The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-07-16
.Tell me what you think" she sal

set quiets, yet was surprised to find her
so still and calm. 1t seemed as though
we had known each other for some time.
l have romanced to myself idly from
that cliff when the yellow light lies over
the sea and the river and the pines, and
l drew upon my memory only to find it
of the river people, of the birds that live
in the marsh and of the animals of the
woods. / had watched the purple grackle
build his nest and the blue jay forage for
his offspring when the summer was
young, and I knew many a story of the
sea-gulls. Miss Graham was a fattering
listener, her lips slightly parted, her eyes
alight with interest.
You must be hungry" I said at last,
lunch at noon, no supper until 3. l
should like to offer you my cottages hos
pitality."
l was looking for the flush that l
knew would come, and was not disap-
pointed.
see-what would people think if they
looked in your dining-room window and
saw me taking tea alone with your"
people don't look in my dining-room
window" l answered.
She shook her head so decisively that
knew she meant it.
"At least, we will have a cup of tea
on the beach," said, tout Of doors-oh,
a dozen yards from the cottage, where
all the world may see us if they choose"
Splendid! she cried, and, jumping up,
led the way down from the heights.
On the smooth sand some distance
from my door Charles had placed the lit
tie table. Two chairs faced each other;
plates, napkins, and a center-piece of
beach-marshmallows were the decorations,
and my man, as straight and rigid as an
Egyptian idol, stood a short distance off.
Miss Graham gave a little cry of pleas
ure.
Its like the Arabian Nights !" she ex-
claimed. 'The whole thing seems to
have sprung out of the sand"
I seated her at the table.
"You may serve the tea, Charles" I
ordered.
He brought forth the teapot, and was
about to pour the tea into our cups when
Miss Graham expostulated. 'It's the
ed, and Charles surrendered the teapot
into her care.
"How many Jumps of sugar." she
asked, with the delicate superiority of
hostess to guest.
'"Two."
"Will you have lemon or cream?"
There were both; thanked my stars that
Charles was SO thoughtful.
Lemon"
l received ny tea-cup and a moment
later had the satisfaction of hearing Miss
Graham say that the brew was delicious
And such pretty cups! I don't believe
you're bit of hermit, but a very PAM
pered old sybarite."
for our honored guests" I explained.
but / don't feel as if this were state
OCCASION" she answered. 1T seems quite
as though we'd been doing this all sum-
mer."
Il wish we had" said, quickly.
Il mean, it seems so usual" she said.
"And yet, in reality, you hardly know
me at all; why, you haven't even met
Aunt Elizabeth yet"
mo, that's true,' l agreed. "But then.
on the other hand, you don't know such
a very great deal about me-"
Its the very fact that we know so
little about each other in the usual WAYS.
and so much in other ways" Miss Ora
ham attempted to explain, "that makes
everything so nice. We're both so much
interested in the Ship and its history.
you know"
eve are" 1 answered. ''That reminds
me that l was to tell you all about the
Ship some time"
"Yes." She looked off to where the
boat lay shinuing like mahogany in the
yellow afterglow. "But don't you think
we'd better wait until we're on board
again. The smell of tar and the feel of
the wood will make it so much more
real"
''Then, you'll come" I began, and
stopped, for Miss Graham was looking
past me at the door of my house.
turned to see Islip there, broad smile
wreathing his face.
swell, we'll, well!' he remarked. adj
vancing. What charming idyl! Real
ly, had no idea when !; came in at the
back door that should find such pretty
to Miss Graham. Where is the horse
Barbara. that goes with your habit?"
II left him in the woods. He's used
to standing" She turned to me. "Mr.
Selden, have you met Mr. IslipT
Yesterday" answered. HE lunched
here"
Yes put in Islip; land he gave me
as good a lunch as he's giving you tea.
Really, Selden, you're not living up to
your reputation as a recluse" He paused,
looking from Minis Graham to me. II
hate an interloper, but I'm afraid that's
the part assigned me. When you didn't
appear at dinner, and couldn't be found,
1 volunteered to hunt. I was getting
quite worried over the disappearance.
Your Aunt Elizabeth"
rs i'll in bed with a headache" said
Miss Graham.
"Quite SO; 50 we didn't like to tell her
took all the responsibility on myself"
I may have looked somewhat sharply
at Islip at these words, for when turn.
ed to the girl caught an amused CLEAN
in her ewes