Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-04-15
I'LL I'LL mn
MARY MIDTHORNE
GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON
Author of "Graustark." "rruxton King" etc.
Copyright. 1911, BY Dodd. Mead & Co.
I'LL I'LL III
little or no danger if the weather was

tAS ~
FUSED to let Mary so, keeping her at
nome on some preteXt. OF course that
came near spelling the sport of the
morning. Joan, however, arose in her
independence n announced her read
mess To so out for an hour without
Mary.
I'm glad l haven't an aunt to treat
me as she treats you.' she said to Mary
and then went off to the little pier with
the delighted Eric, who, after all, was
a bit grateful to Aunt Rena, although
in his heart he was sorry for Mary.
The day was bright and clear, with
a me. light wind blowing steadily from
the ocean. They planned to sail to the
point, turn and cross the mouth of
the bay just inside the swell of the
sea, and then come racing in with a
FRESH three-quarter breeze. In two
hours they would be back at the pier,
where Mary was to meet them.
Joan poised herself comfortably on
the rail. Her cheeks were warm with
excitement and her eyes danced to the
tune his heart was singing. all unbe-
knownst to her. Never in all his life
had he been so happy as now, and
never so self consciously stupid. She
chatted gaily, easily. while he. in his
eXaltation. responded so inaptly that
in time, %forsooth, he fell to making
hard work of the sail in order TO cover
his confusion.
LIZ tpohcu cul W sea ana l1IO MS
soul there came the longing to sail
on forever with her, straight into the
boundless waste, where he might rise
to such heights of heroism that con-
fldence would come to him, and he
would not be afraid of her. He was
not afraid of the sea, but his hear
Qualled before thai smooth, mobile
cheek and those limpid. wrathless eyes.
And yet he was ineffably happy. Sure
~ he had her all to himself now. But
to what purpose?
Steadily the airy craft beat its way
through the sreenish, glinting waters
OF the bay, heeling, righting. swash-
races, pointing, as a dog points-as if
1t We're n thing OF life with an instinct
of it's own. Joan lodged and shifted
as the boom swung over, laughed with
glee when the spray threatened her
REFER. Her soft brown hair played
In the wind; the red bow at her throat
futtered or f1attened as the wilma or
da1ned; her trim, slender body was
braced against the rush of air, active,
alert, all unconscious of the picture
she made.
His head was bare. His dark hair
lay back from his forehead. His eyes
cleaned with the fever of eX~altation.
glances at her, they were set straight
ahead. focused on the distant point,
as if it We're a thing to avoid.
It's great. isn't it~ he called out
to her.
Splendid" she sang. Il love it,
love it,"
Will you come out again?"
She caught herself up. Il don't
know" AS he did not press the invi-
tation she was driven to the curt ques-
ton: "When?"
Any day you like" he replied Gag
erly. VIII YOU. JOAN"
If your aunt will let Mary come too
she said, mischief in her heart.
Certainly he acquiesced, much toe
readily to please her vanity.
Are you sure you know how to sail
a boat, Eric?" she asked, so limo
Gently that his pride was hurt in turn.
Amt / sailing her all right today ?"
he demanded.
She was instantly ashamed Of her
self. 1T was mean of me to ask that
question:" she cried. Every one knows
you are very skilful. Eric. OF course,
i'm not afraid. IN come whenever You
ask me" Then. seeing the glad sparkle
in his eyes, If the weather is fine,
1t would be awful to be out in a little
boat like this if a storm came up
Goodness, what could we do?",
Beat for the shore as fast as we
could" he replied grimly. I'VE could
get In ahead Of any storm"
But uppos that the storm came
from the shore and not from the sea
What them"
Wee be geese to let II catch US fan
out. Oh, it's simple enough"
If we were geese we could swim in
she sal saily.
Sure he agreed, and they laughed
aloud.
She was silent for awhile, furtivcly
studying his half-averted face. He
was bringing the o a around with he,
nose toward the town, instead of fol-
lowing the course they had planned tc
take.
Have you completed the plans
Eric?"
Yes" he replied. They're off m,
mind"
II do hope you will win. Everyone
says you are sure to-"
He did not answer at nee. 1t struck
her that he was s%ingularly in%attentivc
The sail tapped viciously and the little
craft heeled over as the boom swuns
around. A vast shadow came swim.
ming out over the water, turning Tho
soft green to a blackish blue. The
girl turned her head quickly in alarm
oh" she cried, here eyes widening
Don't be nervous" he said calmly
There's plenty of time"
From the hills back of Corinth {
great wall of black clouds was rushins
out upon them, leaping higher nnt
higher against h sunlit opal sky. The
very thing she had mentioned, half il
banter, had come to pass. Storm
clouds were indeed coming down from
the shore, m they were ugly. men.
acing ones at that.
Her remark had caused the enrap
tured boy to cast a casual glanc,
shoreward. He had seer then, for thu
first time, the rim of black that cap.
ped the green hills, and, withou'
alarming her, he quickly altered tn.
course Of the boat. He knew that tn,
storm was close at hand-on OF thos,
swift, violent summer storms tina,
swoop out Of nowhere, it would seem
and sail down to the sea, to be lost OF
dissipated In the vast air currents tina,
scorn so small a thing as a land breeze
nc matter how fierce it may appear or
its native heath.
You must hurry, Eric" cried tn.
girl, dread in her eyes. Tell me. wha.
can I do to help? l am not afraid
It's funny I never noticed 1t com.
ing" he muttered irrelevantIy. Their,
was much lacking to do, for the WING
had shifted and they were still three
miles or more from the piers. She sat
still and tense, looking straight ahea,
into the black banks after this, reaIiz
| ipO IN cnppo c,11,f1n ~, %L-1 .-.-- y.