The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-03-30

" "Scpch aSlluS lA6 SPUN
shells, and r%eloading.
Only two!" The information reused
I'm Quain a demon of sarcasm. only
two! How many d you expect to
drop, on a snapshot like that"
Two" returned Amber so patiently
THAT Quain requested him, ~explosively,
ito go to the devil. IF you don't mind"
he said, III go after my ducks in
stead. You'll follow? They're over
there. on u way"
Fifty yards or SO away he found the
ducks, side by side In a little hollow.
Fine fat birds" he adjudged them
lsagely.
Satisfaction glimmering In his
grave dark eyes, he fingered in the
hollow, while the frosty air, whipping
'madly through the sand hills, stung
his face till 1t glowed beneath the
brown. But presently, like the ghost
Of a forgotten kiss, something moist
and chill touched gently his cheek,
and was gone. Startled, he glanced
skyward, then extended an arm,
watching It c~uriously while the rough
fabric Of his sleeve was sailed gem
erously with fine white fakes. Though
to some extent apprehended (they had
beer blind indeed to have ignored the
menace of the dour day just then
DYING snow had figured in their cal.
culations as little as the scarcity Of
game. Amber wondered dimly if it
would work a change in their plans,
prove an obstacle to their safe re-
turn across the bay.
The furry thickening In the air. q
shade Of anxiety colored his mood.
"Thisll never do" he declared, and
set himself to ascend a nearby dune.
Behind him a meager strip of sand
held back a grim and angry sea; be-
fore him lay an eighth Of a mile Of
sand-locked desolation, and then the
weltering bay-a wide two miles of
leaping, shouting waves, slate-colored
but white of crests. Beyond, seen
dimly as q wall through driving sheets
OF snow, were the darkly wooded
rises Of the mainland.
But, in the gloom, their little cat
boat lay occult to his searching gaze.
Quain's voice recalling him, he turn
ed to discover his host stumbling
through a n~eighboring vale. and obey
Ing a peremptory wave of the elder
mans hand, descended, accompanied
by an avalanche in miniature.
Better hurry" shouted Amber, as
soon as he could make himself heard
above the screaming of the gale.
winds freshening; it looks like
mean weather"
Really Quain fell into step at
his side. You 'stonish me. But the
good Lord knows I'm willin'. Where
about's the boat?'
blessed If l know: over yonder
somewhere" Amber told him, waving
toward the bay-shor- an arm as
vaguely helpful as his information
Thank you so much, Guess l can
find her all right. Hump yo'self,
Davy."
They plodded on heavily, making
fair progress in spite of the hindering
sand.
A little later they came to the wa
ter's edge n proceeded steadily
along it, Quain leading confidently.
Eventually he tripped owe some OBJ
stacle, stumbled and lurched forward
and recovered his balance with an
effort, then remained with bowed
head, staring down at his feet.
Hurt yourself, old man."
"NO!" snapped Quain rudely.
Then what in"
"Eh?" Quain reused, but an IN
slant longer looked him blankly in
the eye. "Oh." he added brightly
"oh, she's gone"
"The boat"
THE boat" affirmed Quain, too dis
couraged for the obvious retort un-
gracious. He stopped and caught up
a frayed end of rope, exhibiting It IN
witness to his statement. Amt 1t
hell?" he inquired ~plaintively.
He cast the rope from him in dis
dain and wheeled to stare bayWards.
"There!" he cried, leveling an arm
to indicate a dark and fieeting shadow
upon the storm-whipped water. There
she goes-not 300 feet off. 1t can't be
five minutes since she worked loose.
It's the devils own luck!"
A blur of snow swept between boat
and shore; when It had passed tho
former was all but indistinguishable.
From a full heart Quain blasphemed
fluently. but If she holds as
she stands" he amended quickly, his
fndorninitable spirit fostering the tor'
lorn hope, She'll go aground in anoth-
er five minutes-and l know just
where. III go after her"
THE deuce you will! Howl"
There's an old skinny up the
shore a ways" Already Quain was
moving off IN search of 1t. Noticed
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