Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1916-03-10
CHAPTER XII.
a Kiss.


~RANFORD and the girl sat on
q the ledge at Tibbet's point.
"a Cast glance at this old
comber galloping in" Diana
said "Some water there. Shall we
move? Wen get ducking when she
hits.
Lets stay. O-a-a-a-ah. what big
one She huddled her shoulders and
twisted one foot about the other They
waited. laughing like two children.
Nearer and nearer the mighty roll of
water came; 40 sign Of a crest; higher,
greener. II held them like some spell
of enchantment Then it smashed
against the ledge with deafening noise.
The impact sent shudder through
the ledge. as If some GIANTS mailed fist
had buGeted it, Somehow. as the spray
end foam flew up at them greedily,
their hands met and their shoulders
touched
The movement was neither tempera.
mental nor sentimental; it was instine
tive: one quite naturally shrinks from
an approaching blow. But the result
ant eject Upon Crawford was like wine
madness. rather, for he brushed her
check with his lips
'torgiye me, but l did not mean to
do that he cried penitently, when ii
would have been much better to say
nothing.
I'VE are very foolish-or rather, l
am," she replied eoolly. 1T is my fault
that we are both drenched.'
She wiped the water from her face
and inspected her dripping shoes. I'VE
should be sent TO bed without supper"
Fear left him. She hadn't noticed; or,
better STILL she chose to ignore the
temporary insanity.
Now, during this bit of comedy an
automobile had drawn up on the far
side of the lighthouse. The two on the
ledge had heard nothing, since they
could hear only such sounds as the
wind carried to them.
A man stood by the side of the car.
He watched the two thoughtfully, saw
the comber rise and break, saw the in
cIination of the two toward each other
and Cranford's harmless folly. There
Beautiful always; and now with the
sun on her hair and the wind on heI
cheeks-an oath burned his lips. He
made as though to step forward, but
held the impulse in check. Had he moi
wfIfulIy forfeited his rights? What had
brought her here?
Crawford espied the car as 1t rolled
f1,fn ha
the shore.
"Some one from the hotel" he said
as he noted the license number. Shall
we return to the farmi You will catch
cold"
"Come. The walk win warm US both.
Are there many at the hotelY'
Except for two chaps from Phila-
delphia, I'm the lone fisherman. They
haven't had chance to get out yet"
1t was quarter to when they ar
rived at the farm.
Tomorrow" she said, and turned and
walked toward the farmhouse, stop
ping only when she reached the door.
She laid her hand upon her cheek.
How briskly he STROBE away! She
wondered if he was whistling. The
manner in which lie held his head sug-
gested it. He had kissed her. but it
had been only a boy and girl kiss
clumsy. awkward, diffident, honest
The thought OF it warmed her heart
a little. lie hadn't meant 10 do it.
May She never be forced to accept trib-
ute from any man less innocent than
that kiss lie did not love her; he only
imagined he Gid.
As Crawford mounted the hotel steps
a smile lay hidden in the crook of his
lips.
what were these chaps up tof The
short. why man with the stubbly black
mustaehc he had Instantly recognized
as one Of the 1--WE men he had seen In
the hotel bar just before leaving New
York
The handsome chap was without
doubt the same Warren had advised
him to watch. At the train gate he had
not been able to take al accurate i'm
preston of the young mans face. the
light being insufficient. but the scar
made his identity a certainty.
Mr.. Hanehett and Mr.. Dennison;