The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-02-03

Her superb composure claimed his
admiration Absolutely ignorant
Enough she had been of his proximity
ahe voice from. out of the skies evil
IDENTITY alarmed her not at all. Still
Bending over the lifted foot, she turned
her head slowly and looked up; and
OH" said a small voice, tinged with
relief. And coolly knotting the laces
again, she sat up. 81 didn't hear you,
you know"
Nor see you" Maitland supple
rnented, unblushingly, until moment
ago. I-er-can / be of assistance?"
Cant you?"
idiot" said Maitland, severely,
both to and of himself. Aloud: Il think
can"
81 hope so"-doubtfuIly. 'Its very
unfortunate | was running
rather fast, suppose, and didn't see
the slope until too late. Now" open
Ing her hands in gesture ingenuOusly
charming with its suggestion of help
Iessness and dependence, Il don't
know what can be the matter with the
machine"
TIN coming down." announced
Maitland briefly. Wait"
Thank you, l SHALL" -
She laughed, and Maitland could
have blushed for his inanity; happily
NE had action to cloak his embarrass
ment. In a twinkling he was at the
waters edge, pausing there to listen,
with admirable docility, to her plain
tive objection: But you'll get wet
and-and ruin your things. 1 can't
ASK that of you"
He chnckled, by way of reply. slap
ping gallantly into the shadows and
courageously wading out to the side of
the car. Whereupon he was advised in
tones of fluttered Indignation:
-TYou simply wouldn't listen to me!
And warned you! Now you're soak
ing wet and will certainly catch your
death of cold, and-and what can | do?
Truly, am sorry"
Here the young man lost track of
her remark. He was looking up into
the shadow of the motoring cap. dis
covering things; for the shadow was
Set at naught by the moon luster that,
reflected from the surface of the
stream, invested with a gentle and
glarnorous radiance the face that bent
above him. And he caught at his
breath sharply, direst fears confirmed:
She was pretty indeed-perilously
pretty. The firm, resolute chin, the
the straight little nose. the brows del
Scately arched, the large, alert tawny
eyes with the dangerous sweet shad-
Tpws beneath, the CLINT as of raw cop
per where her hair caught the light
Maitland appreciated them all far too
well: and clutched nervously the rail
ut the seat, trying to steady himself,
to re-collect his routed wits and con-
slider sensibly that it all was due to
she magic of the moon. belize: the
witchery OF this apparition that looked
down into his eyes SO gravely.
-'Of course" he mumbled. Its too
beautiful to endure. OF course it will
all fade, vanish utterly in the cold
light OF day"
Above him, perplexed brows gath
erred ominously. Il beg pardon?'
'E-er-yes," he stammered at ran
dom.
You-er-what?"
Positively. she was laughing at him.
He. Maitland the exquisite. Mad Matt
And the imperturbable, was being
laughed at by a mere child, a girl
scarcely out of her teens. He glanced
upward. caught her eye a-gleam with
rnerriment, and looked away with
much vain dignity.
4 was saying" he manufactured,
that | did not mind the wetting in
the least. I'm happy to be of service"
You weren't saying anything of the
sort" she contradicted, calmly. How.
ever" She paused significantly.
Maitland experienced an instan
Saneous sensation as of furtive guilt
decidedly the reverse of comfortable
He shufhed uneasily There was q
brief silence, on her part expectant
on his. blank. His mental attitude re
mained hopeless; for some mysterious
reason his nonchalance had deserted
aim in the hour of his supermest
need; not in all his experience did he
remember anything like this-as awk
ward
The river puzzled indifferently abou
his calves; vagrant breeze disturbed
the tree tops and died of sheer lassi
tnde: Time plodded on with measured
stride. Then, abruptly, full-winge,
inspiration was born out of the chao
OF his mind. Listening intently, h,
glanced with covert suspicion at tn,
@fadse; it proved untenanted, inoffen
I've q mien: nor arose there an,
eound OF hoof or wheel upon the high
way. Again he looked up at the girl
IA found her in thoughtful mood