The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-04-30
She Just Wanted
to Be Sure.
BY JAMES HARRIGAN.

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Tasker, most patient of men,
gritted his teeth hard to hold back
the retort that lowered on his tongue.
Never had Millicent Kent been SO
taltalizing, and to-day it seemed
doubly hard to bear. On the morrow
he must go back to the city to spepa
the hot weather season at his desk.
Jim Tasker had snatched two brief
weeks with Miss Kent and most of
their waking hours had been spent in
her motor boat
1t had been an unhappy two weeks.
Millicent had never seemed so to de-
light in teasing, and Jim's restraint
was worn to the breaking point. Half
dozen times that morning he had
been on the verge of a sharp answer,
and Millicent, lolling indolent in the
stern Of the little craft, smiled wick
edly to herself and was moved to
fresh endeavors.
This time she had almost drawn
blood. The nose of the boat swung
round and headed for the channel
that presently would bring them in
sight Of the hotel landing.
Jim" Millicent's voice was low
and clear. You are off your course.
Quagh is over to the left"
II know it, was the quiet response.
II am trying to get back to the
hotel"
But we were to have lunch on
Quagh," she reminded. "We don't
want to get back to the hotel yet"
II do, was the short response I'll
want to get back there as quickly as
this boat will take me-"
when / went to such pains to put
up a nice lunch" expostulated the
girl, "and on your last day, too"
i can't help that, nretorted Tasker.
Il have tried my best to keep my
temper in check, but you will not
have it so. You seem determined to
force me to an outbreak"
Miss Kent's face assumed an ex-
preston of hurt surprise and her
voice was reproachful.
please turn, Jim, she said. plead
ingly.
For an instant Tasker's grip on the
steering wheel faltered, but only for
an instant. The boat waved slightly,
then held steady again.
II said please, JIM" reminded
Millicent.
Tasker made no response.
For few moments nothing was
said, then with sound like a tired
sob the motor ceased its staccato ex-
plosions and soon the Roadway was
lost. The boat fioated quiescent on
the still surface of the lake.
Still silent, Tasker sought to locate
the trouble. The spark was all right,
there was plenty of gasoline in the
tank under the seats, the feed pipe
was not clogged up, and yet there
was no delivery Of the fuel.
For full fifteen minutes he worked
ever the motor, then he turned to
the smiling girl.
"There is something the matter
with the machinery" he announced
quietly. II shall have to paddle in
somehow"
"But you have no paddle, remind
ed Millicent. "It's mile to the other
end. You can never make it.
For answer Tasker caught up
cross seat and, using this as a paddle,
he began to move the boat slowly
through the water. 1t was hard work
and more than once Millicent urged
him to stop, but his only reply was a
determined shake of the head.
They had gone half the distance,
and already they could see an occa-
sional boat slip past the opening Of
the channel, but-too far away to hail.
Millicent moved forward and sat
closer to Tasker.
"Jim," she said softly, "if 1 say
I'm sorry, will you stop being foolish
and go on to the island?"
Sorry for what you did on pur-
poser" he asked. bitterly. During
the last two weeks you have done
nothing but try to irritate me-"
Il know it," confessed Millicent,
sweetly, land / am sorry only for
your sake. 1t was for your own good
that l did it,"
"To improve my temper?" he de-
manded. sarcaStically. A.