The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1913-01-22


heard that thought; sometime they
would talk II all over. They learned
70 laugh at their own whimsical preju.
dices, and then insisted on them all
the harder; they learned, each from
the other, some bit of robust optimism.
some happiness OF vision, some
further reach of thought
After they had read, they would play
at quoits, struggling sternly against
each other; or Chamberlain would ex-
anime Melanie in nautical lore; or to-
gether, in the evening, they would
trace the consultations in the heav-
ems. During their first week they were
in the edge of storm for night and
day; but they put into harbor where
they were comfortable and safe, and
merry as larks through It all
So, day by day, Aleck hedged Me-
LAME about with his love. Was she
thoughtful? He let her take, as she
would, his thoughts, the best he could
give from his mature experience. Was
she gay? He liked that even better,
and delighted to cap her gaiety with
his own queer, whimsical drolleries.
Whatever her mood, he would not let
her get far from him in spirit. II was
not in her heart to keep him from
her; but Aleck achieved the super
mundane feat of making his influence
felt most keenly when she was alone.
She dwelt upon him in her thoughts
more intensely than she herself knew;
and that, intenseness was only the re-
Election of his own thought for her.
They had been sailing a little more
than a week, changing the low,
placid Connecticut fields for the
rougher northern shores, going some
times farther out to sea, but delight
ing most in the sweet, pine-fringed
coast of Maine. There were no more
large cities to visit, only small vii
lagos where fishermen gathered after
their weeks haul or where slow, print
tive bodybuilding was still carried on.
Most of the inhabitants Of the coast
country appeared to be farmers as
we'll as fishermen, even where the soil
was least promising. The aspect of
the shores was that of a limited but
fairly prosperous agricultural COM
munity. Under the shadow of the hills
were staid little homes, or fresh-paint-
ed smart cottages. Sometimes bold
rock-bank formed the shore for miles
and miles. and the hills would vanish
for a space. Here and there we're
headlands formed by mighty boulders,
against which the waves endlessly
dashed and as endlessly foamed back
into the sea-
Such a headland doomed up on their
starboard one evening when the sun
was low; and as the plumes of spray
from the incoming waves rose high in
the air a rainbow formed itself in
the fleeting mist. 1t was fairy pic
ture, repeating itself two or three
times, no more.
That's my symbol of hope" said
Aleck quite impersonally. to anybody
who chose to hear.
Mr.. Chamberlain turned to Aleck
with his ready courtesy "Not the only
one you have received, hope, on this
charming voyage"
Madame Reynier was ready with her
pleasant word Aren't we all SYM
bols for you-if not of hope, then of
your success as a host? We've lost
our aches and our pains, our nerves
and our troubles; all gone overheard
from the Sea Gull"
you're all tremendously good to
me, l know that" said Aleck, his
slow words coming with great sin
cerity.
Melanie kept silence, but she re-
membered the rainbow.
The headland was the landward end
of small island, one part of which
was thickly wooded A large unused
once a rather pretentious summer resi-
dence, though now there we're many
signs of dilapidation. The pier on the
beach had been almost entirely beaten
down by storms, and small, fiimsy
slip had taken its place, running far
down into the water. A thin line of
smoke rose from the chimney of one
of the outbuildings; and while they
looked and listened the raucous cry
of peacock came to them over the
still water. Presently Chamberlain
suggested:
81 feel it in my bones that there1l
be Holsters over there to be had for
the asking. l heard your man say he
wanted Holsters, Van; and | believe
I'll row over there and see. I'm feel
ing uncommonly fit and need some ex-
ercise."
"All right, I'll go too" said Aleck.
I'll bet a bouquet that / beat you
rowing over-Miss Reynier to furnish
the bouquet" was Chamberlain's next
proposition. do you agree to that.
my LADY,"
"And pray, where should I get a
bouquet?
"Oh, the next time we get on land.
And we won't put up with any old bou-
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