The Springfield herald., 1913-04-25
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Tor space. Here and there were
headlands formed by mighty boulders,
against which the waves endlessly
dashed and as endlessly foamed back
into the sea.
Such a headland loomed 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 rainbow formed itself In
the feeting mist 1t was a 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. mot 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. 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
house stood in, clearing. evidently
once rather pretentious summer resi-
l
signs of dilapidation. The pier on the
beach had been almost entirely beaten
down by storms, and a small, fimsy
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 q peacock came to them over the
still water. Presently Chamberlain
suggested:
Il feel 1t in my bones that therell
be Holsters over there to be had for
the asking. heard your man say he
wanted lobsters, Van; and l believe
I'll row over there and see. I'm feel.
ing uncommonly At 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 get .
bouquet?
"Oh. the next time we get on land
And we won't put up with any old bou-
Quet of juniper bushes and rocks
either. We want a good. old-fash-
ioned round bouquet of garden posies,
with mignonette round the edge and q
rose in the middle; a sure-enough
token OF esteem-that kind of thing,
you know. Is 1t bargain, Miss Rey-
nier?"
Very we'll. It is bargain" agreed
Melanie; but shall choose bachelors
buttons!"
So they took the tender and got OF
with a great show of e1actness as to
time and strictness of rules. Madame
Reynier was to hold the watch, and
Aleck was to wave white handker-
chief the minute they touched sand
Mr.. Chamberlain was to give like
signal when they started back. The
yaCnt blOW6o OOWu anu uolO u6r place
az nearly ~ possible.
Chamberlain pulled great oar, and
was, in fact, far superior to Aleck in
point Of skill; but his stroke was not
we'll adapted to the choppy waves in
shore. He had learned 1t ON the
sleepy Cam. where the long. gliding
blade counts best. The men stayed
ashore long time. disappearing en-
tirely beyond the clump Of trees that
screened the outbuildings When they
reappeared. an old man was with
them. following them down to the
boat. Then the white handkerchief
appeared, and the boat started on its
return.
Aleck profited by Chamberlain's
work. and made the boat leap forward
by shorter. almost jerky stroke. He
came back easily with five minutes to
spare.
"Good work." said Mr.. Chamber.
lain. You have me beaten, and you'll
get the bachelors buttons; but you
had the tide with you"
Nonsense! had the Holsters ex-
tra!" asserted Aleck.
well. IL you had been born an Eng
lishman. we'd make an oarsman out
Of you yeti"
| HUH" said Aleck.
But they had news to tell the ladies.
and while they were having their
dinner their thoughts we're turned to