Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-11-24

II
keep perfectly quiet I'm going to pull
you out Of this all right The blow
will GO down By midnight. and early
tomorrow we'll make for home. Try
to sleep"
"a drink
A strong cup Of coffee was given her
forthwith. She drank ii greedy, but
refused the buttered bread, and lay
back. closing her eyes. She Was so
far gone In exhaustion that Crawford
knew the coffee would have no other
effect than to hold of hunger weak
ness.
Himself. he ate three slices of bread
and drank three cups OF coffee. for he
was dead tired, and yet he must watch.
Her head throbbed so that 1t neutral
lied the pain in her arm.
She kept her eyes shut. not SO much
TO urge sleep as to avoid watching the
roof revolFe and the. four sides of the
boathouse expand and contract And
Crawford had so many pale. careworn
faces. Truth was, bit Of delirium
had possession Of her.
How grotesque he looked with a halo
above his head and another under his
chin. the effect Of the contra-ilghts of
the lanterns What WAS it she had
forgottens What was it she ought to
be doing? Why had she fallen! What
had really happened1
But even as she tried to pierce the
fog. which seemed to Cypress her, sleep
soft footed as the snow" fell upon
her. She slept for four hours When
she awoke 1t was with clear recollec-
ton.
She say CRAWFORD, sleeping with his
mouth open. most unheroic. his arms
dangling at bis sides. She knew now
what she had to do. She must rise
without disturbing him. steal out. Oh,
the pain and misery of It, She fell
back, grooming,
Brave and stoical she was. but there
are some pains which wrench the cry
out of US stife it how we try.
/ Instantly Crawford was awake.
what is IT."
1 MY ankIe!'
{ which one?"
The right" She set her teeth in
her lips,
I OF went the shoe.
! NO, mo-"
But he gave no heed TO her protest
/ He bound the stockinged foot and sat
urated it with what arnica remained
in the bottle
He saw the tears running down her
cheeks. but he did not know the rca'
cause Of them.
Diana! Diana What can / do,
What can do? Poor girl, Poor girl.
/ Tender and sensitive. he hated the
sight of pain, and to see it twist the
( lips Of the woman he loved was doubly
maddening.
That's better. I'm all right now
Thank you"
But her thought was: She had failed
failed miserably, after all these weeks
of careful planning failed. She coul(
not stand. let alone walk. There was
as much misery in her body as in he
mind
Either she must tell him or LET every
thing 20. Why had fate brought hin
here? 1t was cruel If only he ha,
not followed,
Outside, under the light. Uncle Bill.
was putting questions to the light
keeper,
"No. Nobody left anything Wit
me" said the latter, shifting his corn
cob a Aydroplane stopped here 70
an hour or so. cooked shore dinner an
got out. Sensible. call EN-. The
didn't leave anything with me ON
@ the men limped, But I WASH
watching EN- close"
Uncle Billy sighed. All for nothing
why do you want t know" aske
the liGhtkeeper. His curiosity wa
negligent.
He was not much interested in tn
doings Of guides and folks who waste
their time fishing
"Oh. 'nuthin'. Miss Wynne was ey
pectin' sunpin That's why We mad
III island, Thought mebbe they'd lef
ii + you
Nope. How's the young LADY,"
81 dunno" YEARLY.
Pack o fools. all of vou. You'y
been fshin Pidcin thirty years. and !
was time You learned you can't ifs
here III safety. Aren't there Just a
many bass on your side o the Iine?"
THAT you. LESTER"
"Uh-uh.'
Think they'll hold?'
Don't know" cruffiy. It'll cos
Mr. Crawford about four hundred !
anything happens to my boat. I wa
against making the island
II reckon Mr., Crawford II do whit
square. Money don't worry him non,
We better turn In. Good night" sal
Uncle Billy to the lightkeeper.
Good night. There amt anythin
more can do for you:"
Nope"
The two guides walked back TO th
hoathonse and entered noiselessly
Without ado they stretched themselve
ont on dry spot by the doors and i
a minute or two were fast asleep.
Crawford was a light sleeper. Th
entry Of the guides, quiet as it wa
served 10 wake him He peered dow
at the face OF the girl.
Her lips stirred. "Douald~
A knife thrust from her hand coui
not have hurt him more grievously.