Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-11-02

ever selfish, could have Kept Whitacre
any longer il his chair.
1.-THE most amiabIe person I know 7"
he cried. elated. Greetings"
She paused by the steps, looking up,
a fascinating vision.
you're able to stand without assist
ance?"
las q matter OF fact, I can move
only at the cost of excrucfating agony"
She considered him with a sober face
and smiling eyes = don't believe you
You're a fraud. Besides. 7 didn't
come to see you at all; came to find
out why Mr.. Ember dares so TO neg
Iect me. Did you deliver my invita-
tion?"
81 did, unwillingly He was desc
lated, but he couldn't accept-had to
run back to town Immediately after
dinner"
''He's as great a fraud as you are,
But since he isn't here, shall 60"
''PIease-Im famished for human So
ciety. Have pity, Sit down. Tell ne
where you've been with the boat"
Merely to the head of the pay to
have the gasoline tanks filed. A most
boresome errand. If 1 promise TO come
over this evening and play you rub
Der or two-will you permit me to go
home now?"
"On such terms I'll do anything you
can possibly suggest" he declared. en-
chanted. "But . how viii you
/ get here? Not alone. through the
woods l can't permit that"
''EIs1e shall row me down the shore
and then go back to keep cook com
pany. Sum Fat can see me home-1t
you fnd 1t still necessary to keep up
| the invalid pose"
I'm afraid. ne laughed, y shall can
my own bluff. .. Must you really
go so sOOn?'
-'Good afternoon" she returned de-
murely; and ran down the steps and
off TO heI boat.
Smiling quietly to himself, Whitaker
watched neT cast the BOAT of get un~
| der way. ana swing it out OF sight BE-
g5ao the trees Then MS smile wavere3
and faded and gave place to a look Of
| acute discomfort Three mortal hours
to fritter away in profitless anticipa-
ton
At seven Whitaker was merely nerv-
Gus.
By eight he was unable to sit still.
Half an hour later the house was too
| small to contain him. He found him
self at the end of the dock, tingling
with Impotence, but finding some little
! consolation in the restless sweep of
the wind against his face and body. He
could see Iitte-a mere suggestion Of
the shore line picked out with the dim,
| semiphOsphorescent glow of breaking
waveIets. Some minutes elapsed. The
pallOr of the east grew more marked,
Whitaker fancied he could detect a
| figure moving on the Fiske dock.
Then, startled, he grew conscious of
the thick drone Of a heavily-poWereG
motor boat near inshore. Turning
quickly, he discovered a black, vague
shape not twenty yards from where he
stood, showing neither bow nor side
lights: stealthy and mysterious ap-
partition creeping toward the dock with
something of the effect of an animal
about to spring.
And Immediately he heard q mans
voice from the boat, abrupt with anger
"Not this place, you ass-the next
"Shut up, another voice replied
There's somebody on that dock"
At the same time the bows Of the
| boat swung off and the shadow slipped
away to ACKNOWLEDGMENT the Fiske
place.
a wondering apprehension of some
nameless and desperate enterprise
somehow involving the woman who
obsessed his thoughts, crawled in Whit.
Rlers mind. Automatically he turned
/ back, let himself down to the beach,