Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1909-02-17
CHAPTER v.

opened the OOOr IN our wall OF reserve
and allowed Gordon Bennett to pene-
trate beyond it, and in the light of
after events I was very glad, indeed,
l Wa not responsible. It happened
this way.
ST. had washed her hair and gone
out in the sun to dry it, taking book
and box of chocolates to help pass
away the time, and, after wandering
about a little, had established herself
at the top of the fight of steps leading
down to the boathouse, as the most Sc
Guided as we'll as the sunniest place
she could find.
Just what really happened l don't
know; believe she got to dreaming
out there in the sunshine, but this is
what she said:
Il was sitting quietly reading when
l heard little thump, and there was
that miserable comb balancing on the
bottom step. OF course l went after
1t, and of course before 1 got there it
toppled over and went through a
crack Of the slip into the water"
THAT slip is hoodooed," interrupted
Elizabeth. why don't you do as /
do, and keep away from it,"
1T was low tide" continued Gabri-
ellie, "and I could look through the
crack and see it lying on the sand be-
meath the water, so took stick and
tried to poke it out. I got along very
well by progressing from crack to
crack, but at the critical moment ]
got excited and poked too hard, and
1t shot out just beyond my reach. That
made me wild, for l knew I couldn't
face Elizabeth without it, so I simply
lay down and grappled with my stick. D
"Well?" l inquired, as she paused
with reminiscent chuckle.
"Well, as l was lying there with
my face the color of a boiled lobster
fishing away for all was worth,
heard a voice say: ALLOW me- and
there he was in a sailboat, the picture
of GOODNESS and comfort. He rolled w
his sleeve, though, and went to work
and finally got it, then calmly landed
and introduced himself, saying some
thing about having been unfortunate
in his visits
"Then was your opportunity to b.
dignified and squelching," inter
rupted. you should have frozen hin
with a glance"
Il tried to- she returned, "but al
at once I remembered my hair, an
who could be dignified them"
$50 you brought him home witt
you as a reward of merit" laughet
Elizabeth. Il shall never forget hoy
you looked as you came up the vel
anda steps,"
YES" said Gabrielle; "and you tw
sat and stared as though we had es
:aped from the zoo. Take your cont
Elizabeth; l never borrowed one be
fore, and never will again."
Il suppose" remarked Elizabeth, re
flectively examining her recovere
property, 1--WE may be said to hav
dropped into his life; first your bias
then Elisc's sidecomb, and now this c
mine. It's fate-we've got to kno,
him, but it wasn't so bad, after al
was it?''
Indeed, we had all enjoyed the af
ernoon. Even Gabrielle returned t
the veranda, with her hair as high u
en- her head as she could get it an
with her most impressive manner, bu
we none of us referred to our trip u
on the steamer, and our visitor d.
parted without once mentioning on
property in his possession, althoug
| my sidecombs were obviously nc
mates. which made me very uncon
Portable.
Elizabeth asked him to come agar
and when reproached for her cordial
ty said she did it only to please W.
and quite expected to be bored t
death herself; from which we kne,
she was very favoraAly impressed.
A sudden storm came up that after
noon, and when Mr.. Bennett rose to g
the sky was very black and lowering
and the ocean roared ominous1y, so h
left his boat tied to our slip and wen
up into the village to do some el
rands and wait until it should b
ever. Instead Of short squall, how
e'ecr, it settled down into a heavy rai1
With bowling easterly wind an
tossing, turbulent sea, so he wa
obli=ed to spend the night in the vi
lage, as, of course, he could not crcs
to his island in his small boat.
It was our first real storm in tn
cottage, and as we heard the boom @
the waves and listened to the win
sweep about our little home until
sometimes tremb!ed upon its founda
lions, I must admit we We're Slight,
nervous and could not settle to an
occupation. So we gathered aroun,
our stone fireplace, lighted the drift
wood Mary Anne had placed ready
and watched the wonderful green, Law
ender, scarlet and blue Of th
cracking flames in silence.
Elizabeth sat on the rug and leane
her head against Gabrie,le's knee, an,
their faces gradually assumed tn
dreamy, far-away expression wEicl
means they have withdrawn into thei
avn inner world. where outsiders ma