The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-05-04
cHAPTER XIV.
Gall Breaks a Promise.


Gall Breaks a Promise.
The Whitecap would have been an
Ter way except for the delay OF the
gay little Mrs. Babbitt and her admir-
ing husband, who sent word that they
couid not arrive until after dinner. 90
the yacht. long and low and slender
and g~listening white, lay In the middle
~ the Hudson river, while her guests
bundled warmly against the crisI
breeze. gathered In the forward sheiter
seek and watched the beginnings OF
the early sunset
Il like Doctor Boyd in his yachting
cap" commented Lucille, as tAat
young man Joined them, with a happy
mother on his arm.
TT takes away that deadly clerical
sfect." laughed Arly. Ellis long coat
makes him look like the captain, and
hes ever so much more handsome"
Il don't mind being the topic of dis.
sussion so long as I'm present" com
nented Rev. Smith Boyd, glancing
around the group as IL In search of
someone.
IL rather restricts the YER
kion." Mrs. Helen Davies observed.
The cherub-cheeked Marion Ken
Posh glanced w;stfuiiy over at The .a!!
where Dick ROdley. wing with the
sunset In splendor. stood chatting with
easy Ted Teasdale and the stiff Ger
aid Fosland.
where's GaiI2" demanded the
cherub-cheeked one.
It's time that young lady was up
N deck" decided Arly, and rose.
She's probably taking advantage OF
n opportunity 20 dress for dinner"
snrmised Mrs. Davies. I'm fact. |
think It's a good idea for all of u.s."
put d sunset was too potent to leave
Tor q few moments. and she sat still.
Where indeed was Gail? In her
beautiful little curly maple bed, and
uigging two small fists into the maple
brown coverlet. The pallor of the
morning had n0t Jet left her face, and
there were circles around the brown
eyes which gave them a wan pathos:
mere was a creas of pain and worry,
TOO. In the white brow.
Gail had come to the greatest crisis
In her life. So far she had told no
ONE OF what had occurred that morn.
ing. When she had rushed into the
rector's study he had sprung up. and
peeing the fright I'm her face and that
she was tottering and ready to fall, he
bad caught her In his strong arms, and
she had chung trustfully to him, half
faint. until wild sobs had come to her
relief. Even In her incoherence, how.
Ever, even In her wild disorder of emo.
ton, she realized that there was dan.
eer. not only to her but to everyone
she loved. In the man from whom she
had run away; and she could not tell
the young rector any more than that
she had been frightened. 1t was strange
bow instinctiyely she had headed for
Rev. Smith Boyd's study; strange
then, but not now. In that moment of
lying straight to the protection of his
arms, she knew something about her
peif, and about Rev. Smith Boyd. too.
She knew why she had refused those
others who he'd wooed her; Willis
cunningham and Houston Van Piocn
pnd Dick Rodley; poor Dickl .ns Al
tisoH and all the others. She frankly
Ind complacently admitted to herself
fhat she loved Rev. Smith Boyd. but
bhe put that additional worry into the
Background. U could be fought out
aater. She would have been very hap
NJ about II x shs had had time. al.
khough she could see no end to that
Mutation but unhappiness.
Where could she turn for advice. or
whom could she get to share In the
Gurden which she felt must surely
erush her. There was NO one. 1t
was burden she must bear
hione. unless she could devise
eome plan Of effective action, and the
kshse Of how far she had been respon
pibis for this condition of affairs was
pae which oppressed her, and humbled
e.er, and deepened the circles about
her woe-smitten eyes.
Gail took her ists from their pres.
pure into the brown coverlet, and held
her temples between the finger tips
~ either hand: and the brown hair.
epringfng Into hayward ringlets from
khe salt breeze which blew In az. the
half-0pened wipdow. rippled down over
hcr slender hands. rs II to soothe and
homfort them. She had been wasting
Der time In introspection aad self.