The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-11-13

and began gathering frewood When
he called, she came promptly.
MAN." she said, has caused many
a divorce by not coming to dinner
when he is called. Nothing so net
ties woman as to wait meals Know
ing this, make haste"
your diplomacy is admirable" he
congratulated, passing her the coffee
pot.
Lunch over, Dedight packed the
cooking outfit and replaced II in the
boat. The sky was smoky in the west.
smoky with heat that generated a
strange restlessness among the quiv-
ering trees, while the air was sur
charged with portentous quietude
that presaged a clash of elemental
fury. A black cloud stood upon the
rim of the lake and caused look of
concern in Bedights eyes. A glance
in Miss McConnell's direction showed
the girl absorbed in her work. The
mayor picked up magazine and
stretched himself upon the sward be.
meath a huge yellow birch. He was
attracted from his story a half hour
later by a shadow across the sun.
Hurriedly springing to his feet, he
scanned the sky. A mass of black With
livid green patches and scurrying fore.
runners of white froth lay like Q
monstrous curtain across the west,
through which shot veins of gold like
roots of mammoth trees. A deep rum
BILE, bass in its information, rolled
across the sky, warning the creatures
of the earth that soon their master
would be abroad in the land to wreck
and destroy.
The woman, too, aware of the dan
ger, sat gazing apprehensively at the
disturbed SKY.
"Oh. Mr.. Bedight." she cried. with
the veriest trihe of anxiety in hei
voice, I'VE must be going. The sky
looks like a storm"
The mayor came over to Miss Nc
Connell and, standing beside her,
gazed analytically into the west
81 think we will be safer here" he
advised, quietly. THE storm will
break before we can reach the Inn"
"But we cannot stay in this ruined
hut. 1t leaks and the doors are gone"
objected Miss Mcconnell. Come on,
let's be Off"
The man hesitated.
Don't you think it wiser to remain
here until the storm is over? We are
a long ways from Squirrel Inn," coun.
seled the mayor.
"But the wind will kick up the lakes
until we can't get across for hours"
cried the woman nervously.
Sometimes" said Bedight, looking
squarely at her, "a man is not as
dangerous after dark as a wind
storm by day."
NONSENSE" exclaimed Miss McCon-
nell. Where's your sporting blood.
Let's make a try for it,"
The mayor turned and walked down
to the boat. The girl followed and got
aboard. He rolled up the sleeves of
his light shirt and took the oars. AS
he did so, drop of rain fell into the
boat.
Really, Miss Mcconnell" he pro-
tested, this is unwise. You will not
only get a good wetting but there is
grave danger Of"
Il am neither sugar nor coward"
she said curtly. go ahead"
Bedight fell to his oars but his in
spection of the sky over the girls
head as she faced him was far from
reassuring. The clouds had taken
more definite form and in their center,
occupying the front of the great stage
of the sky, chung a balloon-like mass
of twisting matter. Bedight looked
at the girl apprehensively, as she sat
in the stern of the boat, taking the
splashing drops of rain like Spar
tan.
Miss Mcconnell, we are going to
have a bad storm presently. Don't you
think it would be better to go back?
Look at the sky behind you"
She turned her head. An exclama.
tion of surprise broke from her lips
IF you think best. Mr.. Bedight.
am afraid-I have been foolhardy-but
I'm still satisfied to go on If you are, y
proudly.
A terrific clap of thunder directly
overhead, coupled with a roar in the
west, caused Bedight to hesitate. In
stead of turning the boat. he headed
for the shore. Behind them the storm
was rushing with ten league wings
and the waves leaped into an action
that set the boat tossing like speck
upon a boiling pot. The day became
as dark as night, save for the light.
ming flashes.
In a moment the storm broke. Amid
the crash of rending trees, the de-
moniacal shriekings of the wind, the
terror of the lightning. the boat sped
onward along the shore, one oar gone
the other useless in such a sea.
In the main channel no craft could
have lived, but along the shore down
which the two raced before the wind
the shell few on the wings of the