The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1916-12-14
CHAPTER x.
The Spy.


Already the sun was warm, the faint
breeze bland. Standing at the window
and shading his eyes against the glare,
Whitaker surveyed a world new
washed and radiant; the landlocked
bay dimpled with vagrant catspaws
and smitten with sunlight as with a
scimitar of fire; the earth fresh and
fragrant steaming family in the ar
dent glow of the dawn.
In another moment he was at the
Kitchen door interrupting Sum Fats
first matutinal attentions to his teeth
with demand for q bathing suit.
Ihree minutes later, from the end of
the small dock, he dlved neatly, COM
Ing to the surface with his flesh tin
Cling with delight OF the cool water;
then, with the deliberate and powerful
movements of an experienced swim
mer, struck away from the land. Two
hundred yards out he paused, rolled
over on his back, and, hands clasped
beneath his head, fioated serenely. sun
light warming his upturned face, his
body rejoicing In the suave, clean. fluid
embrace.
Then something disturbed him-a
Null huttering, vibrant upon his sub
merged eardrums. Extending his arms
ana moving his hands gently to pre-
serve his poise, he lifted his head from
tne water. From the landing stage on
1le Flske place a motor boat was
standing out The churning of its pro-
peller had aroused him. He could see
Out single person for all it's crew.
seated astern, dividing her attention
oetween the side steering wheel and
e 'he engine, she was altogether Ignorant
ule 0nlooker. Only her head and
SHOULDERS showed above the coaming-
her head with its shining crown, her
shoulders cloaked with a light wrap
gathered at the throat.
whitaker admiring, wondered
sweeping In wide arc as it gath
cred speed, the boat presently shot out
sihartiy on straight course for the
barrier beach.
WhyF What business had she there?
and at an hour so early?
NO AFFAIR of his--Whitaker admitted
as much freely. And yet he was be-
sihhlng his fourth day on the Great
"eSt Day without having set foot upon
i'S Great South beach Ridiculous
oversight And one to be remedied
without another hours delay.
Trimming with amused federation of
ans own perverse sophlstry, he turned
over on his side and struck out I'm the
wake OF the motor boat. When at
tehgth he waded ashore he found the
",olor boat moored I'm shallow water
Sl me end Of long and substantial
uock' lie patted the fanks OF the yes
sci as he waded on.
Dood little boat" said he.
walking rapidly, very soon he stood
quo The head of a rude flight of wooden
e'eps which ran down from the top Of
"aYe-eaten sand bluff, some ten or
we've feet in height to the broad and
seh'y shelving ocean beach. Midway
o'l"een the sand blum and the break
"s waters stood the woman Whitaker
-a0 followed. (There wasn't any use
I'ncihg terms-he had followed her
's confounded, fatuOus curiosity y
'' lace was 70 the sea, her hands
pea behind her. Now the wind
''ueled her cloak sweetly 10 her body.
tl''NA ANn Nhifle WWNNt NIsfI0N-
s iess straight and slender and gra-
modelled. She was dressed, it
''ened for bathing.
whitaker turn TO 20. and turning LET
sa4e sweep up from the beach and
e.Dns the brow Of the bluff. He paused.
owning. Some twenty feet OF so dis
'o. the legs OF a man. trousered and
''ted' prOtruded from hollow be-
'een two hummocks OF sand. And
' 'oes Of the boots were digging into
" ,'nd' indicating thnt the man was
W. prone; and that meant ar he
'' neither dead nor sleeping) that
watching the woman on the
HHtion. righteous Indignation.
Whitaker's BOSOM n was ali
for him 20 catch sight OF
through hcr cottage win