The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1911-05-16

which Miss Patricia was guardian. They
-ame to Port Annandale to escape Henry. |
Donovan sympathized with the two
women. He learned of Miss Helen's an,
ss an Who to
Reginald Gillespie sutton fol-. the hand of
Miss Helen Holbrook. Gillespie disap-
tailor appeared and was ordered away.
Donovan saw Miss Hobrook and her IA
ther meet on ar,enag sE1ms et ian
man he supposed was Holbrook, but who
said he was Hartridge. a canoe-maker,
After a short discussion Donovan left
uurlily. Gillespie was discovered by Don
ovan presenting country church with $1,000
gillespie admitted he knew Of Holb bro
Donovan that Miss Helen had been miss
ing for few hours.
CHAPTER VII.-Continued.
l kept up rapid fire Of talk, but
listened only to the engines regular
beat The launch was now close to
the Italians boat, and having nearly
completed the semicircle was obliged
to turn a little to watch him. Sud.
denly he sat up straight and lay to
with the oars. pulling hard toward !
point we must pass in order to clear |
the strait and reach the upper lake
again. The fellows hostile intentions
we're clear to all of us now and we all
silently awaited the outcome. His
skin rose high in air under the i'm
pulsion of his strong arms, and If he
struck our lighter craft amidships, as
seemed inevitable, he would undoubt-
eddy swamp us.
lima half rose, glanced toward the
yacht, which was heading for the
strait, and then at me, but l shook my
head.
Mind the engine, lima" I said
with as much GOODNESS as could mus
ter.
The margin between us and the
skiff rapidly diminished, and the Ital
ian turned to take. his bearings with
every lift of his oars. He had thrown
of his cap, and as he looked over his
shoulder l saw his evil face sharply
outlined. l counted slowly to myself
the number of strokes that would be
necessary to bring him in collision if
he persisted, charging against his
progress our own swift arrow-like
flight over the water. The shore was
close, and l had counted on full
depth of water, but lima now called
out warningly in his shrill pipe and
our bottom scraped as l veered off
This maneuver cost me the equivalent
OF ten of the Italians deep strokes
and the shallow water added new
element Of danger.
Stand by the oar, lima" l called II
a low tone; and saw in flash Miss
Pats face, quite calm, but with he
lips set tight.
Ten yards remained, l judged, be
tween the skin and the strait, ant
there was nothing for us now but t
let speed and space work out thei
problem.
lima stood up and seized the oal
threw the wheel hard aport in las
hope of lodging, and the launch liste
badly as it swung round. Then IN
bow of the skiff rose high, and Hele
shrank away with little cry; ther
was scratching and grinding for a
instant. as lima, bending FORWARD
dug the oar into the skiff's bow an
checked it with the full weight OF h
body. AS we Tended off the o;
snapped and splintered and he tur
bled into the water with gree
splash, while we swerved and rockt
for a moment and then sped
through the little strait.
Looking back, l saw Lima swll
ming for the shore. He rose in u
water and called "All right" and
knew he would take excellent care
himself. The Italian had shipped =
oars and lay where we had left hi
I'd oh the heat OF O
engine laugh derisively as We Gid
out Of sight
Miss Holbrook will you plea
steer for me?''-and in effecting t
necessary changes of position that
might get to the engine we were
able to regain our cOmposure. 81
Miss Pat touch her forehead with I
handkerchief; but she said nothil
Even after ST. Agatha's pier hove
sight silence held us all. The VII
continuing to freshen, was whlppl
the lake with a sharp lash. ana
made much Of my trifling busin'
with the engine. and of the necess
Tor occasional directions to the girl
the wheel
My contrition at the danger
which | had stupidity brought tn
was strong in me; but there W.
other things to think of. MISS
could not be deceived as to the ann
OF our encounter, for the ltala
conduct could hardly be accounted
on the score Of stupidity; ana
natural peace and quiet OF this reg
only emphasized the gravity OF
ner plight. My first thought was |
must at once arrange for her
moval to some other place.
Henry Holbrook established within
rev miles Of ST. Agatha's the sen
was certainly no longer tenabie
bprase
As tended the engine ! saw e
when tried to avoid her, the ngur'
helea Holbrook In the stern. quite
Np' upon steering and calling