Graham guardian., 1909-01-01
Che Btsque
Coket,
BY JOHN ERIC VIRcINI
1906, bv Mcclure, Philips & Co.

deserted-not q single soul In view
Suddenly from the gray timbers Of a
wrecked vessels stern rose Dickie
Boys head. Half kneeling In his worn
and scanty garments, he rested hand
on the jagged edge Of a beam and
craning bis neck, looked up and down
the beach.
For a second he knelt there, facing
the cleaning sea. The sun was IN the
west, but It was still bright Well, II
was carly yet. She usually came a bit
nearer sunset time. He hastily dived
into one of his pockets and from the
tangle that crammed 1t extracted three
marbles, fishhook and-his dearly
bought treasure. The salesgirl had
wrapped It daintily for him with mar
row white ribbon, and he held 1t care
fully, almost reverently, In both brown
little hands.
"Jiminee, I'm glad I've got some
thin to give her before she goes away
somethin' to remember me by"
For quarter hour more the sun
marched toward the western horizon,
and then she came. But, alas, she was
not alone! A man was with her-not
one Of her numerous summer admirers,
but man whom Dickie never had
seen. He was young and vigorous, but
there was something about him that
bespoke age-a sternness, even q hard
ness. as Of one who had fought battles
They passed the corner Of the wrech
whence Dickie Boys head had risen
Just before and went down to the other
end Of the vessel, where some fallen
timbers made q sheltered seat They
were both looking away from the dis.
mantled stern, and through conven,
lent opening in Its joints pair of blue
eyes watched them eagerly. 1t was not
In Dickie's character Of youthful ira
ditions to sneak or hide. even less to be
an eavesdropper, but somehow a Gu
rious shyness had invaded him at sight
Of the stranger, and he found himself
unable to go forward or speak, but OF
the conversation which reached his ears
he understood little or nothing-he was
still such child.
How plainly we hear the buoy"
said the girl, arranging the border OF
her blue serge skirt close to her russei
shoes. She was intent upon speaking
of impersonalities. The man looked
out to sea, whence came the fitful tone
at disconcerting intervals.
winds in our direction" he remark.
ed briefly.
"What makes 1t so sad?" she specu,
lated Idly, picking up a pebble and
throwing 1t into the surf. 'The ir-
regularity Of the sound, do you thinki"
"Irregularity is not necessarily sad"
the man objected. l think perhaps
it's the aimlessness, the futility of it.,
dear. A bell ought to call people to-
gether, and this one warns them of.
Therefore it's lonely. 1t must ever be
lonely. That's why It's sad, little girl"
The bell swung at the mercy of the
wind and water. Its sound came to
them in the pauses Of the surf.
Keep away, keep away" chanted
the girl, with the same measured inter-
walls. "Yes, don't know but you're
right. It's rather doleful burden"
While the girl looked silently out to
sea he reverently studied her face, with
Its somewhat pale beauty-the effects
Of the gold hair under the yachting
cap and that of the chastening indif-
ference Of her eyes.
Suddenly he rose and stood before
her, his broad shoulders silhouetted
against the growing pink Of the west.
ern sky.
'Pm going away again, Eleanor" he
said. "I'm going tonight. I thought
when came back that you might love
me. Perhaps you do. I don't know.
You don't know yourself. But I've lost
my old boyish faith. you see. i dis
trust you, and you distrust yourself
and-so-it is hopeless"
He spoke with bitterness that
seemed involuntary. Then for one brief
second he stopped and laid his face
against the soft hair on her forehead.
She could not see the yearning tender.
ness Of his expression. but there was a
flush on her cheeks and light in her
eyes.
"You see, Blair" she said slowly, ''its
so hard for me to know my own
mind. I'--
"Yes," he threw in. a little frown on
his forehead, "and 1t wasn't SO very diff
ferent Ave years ago"
"You mean to reproach me. Blairr'
The flush on the girls face was deeper
now, but the light had died out. The
note of trouble In her voice melted
him. Unconsciously he sat down again
on the timbers.
81 mean that I have lost five good
years out Of my life because you didn't
know your own mind, little girl. II
you had known
She held out her slim hand to STOP
him. Then his eye fell on tiny ring
on the third f1nger-a ring with bit OF
red stone like drop Of blood. BE
reached over and took the outstretched
hand.
"Poor little ring" he said musingly
"You would not take 1t, you remember
Eleanor, till promised that 1t should
bind you to nothing. 1t was to be
reminder merely Of our friendship. Bu
in these Ave years all my thought, al
my labor. has been for you. I've nevel
been wholly hopeful, but now the las
shred Of hope Is gone" he relinquish
ed her hand gently. And tomorrow
well, the years that stretch before mt
seem bit black and long"
blair, I don't think it's kind Of you
to talk like that" the girl broke in
with a nervous little laugh that wat
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