The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-08-29
THE SECRET OF THE REEF

on a lonely island far up to the
north"
Fishing? That doesn't sound
very exciting
That's what they seemed to
be doing, but I've had my suspi-
cions about Ii since. If they
caught anything 1t would be a
long way from a market, and two
of them hadn't the look of regu-
lar fishermen. One rather anus
ing fellow was very much of the
kind you'd meet at a sporting
club, and the other had the stamp
of navy or first-class mailboat
man. He was English"
Ruth looked up quickly. Jimmy
had often been In her thoughts
since she had last seen him.
What was the man like?" she
asked.
which of them?"
THE last one-the navy man."
She found 1t slightly embarrass-
ing to answer the question.
Aynsley gave her a keen glance.
$50 far as / can recollect, he
had light hair, and his eyes were
q darker blue than you often see;
about my age, l think, and un-
mistakably a sailor, but he had a
smart look and the stamp OF COM
mand. Do you know anybody
like that?"
Ruth did not answer with her
usual frankness: although she
did not doubt that this was the
second mate with whom she had
spent many evenings on the big
liners saloon deck.
"Oh, of course, we met several
steamboat officers, and they're
much of a type" she answered,
in an Indifferent tone.
Aynsley saw that she was on
her guard.
Anyway" he said, "they were
pleasant fellows, and seemed to
be having a hard time. Between
the ice and gales and fog, it's by
no means a charming neighbor-
hood"
Wasn't 1t on one of those is
lands that my father was wreck
ed, and lost the gold he was
bringing DOWN."
Somewhere about there. Is
lands are plentiful in the North
Aynsley paused and laughed.
"Still, as my respected parent had
some interest in the same gold, l
shouldn't imagine they lost much.
Losing things is not a habit of
his. I believe he had a share in
the vessel. too"
but she went down."
"That wouldn't matter. The un-
derwriters would pay up"
your father and mine have
had dealings for a long time,
haven't they?"
"They had stood by each other
for a good many years. 1t looks
as il you and l were destined to
be good friends; but I sometimes
think you don't understand just
what your friendship Is to me-. I"
Ruth firmly turned the CONVEX
sation into another channel.
Eyes, l know" Aynsley said,
despondently. "I'm not to talk
like that. When 1 play the good
natured idiot people applaud, but
they put me down smartly when
speak the truth"
"You are never in the least
idiotic," Ruth smiled. But IL you
are to cross the hills before dark,
it's time we gave you something
to eat"
He turned to her, half resigned
and half indignant.
ooh, well! II the auto jumps a
bushman's bridge or goes down
into a gulch, you'll be sorry you
snubbed me-"
I'VE won't anticipate anything
so direful," Ruth responded;
then, with a sudden change of
tone, she added: Take that post
tin your fathers mill, Aynsley; l
think you ought"
| He studied her a moment, and
/ then made a sign of assent.
"AH right! I'll do It," he said.
An hour later she watched him
start the car, and then sat down
among the frs to think.
Aynsley was very likeable. Be-
yond that she did not go. Her
thoughts turned to Farquhar, and
she wondered why she resented
his dropping out of sight. She
knew little about him, but she
could not forget their evenings