The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-08-17
a "White SquaII.'
<@A~@sy KATE L. wiLsoN.>~>s

OF her. purpose, the Girl had stepped
lightly into the boat, and with a quick
push of an oar was beyond his reach.
The Man kicked off his shoes and
plunged into the lake. She bent
steadily to her oars, feigning not to
see him, but, strong, experienced
swimmer that he was, he was not
long in coming up with her. AS he
grasped the edge of the boat, she
stopped rowing. and with flushed and
averted face, suffered him to pull him.
self aboard.
She cast furtive glances at him
from beneath her long. dark lashes as
he wrung the water from his fannels.
His clear cut, sunburned face showed
no sign of vexation: he was actually
smiling to himself. She was con-
scious of a distinct sense of chagrin.
He has no spirit" she thought with
scorn.
In vain had the Girl striven to move
this placid young farmer to some
show of feeling during the long sum-
mer days that they had been thrown
together. His indulgent Indifference
to her moods piqued her. The i'm
periousness of her nature had here
tofore made her admirers slaves to
her whims and moods, but her arts
might as well have been employed
to create commotion in the breast of
the Rock of Gibraltar as in the heart
of this great, kindly youth. The pleas
ant farm that stretched along the
shore was his. His was the pictur-
esque farmhouse whose gray roof and
big chimney showed Just above the
treetops half a mile away. There the
young girl had come to rest and re-
cuperate from the combined effects
of hard study and social frivolities of
her city home. The Mans apparent
sympathy and liking for the delicate
appearing girl was at first resented by
her as presumption. and she had
promptly snubbed him. He had &C
cepted her rudeness with such IN
ruf1ed dignity and kindly Indifference
that she as promptly regretted it and
gradually entered into good fellow
ship with him. She found him we'll
read and familiar with the affairs of
the day. 1t surprised her to discover
in him a broadness of mind and edu-
cation that many a city-bred man of
her acquaintance lacked. He inter-
ested her more than she would admit
to herself, but he gave no sign Of any
sentiment toward her save that of a
protecting friendliness. which he
manifested in a matter-of-fact way
that charmed her against her will.
If the song of the birds was sweeter
to his ears this summer than ever be-
fore, if the wind rustling through the
corn made new music. and all the
tender green things appealed to his
care more forcibly than in other sum-
mers; if life was more poignant and
held a new hope and purpose for him
since the Girl had smiled up into his
eyes, she did not suspect it. His self
contained, self-confdent attitude
bafaed her.
She was soon to return home, and
this afternoon they had gone to the
shore for a row around the lovely
wooded island overgroWn with wild
roses and columbine, lying where the
river emptied into the Great Lake. A
clump of cedars crowned its highest
point, while a stretch of single in
vited voyagers to rest in its shores.
Those who know Lake Ontario in
all her moods-and the Man had been
reared almost upon her breast-both
love and fear her. Her face is of
surprising beauty, but her smiles
when most assuring are most deceiv-
ing. When she lies in perfect tran
quillity, her bosom fair and smooth as
glass, with not a ripple nor breath
of motion, then the old fisherman
pulls his skiff higher IN the shore and
makes an extra hitch in the painter
lest he find himself boatless on the
morrow.
Something of this sort the Man
had explained to the Girl this after
noon when they had reached the
CLASSY waters and. pointing to the
innocent-looking cloud blows lying
low in the west. had refused to row
her, with the result that she was now
pulling with effective strokes toward
the cedar-topped island. with the con-
quered youth. presumably in a proper
state of subsection. seated opposite
her. The fieecy clouds had billowed
higher, and little green swells began
gently to heave the quiet depths.
Give me the oars, the sQuall is
coming"
She had lever heard his voice
sound like that. II both frightened
and delighted her. She laughed a
defiant little laugh.
Swim ashore if you're afarid! I'm
captain of this boat" and she re-
sisted his movement to take the oars.
He wrested them from her grasp with
4 white. terrible face.
Don't be a fool" he said ~tensely
A cats paw" swept the surface
OF the lake, ruf1ing the water until
here and there a white cap" lifted
its snowy crest and quickly vanished.
He vas rowing with all his might
toward the island. which was now
nearer than the shore they had left.