The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1913-03-26

Here / am, dear. DO not die! i
have come-come to stay, if you want
me, James, dearest!" And bending
over him was face-the very Vision
of his dream. Look at me, speak to
me, James. dear!"
The voice was bit hysterical, but
the face was eloquent, loving, adoring.
1t was too good to be true, though Jim
was disposed to let the illusion pro-
long itself as far as possible. He put
up his hand and smoothed her face
gently, in gratitude at seeing it kind
once more. Then he smiled foolisbly.
'It's great, isn't i'll" he remarked
namely, before thinking it necessary
to remove his head. Her face was
still the face of tenderness, full Of
yearning. 1t did not change. She
took handkerchief from her pocket
and carefully pressed it to his cheek
and chin. When she took it away, he
saw that IL was red.
Lord, what a mess I'm making!"
he exclaimed, trying at last to sit up
AS he did so, it all came back to him
the flying shadow, the gun, the
struggle. He leaned over to peer again
through the crossed wires of the deck
railing, down into the water. He
turned back with an amazed express
sion.
did he jump overheard, honest
true, hanging on to that spike?"
Neither Aleck nor Agatha could
say, nor yet Mr.. Chamberlain, who
had been searching the yacht.
Wherever it was, the rusty marline-
spike had disappeared. The rowboat,
too, had gone into the darkness. Jim
got up, dazedly thinking for a mo-
ment that it was necessary for him
to give chase, but he quickly sat down
on the sail-cloth again, overcome with
faintness and dark pail before his
eyes.
"You are not hurt badly?" The
voice was still tender, and 1t was all
for him! AS Jim heard it, the pail
lifted, and his buoyant spirit came
back to its own. He laughed ring
ingly.
Lord, no, not hurt. But"
But what? What did you wish to
say?"
'1s it true? Are you here. by me,
to stay?"
For answer she pressed his hand
to her lips.
Aleck and Chamberlain, once as
sured that Jim was safe, went below
to make a search, and Jim and Aga
tina were left together on the sail
cloth. AS they sat there, young
moon shone out delicately in the west,
and dropped quickly down after the
lost sun.
"It's the first moon we've seen to-
gether!" said Jim.
But we've watched the dawn"
"Ah, yes; and such dawn!"
Little by little, as they sat togeth-
er, the story of the fight came out.
Jim told it bit by bit, not eager. When
it was done, Agatha was still puzzled.
why should he come here? What
could he do here?"
IL don't know, though we shall prob
ably ind out soon enough. But uon I
care, now that you are here"
James. dear, will you forgive me
for this afternoon%
"Ill forgive you If you'll take 1t all
back, hide, hoofs and horns, for ever
n ever, amen"
Il take 1t back. never meant It,"
"Then may one ask why"
"Oh, James, l don't know why"
Anybody could have told them that
II was only phase of feminine panic
In the face of the unknown, necessary
as sneezing. But, as Jim said, 1t
didn't matter.
Never mind. Only l don't want
you to marry me because you found
me here all buggy and pitied me-"
James! To talk like thati You
know II wasn't"
Then. what was it?" Jim, sudden
ly grown serpent-like in craft, turned
his well-known ingenious and limo
cent expression upon her.
"The moment you left me. up there
in the pine grove. knew couldn't do
without YOU"
"uow did YOU knowf"