Putnam patriot., 1916-08-11

Na l4NEAE tt-A7stAAtC stA 4tNs HAltl 0tt AtAN
 fourth morning he determined to leare at whatever eest in pain CT danger 10 the injury He gave orders. therefore, to have boat prepared and loSed himself to be carried to il. he foreman "a the bridge crew he del 4atel to guide the girls down across le Iaorane. where he promised to pick sem up. The men who had come with zm he sent on to the cataract where aa had been.
 Aren't you coming with usT' asked ajal;e, when they found him seated the s'sid with m oarsman.
 its rough going. I'd have to be car. ied, SD prefer this he told them.
 Then well go with you" Eliza Fomr,iy declared.
 Na,aGa paied and shook her dark cad. "ls ii safe:" she ventured.
 ..So. it isn't. Run along. now. I'll be oUn fhore waiting when you arrive If it's safe enough for you it's safe anough for us. said Eliza. Climbing nto the boat, she bumped herself down with look which seemed to lefy any power to remove her. Her blue eyes met O'Neils gray ones with an expression he had never seen in them until this moment.
 Nonsense, childr' he said Don't be silly"
 Don't you try to put me out. I'll hang on and-kick. Don't you say please either" she warned him.
 T must" he protested. Please don't insist"
 She scowled like an angry boy and seized the gunwales firmly. Her ex pression made him smile despite his annoyance, and this provoked her the more.
 I'm going" she asserted darkly.
 This outing had done wonders for both girls. The wind and the sunshine had tanned them, the coarse fare had lent them hearty vigor, and they made charming pictures in their trim short skirts and sweaters and leather banded hats.
 "Yery well. If you are going take off your bOots," commanded 0'Neil.
 What for?''
 I've may be swamped and have to swim for it You see the man has taken his off" Murray pointed to the rawboned Norwegian oarsman, who had stripped down as if for q footrace.
 Eliza obeyed
 "Now your sweater"
 Natalie had watched this scene with evident concern. She now seated her self upon a powder and began to tug at her rubber boots.
 "Here. Here! You're not going. too, g O'Neu exclaimed
 .tYes, I am. I'm frightened to death, but I won't be d coward" Her shak- ing hands and strained voice left no doubt of her seriousness.
 she can't swim" said Eliza, and 0'Neil put an end to this display of heroism with a firm refusal
 "Youll think I'm afraid" Natalie expostulated.
 Bless you. of course we will, be cause you are. So am l, and so Is Eliza, for that matter. If you can't swim you'd only be taking a foolish risk and adding to our danger. Be sides, Eliza doesn't know the feel of cold water as we do"
 Natalie smiled little tremulously at recollection of the shipwreek.
 -I'd much rather walk, of course, :" she said, and then to Eliza, ''It-it will be a lovely ramhle for us.r
 But Eliza shook her head This is material for my book. and TIT make enough out of it tO-to"-
 Buy another orchard Murray sug- gested
 Feeling more resigned. now that the adventure had taken on purely fnan- cial color, Natalie at length allowed herself to be dlssuaded, and Eliza set tied herself in her seat with the dis turbing consciousness that she had made herself appear selfish and rude in O'NeiIs eyes. Nevertheless she had no notion of changing her mind.
 When the other girl had gone the oarsman completed his preparations by flashing fast the contents of the skin. a proceeding which Eliza watch ed with some uneasiness. 0'Neil show ed his resentment by a pointed silence. which nettled her, and she resolved to hold her seat though the boat turned somersaults-
 Word was finally given, and they swung out into the food O'Neil stood as best be could on his firm leg and steered by means of a sculling oar. vhjse the Norwegian rowed lustily.