The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1916-12-05
THINGS IN A BASKET
BY CHARLOTTE FREEMAN.

crumbs OIL her bathing suit before She
answered. Exclusive! This beach /.
about as private as u balloon ascen
sion on the Fourth Of July. Jude tolt
you to hunt me, Of course!"'
"Well, +"
"She did. and you know 1t. Now
please help me pack things into the
basket. Then you car trot it back to
the cottage and tell my sister that ]
am going out In the boat-alone |"
"But you can't"
"And that I won't be home until
late and that she needn't worry. I'm
neither with Mr.. HARRISON, Lieutenant
Frick o Jack Mabie, and she and the
other girls can rest easy. And tell her,
too, please, to find some pleasant EN-
ployment for you, as you are tired of
your commission of keeping me occu-
pied and out Of the way during the
house party"
He picked up the basket, but did
not move. "See here, Gladys! l don't
want you to think I'm always hanging
around ut Judith's orders. I hang
around because l want to. You know
l love you. Only you won't listen.
Where are you going"
"Out in the launch. Maybe over to
the Point"
Bob looked at the sky. TITS going
to rain and the lake will be rough.
l wouldn't go if l were you, Gladys !"
"Tm going rain or shine. So good.
by"
Better let me 60 along"
mo, l won't. Now run along and
eat your sandwiches"
All at once Bob got furious. 1t
stung him to the quick to have her
treat him as a little boy. He held up
the basket and hurled it high v
head out into the water.
"Well, l hope you feel better,' said
Gladys sarcastically after the momen-
tary silence Of surprise, but Bob cut
her short.
"Yve done as you wanted long
enough. Now it's my turn and I'm not
going to do another thing I'm told.
Are you still going to the Point"
"Yes"
"Then I'm going too" They were
beside the boat now. "Get in," he said
She stood still. "Get in," he re-
and Gladys climbed over the
edge.
Bob jumped in and started the en-
CINE just as a Cash of lightning split
The sky, followed by a crash of thun-
der.
The little launch pushed her nose
through the water and Bob
headed her for a point of land five
niles away now fast becoming invisible
the mist.
II want you to know that bottle
:ost three dollars"
All right. I'll get you another!"
"And the linen-there were a very
lice lunch cloth and a napkin that be.
onged to a set mother got abroad.
You can't replace them!"
I'll buy her a whole new set when
he war is over" he answered, unre-
"fou can't make me sorry.
is your own fault you lost the bas-
.et."
She looked at him a long time with
n %inscrutable expression; then,
was something else In the bas-
et," she said, tentatively trailing her
and In the turbulent water.
"What?" inquired Bob, without in.
crest, keeping az anxious eye on the
louds.
Il can't tell you," she said. .
"All right" he answered. keep It
yourself. Say, Gladys, we can't
lake tho Point" The waves were
citing high now and crashing against
le light little boat with terrible force
nd'the wind was blowing a hurricane. !
"Then we'll 60 back" she shiy-
ed.
Its two miles. We can't" he =
louted above the roar Of the wind. d
I'll try to make the island"
He turned the boat toward a dark
itch In the water q quarter of a
lie or SO away, and the waves, CONS
6 for an instant broadside, nearly .
rned them over. o
Gladys grasped the sides of the
at and held on desperately. For the
st time she was really frightened. 8;
Suddenly there was q crash that 8
listed the boat. Water surged over 8
EN- and then-oblivlonl
woke up on a fiat, grassy
ace with trees all around. The u
Is shining now and Bob was bend. =,
over her. o.
Thank God" he said. II thought
U were gone sure. That was q close q
for us both. Don't move, Gladys. .,
st rest there until you are stronger. r.
. will have to stay here until some
Q sees Us and takes US home. The
at IL smashed to smithereens."
She smiled wanly and sat up In
to Of his protests.
Dear Bob" she said. holding out