The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-05-27
CHAPTER I.

If Elizabeth did not indulge in hay
fever every year and consequently
have to be very careful about breath
ing where there is vegetation it would
never have happened; or, rather, we
would not have been mixed up with 1t.
don't know after all whether it was
not Gabrielle's gold beads that were
to blame just as much as. Elizabeth s
hay fever; for II the string had not
all right.
Gabrielle and Elizabeth are friends.
They know each others inmost
thoughts, and their past lives contain
no reservations whatever from one
another-which seems a little hard
on the men whose pictures they have
framed and preserved as relics.
/ am their friend also, but I still
have few undivulged thoughts, as
well as modest number of reserva-
lions. My name is Eliza, but prefer
to spell 1t Elise, and perhaps l am a
little envious of the other two, having
lost my own alter ego by her mar.
riage and never replaced her. How.
ever, that doesn't belong to the story
which really begins on the steamer
that carried us to Canada.
Elizabeth had heard of an island vii
1age up there where hay fever was I'M
known, and she read us so many ex
tracts concerning 1t from a booklet
she kept in her work basket that about
the first of June we cut adrift from
our respective families and started
off to spend the summer there. We
could do this with propriety, for we
had all passed the pin-feather age, al
though ] wish 1t distinctly understood
we were still long way from being
stringy about the throat
We were sitting on the deck of the
steamer watching the moonlight or
the water and enjoying ourselves very
much indeed when a man came around
the corner of the cabin and sat down
near us, as, of course, he had a per
feet right to do. Suddenly Gabrielle
who was next him, jumped up and
clutched my arm.
Come away" she whispered. Come
away"
And, of course, we came forthwith
She was quite pale and trembling
when we reached the cabin, and for 6
few minutes was unable to satisfy oul
curiosity; but at last she spoke.
HE threw chair into the water,
she said, in an awed voice.
"Oh!" said Elizabeth, with evident
gts, tI,at oil ~ IA
something interesting"
1T was quite enough" insisted
Gabrielle. 81 was afraid he NIGH
throw me next You should have seer
his face and heard him muttering."
what did he mutter?" Elizabeth
liked the whole of story or none
at all.
81 couldn't hear. But think"-Ga
brielle glanced around apprehensively
II think he's crazy, and / don't like
being on boat with an unguarded il
sane man. You never know what they
are going to do. Besides, he looked
at me-"
/ did not blame him there, for Cab
rielle is well worth looking at, espe
cially when she is gazing at the moor
with the uplifted expression she re
serves for that purpose. / sometimes
wonder why she doesn't think som,
man on earth worth it, but she say,
distance lends enchantment in sucl
matters, and | suppose she knows he
own affairs best.
Perhaps his keeper is somewher,
around" speculated Elizabeth. Let
go back and see If he is still there"
So we reconnoitered stealthily, ant
saw him sitting quietly smoking anc
not looking at all dangerous-a rattle
tall, spare man in blue serge clothes
with cap pulled down over his eyes
and the air of one who is quite sat
isfled with his surroundings. 1t was
cool night, and the deck was almos
deserted, so he had our secluded cor
ner behind the cabin all to himself
and we could stand just outside thu
door and examine him at our leisure.
He looks Just like anybody else
said Elizabeth, plainly disappointed.
81 didn't say he had hump on hi
back" returned Gabrielle, Indignantly
81 said he threw chair overheard
and so he did,
1T is a new way of beginning
Irritation" ! murmured, "but custom
differ in various places. Perhaps yol
should have sent your chair after II
by way OF acknowledging the atten
ton. OH"
For at that moment he leaned fol
ward. looked with interest at the chat
beside him, felt its back and legs
poised 1t lightly in the air, and sho
It over the railing into the water BIZ
low, where we saw 1t bobbing in tn
foam in our wake.
"There" triumphed Gabrielle mo,
what do you say?"