Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-03-14


the air a rainbow formed itself in
the fieeting 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. 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 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
house stood in a clearing. evidently
dence, though now there were 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 a peacock came to them over the
still water. Presently Chamberlain
suggested:
81 feel it in my bones that therell
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."
"Al right. I'll go too." said Aleck
I'll bet bouquet that l 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 l get a
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 good, old-fash-
ioned round bouquet of garden posies.
with mignonette round the edge and a
/ rose in the middle; sure-enough
token of esteem-that kind of thing,
you know Is 1t a bargain, Miss Rey-
nier?"
Very well. 1t is a bargain" agreed
Melanie; but shall choose bachelors
buttons!"
So they took the tender and got of.
with a great show of exactness 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 a like
signal when they started back. The
yacht slowed down and held her place
as nearly as possible.
| Chamberlain pulled great oar, and
was, in fact. far superior to Aleck In
point of skill; but his stroke was not
well 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, If 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
another matter. The island. it ap-
peared, had for some years been aban-
doned by its owner, and its only in
habitant was gray and grizzly old
man. known to the region as the her
nit His fancy was to keep a light
burning always by night in the land
ward window of his cabin. so as to
warn sailors off the dangerous head
land There was no lighthouse in the
vicinity, and by a kindly consent the
| nannIa nm the naiphhoring islands and