The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-27
(Continued.)


 There was no fear on her face. Some how it looked lean and Honess-hke. He wished that his tiller rope was hemp Instead of cotton That Lester was Erinly tagging on behind was his only consolation. Two boats in a gale were always safer than one.
 He tuned and bawled against the wind t.f'm a thGnderir', tarnation fool, Miss -wynne- I'm old 'nough t know better. I'm riskin' your life n my own. That hundred foozled me. IF theyss anythin' on that danged is land wuth staclSin' our lives against I'd like t Know whut it is"
 "A rajah's ransom, Uncle Billy. And ana trying to prevent 6 crime-''
 Well. I'm committin one bringin' y put here 4 livin'sgale, a Twin galel"
 A comber broke and seethed over the stern
 Tho spray blinded the girl and partly stranglcd her. She tucked the raincoat snugger about her knees and feet. Wisely she had not pus it over her head and shoulders.
 If there came a spill she wanted free play She was a good swimmer, and the life Ee1t would hold her up if she tired Once she looked back over her shoulder.
 A warm little thrill ran over her. He was following. following. She was at once glad and worried-glad that he should wish to share her danger, wor- ried for fear he might find out what desperate need had made her tempt fate
 In some manner she must trick him --shabbiIy trick him. No taint of dis. honor, such as it was, must be his. For her there was none-she was sim ply fighting wrong. If he learned the truth he would step aside, smother his conscience: for her sake he would ignore his oath bound duty.
 So many times had the truth cried at her lips-so many times she had reso- ulteIy shut her jaws Tomorrow she would write 1t all, ask forgiveness and vanish. She was obsessed with the idea of leaving him suddenly and ney CT seeing him again Ah. if he only knew!
 For three years now She had been engaged fn government work identical to his-only she had posed as stew ardess, not as person of leisure.
 To right q wrong, almost personal she had elected to betray just once the office which fed. and clothed her gen erously. Vaguely in her work she had heard of Cranford-a word dropped here and there by high officials.
 Thus, that day-she would always re- member it!-in Uncle Billy's boathouse, the introduction had struck terror to her heart
 For few 1etJs she believed that he was here for 1ze same purpose as she, but his frank confession, the address of his valet in case harm befeu him, together with the ayowal that he loved her, convinced her that he suspected nothing, that he had really come a-fsh- ing
 Ah. this miserable businessl She had not dared to put it off till the morrow. She had seen the hydropIane arrive and depart. storm or no storm the time to act was now.
 While she had effectually blocked tel egraphic communications, there was no way of stopping the arrival of letter in the morning
 A sudden silence, a cessation of vi bration-she came back, to actualities. The dSeaded thing had happened. The engine had stopped. Now for the real battle between humanity and the ele- ments.
 Uncle Billy, quick to appreciate that this was no time to tinker, slung out his starboard oar and pulled with both hands. Fortunately the mishap took place after they had made the shoai.
 It required quick work with the oar to get the boat back in line with the light stiu pulling with his left hand, he paweG back of him for the three proneeG anchor. He shiEped the oar, heaved the tren and made fask-
 For q minute OF two they dragged then soma fsiendl rock offered par- chase, and ths boat came about with her bo-v head on to the wind They wero safe for time.
 Lest6z crept nearer and n sarer.
 Uncle Billy was perhaps BOG yards from the dock. Lester could tow hin1 in as far as he deemed necessary to go There was no possible chance Of making landing with the boats
 The surge as it struck the dock and the gboathouse runway. flung upward from ten to fifteen feet tons of water sand and gravel The current was very DIV erfuI besides.
 sI guess I've gone n done it. Miss Wynn, said Uncle Billy, rubbing his bleeding knuchies. sT'll never be able [. Isez th folks in tfa' face again. Fo1 thutty years ain't never took DC risks never see it blow worse n shis. Know whut we got t do?'
 tsYes- When we get near enough drop over and swim or wade in.''
 See whut they're doin' 9? pointing te the huge combers racing past and fling ing themselves like rayening wolves against the island Miss Wynne, thi; s no time fer1foolin' Plain talk. Vel never git ashore thout some one O us gittin' hurt. I'll never forgive myself fer lett1n' a hundred dollars git me int this hole. You're a strange youns Hvoman. I've made me do suInpin nc fnan on earth could dc. Four lives de pend on level heads, miss. r ain't afraid ?'s
 4'No, Uncle Billy. I'm only sorry fol aIl this trouble''
 s1 .