Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-04-07

AeA. 'hSAlAS SoL speaking OIL one Clme
down along the Maine coast.
But says l, referring to what he
vas telling. If she was such a nice
girl and come from such nice folks.
how
"'How do l know? says he. Prom
S'pose. And the plain fact is that he's
really engaged to marry a swell girl
in Newport
"He told me her name and a lot more
about her. All l could think was:
'Obed, it's up to you. You've got to
do something
Il was mighty glad when the sailors
hailed from the shore and Ben had to
go. He most cried when he said
goodby and went away. stepping high
and bringing his heels down hard.
1.-TWO and two made four. Any
way, l could add it up, but twas all
suspicion and no real proof-that was
the dickens of it. L couldn't speak to
Phoebe Ann. She wouldn't believe
me if I did. 1 couldn't telegraph Cap'n
Eben at P~rovincetown to come home
that night. I'd have to tell him the
whole thing, and l knew his temper.
so for Barbara's sake 'twouldn't do.
l couldn't be at the shore to stop the
launch leaving. What right had I to
stop another mans launch, even
Il went up to the store and bought
four feet Of medium size rubber hose
and some rubber tape, same as they
sell to bicycle fellers in the summe
Twas almost dark when 1 got back in
sight Of Allies launch. Nobody was
in sight. a down the pier and
jumped aboard. Almost the first thing
I put my hand on was what I was
looking for-the bilge pump.
II fitted n end Of my hose to the
lower end Of that pump, run my hose
down into the tank and commenced to
pump good ii cents a gallon gasoline
overheard to beat the cars. Twas a
thirty gallon tank and full up. L
pumped her dry. Then l screwed the
cap on again and went home, taking
Allies bilge pump with me. The tide
was coming in fast.
"At 9 O'clock that night 1 was in my
skiff, rowing off to where my power
boat laid in deep water back of the
bar. All l could think of was that
gasoline. Was there enough in the
pipes and the feed cup on that launch
to carry her out to where l was, or
was there too much, and would she
make the yacht after all?
1T got to be IL o'clock. Tide was
full at u. 1 was a pretty good candi-
date for the crazy house by this time.
I'd listened till my eardrums felt
slack, like they needed reeting, and
then at last l heard her coming
chuff-chuff, ch%uff-chuff, chuff-chuff.
"And how she did come! She walk
ed up abreast Of me, went past me-, a
hundred yards or so off. Thinks I:
It's all up. He's going to make it,
"And then all at once the chuff-chuf-
ing stopped. started up and stopped
again. I gave a hurrah in my mind,
set the light between my feet, picked
up the oars and started rowing.
II rowed quiet as l could, but be
heard me fore 1 got to him. l heard a
scrambling noise off ahead, and then a
shaky voice hollers: Hello! Who's
that?'
"Its me- says 1, rowing harder n
ever. Who are you? What's the row?
There was more scrambling and a
slam, like a door shutting. In another
two minutes l was alongside the
launch and held up my lantern. Allie
was there, fussing with his engine.
And he was all alone.
"Alone he was, l say, fur s a body
could see, but he was mighty shaky
and frightened; also side of him. on
the cushions, was a girls jacket, and 1
thought I'd seen that jacket afore.
Hello! says l. is that you, Mr..
Davidson? Thought you'd gone to
Boston,
"'Changed my mind,' he says. Got
any g%asoIine?'
"'What you doing off here this time
Of night? ! says.
"'Going out to my He stopped.
1 s'pose the truth choked him. L was
going to Provincetown,' he went on.
Got any gasoline?'
"'What in the nation you starting to
ProvincetoWn in the middle of the
night for? L asks, innocent as could
be.
ooh, thunder. l had business there;
that's all. Got any gasoline?'
81 made my skif's painter fast to a
cleat on the launch and climbed aboard.
Gasoline" says l. Gasoline? Why,
yes; I've got some gasoline over on
my power boat out yonder. Has yours
give out? 1 should think you'd filed
your tank fore you left home on such
a trip as Privincetown. Maybe the
pipes plugged Or something. Have
you looked? And I caught hold of the
handle Of the cabin door.
"'Tain't pluggedv he yells, sharp.
The tanks empty, 1 tell YOU
"He kept pulling me away from the
cabin, but I hung on to the handle.
"sYou can't be too sure 1 says.
This doors locked. Give me the key
ell left the key at home,' he says.
Don't waste time. Go over to your
boat and fetch me some gasoline. I'll