The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1916-11-09
AFTER THE
STORM
Copyright. Tho Frank "A. Munsey Company
BY BRUEcNMAN Macdonald

| - AS oo@o ana uilp WIN moisture,
anu the dense spruce growth takes on
orlshter and more cheerful green
1t Is time Of sentmentality, too. and
II woolng, when the spring fishing and
planting are over
There are long. mild evenings of
glorious, subdued light, with Just
enough freshness in the air to make
mere existence a lasting joy. The hills
become rounder and gentler in the soft
sem1-twll1ght. The waves ripple more
lull1ng over the broken sandstone on
The shore. Even the silence brings
with 1t thrill of gladness.
1t is no wonder that lovers sit on
the rocks and watch In placid con-
!entment the few vessels that swing
by, or discourse brokenly on the few
topics that stir them to words. They
seldom walk together, for the streets
we're not made for lovers strolling.
Sometimes, though not often, they
pass the evening drifting about the
harbor in their small boats. Usually,
however. the water does not draw
them. They know the terrors of the
sea too we'll to love it overmuch when
It puts on Its air of alluring calm and
gentle playfulness.
The boulders that skirt the eastern
side of the harbor attract few lovers
but the remains of the wreck Of the
dshing schooner Sally Prince is the
tavorite trysting place. During one
memorable gale of long ago she was
lifted bodily by d flooding sea and car
rled high on the shore, there to be
wedged firmly in the cleft of a ledge.
The hull is there yet, the stern hang
Ing out over the beach. Spars have
long since been stripped off, and the
oulkwards in many places are broken
down, but firm. level deck remains.
No tide, however high, has reached
within many feet OF the wreck since
that gigantic wave tossed it to dry
land.
One pair Of lovers was now on the
deck. Danny had not spoken for an
hour, but his heart beat little faster
each time he glanced up at Rachel's
serene face, and saw her knitting bust
ly, with no thought as to whether 1T
was light or dark. for her fingers auto
matically followed the pattern she was
shaping
Her face was as round as the moon,
and as calm. 1t was a smooth face,
with deep red cheeks tanned by much
life In the open air; few freckles
showed across the bridge of the nose.
She had bright, shrewd, kindly blue
eyes, and heavy. wayy, Maynard brown
hair, strand of which the wind now
Ind then caught up and brushed across
her eyes,, as though to distract her
from her work. Her wide, full-lipped
mouth had for the last half hour cur
we'd involuntarily into a smile that
showed her white, firm teeth.
She was an ideal woman for shore
dweller's wife, for she could knit and
churn, farm and cure fish, and pull an
oar with almost any man in the place.
Tonight she was dressed in all her
finery. but Danny had not noticed it,
ways pleasing.
Danny was heavy and slow, except
when he was on the water: on shore
he appeared careless, even lazy, but he
was capable of tremendous energy and
application when driven. Good nature
never deserted him, nor apparently did
courage.
This evening Danny had told Rachel
that he intended to go to the States, OF
to Boston, which is the most impor-
tant part of the States. He did not
tell her he had cleared over two hun
dred dollars on the springs fishing,
and that he had money left from the
previous falls work. He was keeping
that secret until he should arrive at
the great fact-the fact that he want
ed to marry her.
She was evidently impatient for him
to continue. He did not, and with a
little sigh of disappointment she went
on with her work. AS the work pro-
ceeded the smiling developed. Danny
was lying luxuriously on the deck,
looking dreamily over the water, when
he was violently aroused by kick in
the side.
"Wh-what are you dom, Rachel?"
he demanded, as soon as he caught his
breath.
A voice, and it was not RacheIs an
swered: Get out of here, Danny Far
quar-: I'm minded myself to sit with
Rachel. Get out, or I'll throw you
overboard,"
Danny jumped to his feet. A rival.
not unlocked for, had come. 1t is a
matter of fact that If man loves a
woman he should fight for her, and fire.
quently the desirability Of woman
who would be flsherman's wife is es-
timated by the number of battles that
have taken place in her name.
Its you, Neil Lowther?" asked Dan
ny as he slowly pleeled off his coat.
AYE, it's So" answered Neil, clout-
ing Danny with open hand on the side
of the head.
Rachel at first had remained silent
with surprise Now she begged them
to cease hostilities, and vowed she
would have neither OF them. They stol-
idly ignored her as though she had no
part in the proceedings. The two men
came together, spared clumsily mo-
ment. and then clinched. wrestled. and
finally went down with crash on the