his surroundings 1t was a
cool night, and the deck was almost
deserted, so he had our secluded cor
ner behind the cabin all to himself,
and We could stand just outside the
door and examine him at our leisure.
He looks just like anybody else
Said Elizabeth, plainly disappointed.
7 Il didn't say he had hump on his
back" returned Gabrielle, Indignantly.
III said he threw a chair overheard
and so he did"
1T is new way Of beginning a
flirtation," l murmured, but customs
differ In various places. Perhaps you
should have sent your chair after it,
by way of acknowledging the atten-
ton. OH"
For at that moment he leaned for
ward, looked with interest at the chair
beside him. felt its back and legs,
poised 1t lightly in the air, and shot
1t over the railing into the water be-
low, where we saw 1t bobbing In the
foam In our wake.
"There!" triumphed Gabrielle. Nov
what do YOU say?"