The Topeka state journal., 1916-12-06
EVENING STORY
Off the Coast.
(By Susan E. Clagett. }


face of angry opposition she could not
have told. Probably it was due to the
opposition. But this last idea, fad,
1dlosyncraSy, whatever her friends
were minded to call it, passed anything
that had gone before.
Yet it was very simple thing she
proposed to do-merely to shun the
beaten path that led toward White
Sulphur Springs and go anywhere that
would take her away from the life her
people had led for generations and
expected her to live. White Sulphur
or Saratoga during the summer, Rich
mond and Washington during the win
ter months, with frequent trips to New
York.
When asked where she was going
she shook her head with a smile.
"I have no definite plan" she re-
Piled. But far back in the recesses
of her brain was a very positive idea
She was going somewhere by water
and alone. She longed for Portugal
or the fJords of Norway, but she sailed
on a steamer for the fjords of New
foundland, the Norway of America.
| The walk to Signal or Cabots Tow
er, is not one to take alone. It is
| long. 1t is steep. The road follows
the shore until it begins to ascend and
is lonely. When steamers come there
IS always a sprinkling of people, most
ly driving toward the tower, where
r.
Dor and ocean This and much more
was told in the booklet Lav:nia had
learned by heart. But there was one
grave omission. Indeed, two. The
first was wind, the other, mist. What
was log In the city was a fine rain
higher up, and the wind was a gale.
She had felt wind before, but never
like this. 1t whipped her wet skirts
about her until she thought she would
| never move again. She tried to loosen
them as she stumbled along the rocky
path, her breath coming and going in
gasps- Ahead was the tower, gray and
somber, built to defy the elements.
She saw little group of people stand
ing in an angle of the granite mass,
one figure apart from the others and
nearer to her. Then everything was
blank. She was conscious only of
blind terror as the wind caught and
whirled her about. For a space. etar-
nifty fronted her, then the awfulness
of the wind subsidized and she found
herself clinging desperately to the
gray sleeve of an ulster.
What made you attempt that
alone?' the man said roughly, giving
| her little shake as he let her go. But
Lavinia had no mind to be let 20 and
clung to the arm that was half with
! drawn.
Don't dare to faint" the voice went
on sharply. Didn't you know Signal
Hill was no place for a woman unless
| she had a man with her?"
Il don't know. The book said walk,
so L walked
Why didn't you bring some one
with you?''
Il am alone
Surely you made friends coming
! up on the steamer"
mo. That was just what I didn't
wish to do. All my life 1 have wanted
| to get away from everybody
We'll, you missed it by the fraction
of second. Another such guest and
you would have got away from ev-
erybody 1 caught you just in time -
He left her in the angle of the wall
| and stepped forward, a tall, broad
shouldered, athletic-looking man with
keen blue eyes and a determined
mouth.
Come" he said, extending his
hand. You must see the view before
We co.
She hesitated.
Come This time the word was i'm
patient. "If we are to make Quidi
Vidi we must be off"
But 1 am not going to Quidi vidi.'
Yes. you are The village is r-'y
objective point
1T is not mine
See here" For the first time she
saw his face and it was filled with an
ger. DO you think L am going to give
up my trip because you are obstinaIe-
ly determined to go back the way you
came?"
What has my determination to dc
with it?'
Can you cross that strip alone %
He nodded toward the narrow path
where the wind had full sweep altho
she could not feel it where she sat. 81
should think one experience would be
sufficient. You and 1 are alone The
others who were here left some time
ago. 1 am going on. You are coming
with me. Hurry. The climb down
the rocks will soon be dangerous"
She arose with such evident reluc-
tance that he threw back his head
and laughed.
1t was a long and rough scramble
to the little fishing village, one of the
most picturesque on the Newfound-
land coast. 1t was a glimpse of ma