The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-04-15
I'LL I'LL I'M
LIIl Ill ll

AT the last minute Mrs. Blagden re-
FUSED to let Mary go. keeping her at
nome on some pretext. OF course that
came near spelling the sport OF the
morning: Joan. however, arose in her
Independence and announced her read
mess to go out for an hour without
Mary.
I'm glad I haven't an aunt to treat
me as h treats YOU she said to Mary
then went off to the little pier with
the delighted Eric, who, after all, was
q bit grateful to Aunt Rena, although
In his heart he was sorry for Mary.
The day was bright and clear. with
a fine. 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
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.
He looked out to sea and into his
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-
hdence would come to him, and he
would not be afraid Of her. He was
not afraid of the sea, but his heart
Qualled before that smooth, mobile
cheek and those limpid, wrathless eyes.
And yet he was ineffably happy. Sure
ly he had her all to himself now. But
to what purpose?
Steadily the airy craft beat It's way
through the greenish, glinting waters
OF the bay, heeling, Fighting, swash-
ing, sending its genial spray into their
faces, pointing. as a dog points-as If
1t were a thing Of life with an instinct
OF Its 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
f1uttered or fattened as the wind or
datned; 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 hail
lay back from his forehead. His eyes
cleaned with the fever of exaltation.
When they were not stealing sly
chances at her, they were set straight
ahead, focused on the distant point,
as IT'S Il 1t r wsae a is thing E 5 to h az eanaa o,+
$3.50 6ASoS AS1A y - AS CdllSQ out
to her.
Splendid" she sang. II love 1t! 1
love it,"
will you come out again."
n caught herself up. II 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. will you, Joan?"
II your aunt will let Mary come too"
she said, mischief in her heart.
Certainly" he acquiesced, much too
readily to please her vanity.
Are you sure o know how to sail
a boat, Eric?" she asked, SO inno-
Gently that his pride was hurt in turn.
Amt l 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. I'll 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 suppose that the storm came
from the shore and not from the sea?
What then?"
Wed be geese to let 1t catch us far
out. oh, it's simple enough"
she said gaily.
Sure" he agreed. and they laughed
aloud.
She was silent for awhile, furtively
studying his h~alf-averted face. He
was bringing the boat around with her
nose toward the town. instead of fol-
lowing the course they had planned to
take.
Have you completed the plans,
Eric7 2"
YES" he replied. They're off my
mind"
II do hope you will win. Everyone
says you are sure to-"
He did not answer at once. It struck
her that he was singularly inattentive.
The sail tapped viciously and the little
, craft heeled over as the boom swung
around. A vast shadow came SWIM
ming out over the water, turning the
; soft green to a blackish blue. The
; girl turned her head quickly in alarm.
"Oh!" she cried, here ayes widening,
Don't be nervous" he said calmly.
There's plenty of time"
> From the hills back Of Corinth a
: great wall Of black clouds was rushing
! out upon them, leaping higher and
higher against the sunlit opal sky. The
very thing she had mentioned. half in
banter, had come to pass. Storm
/, SAouuS "SlS lllOeeu coming DOWN from
the shore, and they were ugly, men
acing ones at that.
. Her remark had caused the enrap-
tured boy to cast a casual glance
shoreward. He had seen then, for the
first time, the rim of black that cap
, ped h green hills, and, withou,
! alarming her, he quickly altered the
, course of the boat He knew that the
: storm was close at hand-on Of those
swift. violent summer storms tina,
swoop out Of nowhere. it would seem
= sail down to the sea, to be lost OF
: dissipated in the vas air currents thai
, scorn SO small a thing as a land breeze
no matter how fierce it may appear or
!, its native heath.
! You must hurry, Eric" cried the
girl, dread in her eyes. Tell me, wha,
, can I do to help? I am not afraid
> It's funny I never noticed 1t com
ing" he muttered irrelevantly. There
was much lacking to do, for the wine
had shifted and they were still three
L miles or more from the piers. She sat