Barbour County index., 1910-01-26

chance for the decorator, it's lines are
so trim and so founded upon rigid SIM
plicity; but many Jealous hands had
labored for the magic of this hour.
Slim masts supported lanterns in
many and charming combinations, and
suddenly, as though the toy lamps had
taken wing, rockets flung up their
stars and Roman candles their golden
showers at dozen points of the line
and broadened the scope of the pic
ture. A scow placed midway of the
loop now lighted the lake with red and
green fire. The bright, graceful ar
gosies slipped by, like beads upon a
rosary. When the last canoe had
passed, Miss Pat turned to me- signing
softly:
1T was too pretty to last; it was a
page out of the book of lost youth"
| laughed back at her and signaled
lima to go ahead and then, as the
water churned and foamed and | took
the wheel, we were startled by an ex-
clamation from some one in a row.
boat near at hand. The last of the
peaceful armada had passed, but now
from the center Of the lake, unobServed
and unheralded, stole a canoe fitted
with slim masts carried high from bow
to stern with delightful daring. The
lights were set in globes of green and
gold, and high over all, its support
quite invisible, shone a golden star
that seemed to hover and follow the
shadowy canoe.
watched iy,f0
and my eyes now fell upon the figure
of the skipper of this fairy craft. who
was set forth in clear relief against
the red fire beyond. The sole occupant
of the canoe was a girl-there was no
debating it; she flashed by within
paddles length of us, and | heard the
low bubble of water under her blade.
She padded kneeling, Indian fashion,
and was lessening the breach between
herself and the last canoe of the or
derly line, which now swept on toward
the casino
That's the prettiest one of all"
began Miss Pat, then ceased abruptly.
She bent forward, half rising and
gazing intently at the canoe. What she
saw and what | saw was Helen Hol-
brook plying the paddle with practiced
stroke; and as she passed she glanced
aloft to make sure that her slender
mast of lights was unshaken: and then
she was gone, her star twinkling upon
us bewilderingly. l waited for Miss
Pat to speak. but she did not turn her
head until the canoe itself had van
ished and only its gliding star marked
1t from the starry sisterhood above.
An exclamation faltered on my lips.
IT was-it was like-it was
4 believe We had better go now"
said Miss Pat, softly, and, l thought, a
little brokenly.
But We still followed the star with
our eyes, and we saw it gain the end
OF the procession, sweep on at its own
pace, past the casino, and then turn
abruptly and drive straight for Glen
arm pier. 1t was now between us and
our own shore. 1t shcna a moment
against our pier lights; the the star
and the fairy lanterns beneath it van
lshed one after another and the canoe
disappeared as utterly as though it
had never been.
L purposely steered a zigzag course
back to st. Agatha's. Since Helen had
seen fit to play this trick upon her
aunt l wished to give her ample time
TO dispose of her canoe and return to
the school. If we had been struck by
mere resemblance, why did the ca
noest not go on to the casino and en-
JOY the fruits of her victory? / tried