The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1910-11-24

Soiu noSe graclOuSly.
Inat suits me-"
Well. stop loafing then-its not
sunday, you know, and Friday should
be busy"
Fetching wood for the cracking fro
searching for water in tha tbicLat
nnding none and coming back to dis.
cover the great bottleful contained in
tne basket, Clifton waited upon his
companion with all the devotion that
the real Friday might have offered his
| master. LAO
Boiling coffee over the blaze coor-
Ing eggs. and toasting bacon were do
hght1ul tasks to Clifton, the engineer,
whose clever head was filed with do.
tails OF great bridges and other struc-
lures he loved to build. 1t was pleas
ant indeed to watch Rose Burton fit
ting about the beach barefooted like
the humblest fshermaiden, while her
little white shoes toasted before the
ire, and he was privileged to turn
them occasionally that they might
dry evenly.
Most domestic 1t was, indeed, to sit
opposite to Rose with the table Of
rock between them spread with the
dainty lunch he had ordered and she
had attended to preparing at the hotel.
She poured the coffee, and as she
passed him tin cup filled to the brim
his hand trembled until the hot LIQUID
spilled on the sands.
I'm clumsy BRUTE" he growled
impatiently.
I'VE are really on desert island"
said Rose after little silence.
"You don't mind" asked Clifton
rather shyly.
"Oh, no; it will be only for a little
wh1le-somebody will see the boat
will miss us and come over" she said
carelessly.
Some heroic soul will swim across
from the mainland. suppose" he said
little sullenly. do you know-I
wonder why you've chosen to spoil
your pleasant day by coming with
me-
Rose blushed holly. "Perhaps be-
cause want to give you a good time
before you go home"
How do you know l haven't had a.
good timer"
perhaps you have-I was jesting,"
she said with a usefulness he did not
comprehend.
The meal cleared away they sat on
the beach, Rose striving gaily to add
picturesque horrors to their situation.
She made fagpole from a piece of
spar and flung her handkerchief to
the breeze to attract some passing YES
sci. AS there were motorboat races
on the other side of the point every
available craft was in attendance
there
I'm very sorry it has happened,
Miss Burton, " said Clifton remorse-
fully. II suppose there's no use my
waiting till the tide runs out and then
attempting to walk across the shoals
to the mainland. l heard some Of the
chaps talking about it the other day."
Don't you try, please" she protest
ed. Its really dangerous-there are
quicksands.'
Il seem to be quite helpless" he
said, resuming his gloomy inspection
Of the empty waters.
"You are" said Rose sharply.
CHIP
"And stupidr' she added tearfully.
"Any more?'
isn't that enough?'
ut is. I'll get you off this island If
T Sp
Clifton loftily, arising and walking
away with as much dignity as the
pricking sands under his bare feet
would permit.
He disappeared in the thicket and
was gone such long time that Rose
became alarmed. She heard the
sounds of distant hammering and
searched in vain for him along the
shore or nearby in the woods. In tue
depths she dared not venture.
Alone she sat on the sands and wept
bitter, angry tears, until Clifton's voice
close at hand startled her to dashing
them away and confronting him with
impatient eyes.
"You needn't cry any more,' said
Clifton joyously. give made raft.
Look there! I'll get you to the main
land in a jiffy. And, say, forgot tic
ask you for some dances tonight"
"I'm not going to the hop" announc-
ed Rose coldly.
II suppose you're all tired out. Well.
I don't believe I'll go either. Hops are
stupid things" said Clifton somewhat
dispiritedly. He had been screwing
up courage all day to ask Rose for
those dances.
mot as stupid as some people," re-
torted Rose pointedly.
"You mean me?" he asked quietly.
She made no reply. Her pretty head
with its ruf1led hair was turned toward
the sea, and there was pathetic droop
to her lips.
81 shall keep away from the hop
Miss Burton-Rose. didn't know you
disliked me quite so much. I'm AFRAID
I've forced myself upon you many
times when you'd rather be alone" ne
said steadily, his kind eyes fixed on her