Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-02-11

"Yet the pirate came" I answered, "a
real pirate, a lineal descendant Of Cap
tain Kidd, and he brought treasure and
hid 1t and dug it up again, and fought
like the thorough-going gentleman adven.
turer he was. Monsieur Pierre Dupon
ceau was no ordinary man."
Tell me what you know about him, =
she commanded, and settled down, lean.
ing against the mast.
HE was an uncommon man." l began,
"but whether an uncommon man becomes
a hero or a scapegrace depends upon the
luck Of time. Duponceau had ideas that
were far about the heads of most men,
ideas that some one at later day might
use to great ends, or which he himself
might have used so had he been given
time. He planned, gathered his cargoes,
launched his ships In search of the Gold
en- Fleece, and was on his way to win
ming 1t when quartering gale drove his
craft upon the rocks Had the wind veer-
ed by a needle-point, he might have won.
He was planning to make the poor of
France well-to-do; instead he made them
much poorer than they were; and yet
those same plans pushed on may succeed
when it's too late for the poor investors
or for him. That's about the way 1t
stands"
Barbara was silent her eyes watching
the distant glitter of the sea.
There's so much luck in things, isn't
there?" she said finally. II like him,
anyway; like him for what he tried to
do" Then, after a pause: You were
always sure something would happen
here weren't you? So was 1. Something
had to happen. Do you suppose he came
of his own free will, or because we had
wished SO hard for an adventure?"
Wishing hard can accomplish almost
anything, I've been told"
What are you going to do now that
everything is over?" she asked presently.
shook my head disconsolately.
II have barely yet faced the POSSIBLE
ity of no more teas on the beach, no more
sunsets from the cliff, no more adventures
on the Ship. It's not very pleasant
prospect, Is it?'
But the beach and the cliff and the
Ship will still be here" she answered.
I followed her gaze seward.
"a week ago l discovered curious
found all the beauty wanted in watch
Ing the changing colors of the waves, and
the golden glow through the woods, and
the dawn pinks of the sand, and yet all
of sudden l found they had absolutely
vanished. that / couldn't possibly find
them any more"
waited, and finally caught her low
whispered, "Whyf"
Something had happened. l couldn't
see them alone; could see them only
when some one else was there to see
them, too"
SfA gave a little sign. 81 know; l
can understand just what you mean"
1.-THE pines show no more armies, and
the Ship gives up no more adventures,
unless there is some one else here to see
and live them with me-"
"And," she said slowly, thoughtfully,
"H there were some one else, would all
these wonders still Gomez"
Surely, for we would be living them
all the time we were together"
Poet !" she said Dreamer !"
l waited, fearful and hopeful in one.
"And yet dream, too" she said at
last; land 1 think that you have shown
me more wonderful things than any one
else could"
Then do you stiIl think" 1 asked,
that some other man will come who can
show you moreT"
She would not answer my question.
THE man we imagined came out of the
sea and Is gone. feel as If I'd lived
years in fortnight Dear old Ship, how
hate to leave her !"
"Why must you? Why not sail on
and on in her forever7 Why not set sail
In her for the Fortunate Isles2 Barbara,
will your
She turned and looked into my eyes,
and read her answer.
So, with Barbara sitting against the
mast, our Ship set sail.
1.-THE END