Charlevoix county herald., 1909-06-05

40 uOL cACllt my
dear Miss Genevieve. Their troubles
are all over. Er-Gawd has taken
them to Him, you know"
But the pity OF it! To be drowned
so far from home!"
"Ah, # that's all you're worrying
about must say I'd like to know
how We'll get snack for breakfast.
I'm hungry as a-er-groom."
Eating! How can you think of
eating, Mr.. Winthrope-and all the
others drowned? This sun is becom-
ing dreadfully hot. 1t is unbearable!
Can you not put up some kind of an
awning?"
We'll, now, 1 must say was never
much of hand at such things, and
really l can't imagine what one could
rig up. There might have been a bit
of sail in the boat, but one can't see
a sign of it. I fancy it was smashed
Miss Leslie ventured a glance at
Blake. Though still lying as he had
sprawled in his drunkenness, there was
comforting suggestion of power in
his broad shoulders and square jaw.
"Is he still-in that condition."
Must have slept it off by this time,
and there's no more in the flask" an
swered WINTHROP. Reaching over
with his foot, he pushed against
Blake's back.
Huh! All right" grunted the
sleeper, and sat up, as had Winthrope,
half dazed. Then he stared around
him, and rose to his feet. well. what
in hell! Say, this is damn cheerful"
Il fancy we are in a nasty fix. But
1 say, my man, there is woman pres
emf. and your language, you know"
Blake turned and fixed the English
man with cold stare.
Look here, you bloomin' lud," he
said, there's just one thing you're
going to understand, right here and
now. I'm not your man, and we're not
going to have any of that kind Of blat
ter. Any fool can see we're in a
tight hole, and we're like to keep com.
pany for a while-probably long as we
last"
"What-ah-may ask, do you mean
| by that?"
Blake laughed harshly, and pointed
| from the reefstrewn sea to the vast
stretches OF desolate marsh. Far in.
land, across miles of brackish lagoons
and reedy mud-flats, could be seen
groups of scrubby, half-leafless trees;
ten or twelve miles to the southwark
a rocky headland jutted out into the
water; otherwise there was nothing in
sight but sea and swamp. IL it could
not properly be termed a sea-view, it
was at least very wet landscape.
Fine prospect" remarked Blake,
dryly. We'll be in luck il the fever
don't get the last Of us inside a
month; and as for you two, you'd have
as much show of lasting a month as
a toad with a rattlesnake, il it wasn't
for Tom Blake-that's my name-Tom
Blake-and as long as this shindy
lasts, you're welcome to call me Tom
or Blake, whichever suits. But I'M.
derstand, we're not going to have
any more of your bloody, bloomin
you had the drop on me, and could
pile on dog till the cows came home.
Here I'm Blake and you're Win
thrope."
Believe me, Mr.. Blake, quite ap.
preciate Decentralization And now,
fancy that, instead of wasting
time"
Its about time you introduced me
to the lady" interrupted Blake, and
he stared at them half defsntly, yet
with a twinkle in his eyes.
J Miss Leslie flushed. WINTHROP
swore softly, and bit his lip. Aboard
ship, backed by Lady Bayrose and the
captain, he had goaded the American
at pleasure. Now, however, the sit
uation was reversed. Both title and
authority had been swept away by
the storm, and he was left to shift for
himself against the man who had
every reason to hate him for his over.
bearing insolence. Worse STILL both
he and Miss Leslie were now depen.
ability for life itself. 1t was bitter
pill and hard to swallow.
Blake was not slow to observe the
Englishman's hesltancy. He grinned.
Every dog has his day, and l guess
| this is mine," he said. Take your
time, IL 1t comes hard. 1 can imagine
it's pretty stiff dose for your ludship.
But why in-why in frozen hades an
American lady should object to an in
PRODUCTION to a countryman who's 60
ing to do his level best to save her
pretty little self from the hyenas-
we'll, 1t beats me-"
WINTHROP flushed redder than the
girl.
Miss Leslie, Mr. Blake" he MUIR
INJURED, hoping to put an end to the
situation.
But yet Blake persisted. He bowed,
openly exultant.
"You see, miss" he said, II know the
correct thing quite as much as your
swells. l knew all along you were
Jenny Leslie. l ran a survey for your