Charlevoix county herald., 1915-02-27


island in the marsh was covered
with a short, sparse grass, which
rustled under her feet. 1t was not
over the half of an acre in extent,
and sloped in a gradual descent from
the center to the shore-line all
around.
1t looked like the top of sub
merged hat. And all about it, be-
yond the narrow strip of water, rose
the green wall of the rushes, wav-
ing slightly in the wind. with a
faint, fairy whispering of their in
terlacing stalks. Only overhead
was there a farther outlook, and
there the whole sky was blue and
pink with the new day. She turned
to Gafford with glowing eyes.
"How did you know, Lieutenant
Ned?" she asked.
Gafford laughed. drop the lieu
tenant" he said quickly. 1--WE been
in such swamps before, and knew
what to look for and how. ] hope
that our friend the fisherman doesn't
come hunting for his boat. 1t would
be a pity to spoil the peace of the
scene. You are now cast away on
a desert island, my lady, for at least
a day"
Shiela returned his laugh as she
glanced down at herself. Il wonder"
she remarked, eff any woman was
ever before cast away in a silk XII
mono, a pair of golden slippers, and
"Don't know" Gaford responded.
"Have you a pin ?"
"A pin?" said Shiela. what
for?"
81 might try for a fish," he ex-
planned. eve have nothing to eat"
She shook her head. 1--WE moth
ing but hairpins," she said.
Gafford grimaced. 'I'm afraid
that settles it." he made rueful re-
joinder. Perhaps you'd better try
to sleep"
He made her a pallet Of grass un-
der the shade of lonely bush and
insisted that she lie down. After a
time she yielded and fell asleep
For her the day passed in slumber
until mid afternoon. She woke and
stared about her in momentary Won
der, saw Gaf'ord sitting a little ways
off, and sat up. what time is it,,
Ned ?" she asked.
"Abcut three and all serene" he
answered. squirting at the sun. He
rose and came to her. you've the
seven sleepers beaten a mile. How
do you feel ?"
"All right, but awfully thirsty"
she answered him. els there any
water on our desert island ?"
He shook his head with a troubled
face. "Only around and under, and
that's salt"
"Never mind" said Shiela.
Gafford smiled upon her. You're
a brick of a girl" he declared. 81
don't know as I'd object if it was q
desert island, really-with you"
Shiela laughed. Come; sit down"
she suggested. 81 want you to tell
me all about everything now"
He dropped down at her side in
the shadow and told her the story
from first to last. AS he talked
Shiela's face took on new expires
sions of surprise. wonder and ad-
miration.
She put out hand and laid it
over his. Gafford turned his palm
and covered her fingers with his
own. So. sitting hand in hand, he
outlined his plans for the rest Of
their journey when it should grow
dusk.
"Well go back to the track and
along it to solid ground" he told her.
"From there well skirt about the
town, which is probably under mar
tial law by now, and reach the bay
below the waterfront. There's a
little headland there, and I've ar
ranged with Captain Spry to have
the launch stand off and on at that
point every nioht from ten to twelve.
i'll build a little fire on the beach
like the fishermen make and wave
my coat in front of it in the wigwag
code. That will bring them in fast
enough, as they will be looking for
it. Ten minutes after that you'll be
safe, little girl
"You didn't see father, did you ?"
she asked.
"No. He was still at Tokyo. Spry
cabled him, however, when we left
Nagasaki. No doubt he is in touch
long ago"
Hell be crazy-poor old dad"
said the girl. "I'm all the girl he
has"
81 wcs blamed near crazy myself. e"
admitted Gafford with a nervous
laugh.
Dusk fell at last over the world of
rushes. Gafford helped the little
silk-clad figure into the fisherman's
boat and fought his way back TO the
railway embankment. There he tied
up the boat and twisted a crisp
bank-note into the cleft stem of a
rush, which he laid in the little
craft. "When he finds that he'll
swear that his gods had use of his
boat" he laughed softly to Shiela as
they set off down the track.
Somewhere between ten-thirty
and eleven a girl in a drabbled XII
mono crept up the accommodation
ladder Of the yacht Nantucket,
reached the top, cried out, and
hurled herself upon the heavy figure
of man with iron-gray hair, an
aouiline nose, and wide-set eyes of
gray. "Dadr' She laughed and
Wept and choked. "Dad--dear old
dadp
The one she cried to swept her
into his arms and bowed a working
face against her brown hair.
"Shiela," he whispered, my girl
II