The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-01-24
j., MARTHA BELLINGER


/ ~ - RlNtNNs AANAh anu AhNAh MNAN
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 a rainbow formed Itself In
the heeting mist, II was a fairy pie,
ture, repeating itself two or thre.s
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 n 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 a clearing, evidently
once a rather pretentious summer resi-
dence, though now there were many
signs of dilapdation. The pier on the
beach had been almost entirely beaten
down by storms, and a small. f1imsy
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 a peacock came to them over the
still water. Presently Chamberlain
suggested
Il feel it in my bones that thereIl
be Holsters over there to be had for
the asking. 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'm bet a bouquet that ] beat you
rowing over-Miss Reynier to furnish
the bouquet" was Chamberlain's next
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-
luet of juniper bushes and rocks.
either. We want good, old-fash-
oRed round bouquet of garden posies,
with mignonette round the edge and a
rose in the middle; a sure-enough
oxen Of esteem-that kind of thing,
you know Is it a bargain, Miss Rey-
lier?"
Very well, it is a bargain" agreed
Ielanie; out shall choose bachelors
So they took the tender and got off,
With great show of eXactness as to
ime and strictness of rules. Madame
leynier was to hold the watch. and
Aleck was to wave white handker-
hief the minute they touched sand.
fr. Chamberlain was to give a like
ignal when they started back. The {
acht slowed down and held her place
s nearly as possible.
Chamberlain pulled great oar, ard ;
'as, in fact, far superior to Aleck in !
clint of skill; but his stroke was not
ell adapted to the choppy waves in {
hore. He had learned it on the
eepy Cam, where the long, gliding
Iade counts best. The men STAYED
shore long time, disappearing en-
rely beyond the clump of trees that
,reened the outbuildings. When they i
an old man was with a
em, following them down to the a
,at. Then the white handkerchief +
,peared, and the boat started on it's d
turn. "
Aleck proated by Chamsberlain's D
ork, and made the boat leap forward
r shorter, almost jerky stroke. He 7
me back easily with Ave minutes to q
are. h
Good work." said Mr.. Chamber s
IN. "You have me beaten, and you'll Il
t the bachelors buttons; but you
d the tide with you" h
Nonsense! | had the Holsters ex-
Il" asserted Aleck. r.
Well, if you had been born an Eng Ii
hman, we'd make an oarsman out ST
you yeti" n,
HUH" said Aleck. OF
But they had news to tell the ladies', vi
4 while they were having their w
Iner their thoughts were turned to tn