The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-19

cQeGk W1Cn his IlpSs
 Forgive me, but did not mean to do thaty' he cried penitentIy, when it would have been much better to say nothing.
 We are very fooIish-or. rather, ana,'' she replied cool1y. Ut is my fault that we are both drenched.'
 She wiped the water from her face md inspected her dripping shoes We should be sent to bed without supper"
 Fear left him. She hadn t noticed; or, better still, she chose to ignore the temporary insanity.
 Now, during this bit of comedy an automobile had drawn up on the far side of the lighthouse. The two on the ledge had heard nothing, since they could hear only such sounds as the wind carried to them.
 A man stood by the xide of the car. He watched the two thoughtfu11y, saw the comber rise and break, saw the in cination of the two toward each other and Cranford's harmless folly. There was no doubt of it; it was she.
 Beautiful a1v'ays; and now with the sun on her hair and the wind on her cheeks-an oath burned his lips He made as though to step forward, but held the impulse in check. Had he not wilfully forfeited his rights? What had brought her here5
 Cranford espied the car as it rolled down the incline into the road along the shore.
 Some one from the hotel" he said as he noted the license number Shall we return to the farm? You will eaten cold"
 Come The walk will warm us both. Are there many at the hotel?''
 Except for two chaps from Phila- delphia,. I'm the lone fisherman. They haven't had chance to get out. yet
 It was quarter to 6 when they ar rived at the Sarm-
 Tomorrow, 2 she said, and turned and walked toward the farmhouse, stop ping only when she reached the door
 She laid her hand upon her cheek. How brislSly he strode away! She wondered if he was whistling The manner in which he held his head sug- gested it.. He had kissed her, but it had been only a boy and girl kiss clumsy awk ward, difhdent, honest.
 The thought sof it warmed her heart a little. He hadn't meant to do it. May she never be forced to accept trib- ute from any man less innocent than that kiss. He did not love her; he only imagined he did.
 As Cranford mounted the hotel steps a smile lay hidden in the crook of his lips.
 What were these chaps up to? The short, wiry man with the stubbly black mustache he had instantly recognized as one Of the two men he had seen in the hotel bar1Just before leaving New York.
 The handsome chap was without doubt the same Warren had advised him to watch. At the train gafe he had not been able to take an accurate i'm. pression of the young mans face, the light being insufficient, but the scar made his identity q certainty
 MT. Hanchett and Mr. Dennison; :; very good. He, had joined them in a game of three cushion billiards the pre- vfous night, and they had played re- markabiy well. It amused hilla to think that if they were laughing ill their sleeves there was room enough in his for a smile.
 Hello.v he said. stopping before their rocking chairs. Hard luck you chaps are having. You'll get out to- morrow all right, though The gale is blow ing itself out. If I were you I'd try the bay oNer the way There's been lee there, and bass will have gone in,
 T Il be glad to meet Mir. Bass, 7 said Mir. Dennison. stfolxing his lnustache.
 That's the trouble with the water up here.'' said Mi. Hanchett, folding his newspaper. Great fishing grounds, but it blows too much ''
 You have fished here before r
 @0hs no! The guide has been telling me. How about q little game of bil- Iards after dinner?v
 Glad to- Cranford proceeded into the office.
 MT. Hanchett smiled, and MT. Dem nison eoughed slightly behind his hand.
 Not a tumble. nurrnured MT. Den nison.