The Washington times., 1913-03-02

tory interest in this remark. Are
! you ready to go on? =
| And another time. when tneE were
When do you expect Mr. Ember?"
| asked the girl.
Tonight. probably. At least, he
wired yesterday to say he meant to
run down tonight But from what
| be sure of Ember. He seems to lead
| the sedentary and uneventful life OF
a flea on a hot griddle."
'J shall be glad to see him. said the
| girl In what Whitaker thought a Curl
Gus tone. please tell him, will you?
"If that's the way you feel about
him. / shall be tempted to wire him
not to come.
Just what do you mean by that?"
asked the woman sharply, with a hint
/ of Indignation in her level, challeng-
ing stare.
Merely that your tone sounded a
bit vindictive. l thought possibly you
might want TO have it out with him.
for the sin Of permitting me to infest
this neck o the woods"
Absurd she laughed. placated.
When finally they came to the end of
the dock he paused considering the
three-foot step down to the deck Of the
motorboat with n dubious look that
but half expressed his CONSERVATION.
1t would be practically impossible for
him to lower himself without employing
the painful member to an extent he
didn't like to anticipate. He met the
girls inquiring glance with one wholly
rueful.
IF it weren't low tide he explained,
crestfallen.
She laughed lightly. But since it is
low tide. you'll have to accept help from
me again."
Cautiously lowering himself to a sit
inU rnSifian on ho
hanging the boat. he nodded. 'Fraid
so. Sorry to be a nuisance.
You're. not a nuisance. You're
merely masculine" the girl retorted.
jumping lightly but surely to the cock
whitaker delayed. considering her
gravely.
Meaning he inquired pleasantly.
Like all men, you must turn to a
woman in the end-however brave your
strut" -.
"oh, it's that way, is it? Thank you,
but / fancy / can manage"
And with the aid of the clothes-prop
he did manage to make the descent
without her hand and without disaster
Pure blague!" commented the girl
tauntingly.
That's French for I think I'm smart
don't 1?'-isn't it?'' he inquired with an
do"
l lips anu eyes were elOuuent OF the
laughter she restrained. But now"
she argued. sure Of triumph. you've
| got to admit you couldn't do without
| me to run the boat"
| oh. can manage a motor, IL that 8
| what you mean,' he retorted serenely;
| though i confess there are few new
Kinks to this one that might puzzle me
bit at the start That chair-and cog
wheel AFFAIR to turn the fivwheel with.
| Tor instance-that's new one. The
last time ran a marine motor in this
| country we had to break our backs and
run chances of breaking our arms as
well, turning up by hand
| The girl had gone forward. over the
CABIN roof, TO cast of. She returned
along the outboard.. pushing the boat
clear; then jumped back into the cock
pit. started the engine with a single al
| most effortless turn of the crank which
| Whitaker han mentioned, and took the
wheel as the boat swung droning away
or twice advanced the spark apreciably,
! and made one Of two minor adjustments
/ Of the machine did she return attention
| to her passenger.
Then, in casual voice, she inquired:
| You've been out of the country for
some time-I think you said"
l Almost six years on the other side
| of the world-got back only last spring."
/ What. she pursued. eyes ahead spy
| ing out the channel through, the shoals
OF deep water-"what does one do on
! the other side of the world?''
This one knocked about mostly. for
/ his health's sake. That is, l went away
| expecting to die gefore long, was dis
appointed, got we'll and strong, and
| took to drifting-I beg your pardon"
he broke of hastily: "a civil answer to
| a civil question needn't necessarily be
| the history Of ones life
] The girl put the wheel down slowly.
| swinging the boat out of the channel
and upon a course direct to the landing
stage at Half-a-Loaf Lodge.
But surely you didn't waste six years
/ sim Dly 'drifting'?'
'-"ell. did drift into sort Of a
! ess after bit-gold mining in a
Il :azard. happy,go-lucky fashion
die pretty well at it. and came home to
aFtonish the natives"
Was II success?
Rather" he replied dryly.