Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-12-17

only too apt, taking the facts In con
junction with my mysterious ride to the
club In the evening, to believe bad
dreamed It all. What would SchOOner'S
crew b doing on our lonely beach. In
the height Of q midnight storm7 A SEN
slbls man would naturally be inclined ia
doubt.
settled down to work, and, shutting
my mind both to the mystery and to Miss
Graham, succeeded In getting a good deal
done b night The next day l passed In
similar fashion, living in quiet comfort
30 long as the storm lasted.
The third day broke fair, and early In
the morning swept the sea and the
beach with my binoculars. Never were
sea and land more peaceful; the tempest
appeared to have cleared the atmosphere
and brought It to a new serenity. My
work accomplished, set out for the little
river to the west Of the cliff, to see how
my catboa& had weathered the gale. /
found there was some bailing to be done
and then, called by a gentle breeze, l ran
up sail and for an hour beat up the chan
mel. The hot sun Of noon sent me home,
and sat down to my midday dinner.
Charles had brought me papers and q
note from the club. ran through the
papers hrst, to prove to myself how little
cared for the note, but at last l broke
lts seal.
II am going to hold you to your invita-
ton for supper In the Ship now that the
storm ID over. May we have It to-day
about 6Y'
That was all, without even a sigma
turN.
was In two minds a. 10 what to do.
could not disappoint her without seem
ing more than churlish, without writing
myself down once and for all a. no gen.
tleman, and yet the sight Of her note
reused much Of my sleeping resentment
If went, I would at least show her that
two could play at her game.
visited the larder and decided on
menu. Then 1 startled Charles half out
Of his senses, though to his credit be II
said he never showed II. you will pack
these things'-I pointed out certain pro
viSious-"in the whselbarrow, and take
them on to the Ship ON the beach. You
will also take the folding-table from my
study, and two folding-chairs, and set
the table on the deck. am going to
take supper there with q lady at 9. You
can leave the iced tea In a bottle. Have
the supper ready at a quarter before the
hour, and then leave. We will not re-
quire any service"
"Yea. Mr.. Felix" said Charles, sedate-
ly. I frowned az though the whole pro
ceeding bored me. and returned to my
work.
As half past 5 dressed carefully and
left the house. As walked up the beach
l could not help but contrast this sunny
scene with the night Of the storm. What.
ever that night had brought TO Alastair
1t was clear l was not to know much
about 1t.
waited on the shore until Miss GraS
ham appeared, and crossed the path with
her to the Ship. l pulled the short rope.
ladder over the side and helped her or
board. We beheld a supper table immac
ulately set, and places for two.
Miss Graham was delighted, and
could not help relenting a little when
saw how very pleased she was More
over, was the host, and she my guest
and could not cast a shadow over my
own feast. 1 tried, therefore, as best
could, to forget Islip and the locket, and
to think only of what a beautiful late
afternoon 1t was, of how fresh the smell
Of the sea came to the old Ships decks
and Of the beauty Of the girl who sal
across from me. think she detected
that at first was making an effort, and
30 tried to help me, for she was verJ
lively and laxative, making much sport
of the supper, all the courses Of which
were spread before US at once, and o.
our having to wait upon ourselves.
When we had finished supper, aaket
Miss Graham's permission to light a Gig
arctic, and pushed my chair a little bacA
from the table. There was a new moor
in the sky, and pointed It out to her.
"ThiS is the finest hour Of the day,
said. ''If only the Ship would up an
Choir and take US for a sail 7"
"If your pirate doesn't come now, JUS
after supper, with a crescent moon hang
ing right side up, 1 don't believe he evel
WILL" put In the girl pensively.
Her playful words. combined with tn,
ingenious voice and the far-away, child
like dreaming of her eyes, aroused some
thing Of my old resentment. Almost be
fore knew what l was doing had fal
len a victim to an impulsiVe temptation
and was leaning on the table with ny
eyes fixed on her.
Ito be continued-)