The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-06-17
Continued from page o.
THE GIRL ON THE ISLAND.

have protested against your going on
the lake alone? / knew it wasn't safe
and that something would happen to
you some day.
well, nothing very serious has hap
pened so far, auntie DEAR" said the
girl merrily.
Perhaps not; but it might have
been much worse
miss MerriOn," said Alan suddenly,
you are evidently convinced that it is
unsafe for your niece to go on the
lake alone, and I'm not sure that
don't agree with you.'
Dulcie couldn't altogether feel angry
with this jolly boy who had just res
cued her from such an awkward pre-
dicament, but her eyes flashed for a
moment as he appeared to support her
aunt's contention. She felt only a mo-
ment's resentment, however, for Alan
continued in the next breath:
1T will give me the greatest pleas
ure if you will both come out with me
tomorrow in my launch. Do come!
Miss Carruthers will tell you, think,
that she is a very comfortable little
boat, and either | could take you all
around the lake or we could do some
fishing, if you cared to-"
Miss Merton looked across at her
niece, and the eager look on her face
made her decide to accept this gener-
Gus offer, though she had at first hest
tated to do so from one who was prac-
tically an entire stranger.
Its very good of YOU" she began,
"but really hardly like trespassing on
your generosity
my dear lady," said Alan gently, u
hope you won't speak of it in that way.
My own people don't care for boating
and hardly ever sail on the lake, even
when they're home, and assure you it
will be a real charity if you and Miss
Carruthers will consent to go with
me-"
Its very kind of you to put it in
that way" Miss Merton answered
with smile, but can assure you the
charity will be to us, to Dulcie because
she simply loves to be on the water,
and to me because l shall know that
she is enjoying herself to her hearts
content without running such risks as
she ran today, for instance"
They all laughed merrily at the
recollection of Dulcie's dilemma, and
then Alan took his departure after ar
ranging to call for the two ladies after
~, @bo follnninu dow
isn't he nice boy, auntie?" said
Dulcie when Alan had gone.
Quite nice, dear, should think, .
said her aunt; indeed, it's fortunate
that he should prove to be such gen.
tlemanly lad, but you mustn't converse
too freely with strangers.
"Auntie!" cried the girl, almost in
dignantly.
Eyes, know, DEAR" said Miss Mer-
rion quietly; don't be angry with me
for giving you a word of warning.
You're good little girl, know, but
there are men who are quite ready to
take advantage of just that very good
ness and simplicity which the right
sort of man only respects and adj
mires.'
"And that's the only sort of man
ever want to know
Exactly, my dear, but they're not
always easy to tell. However, this
young fellow seems a thorough gentle
man, and it was certainly fortunate
that he turned up in time to rescue you
from an awkward and possibly danger
GUS predicament. OF course, though,
we do not yet know what his social
position may be; perhaps he belongs
to the Northumberland Hendersons, or
to the Scottish branch of the same
family. | must ask him about it tomor-
row; possibly he is one of the Parlby
Hendersons of Hampshire"
Soon after two on the following af-
ternon, the two ladies left Westbourne
Terrace with Alan Henderson and
walked briskly down to Bowness.
They were not long in getting on board
the "Invicta," whereupon Alan headed
for Ambleside, where they landed and
enjoyed quiet stroll to the little town
and back. They returned along the
western shore of the lake and ran up
some way beyond the ferry before
again turning towards Bowness.
This little excursion was but the pre-
lude to many others, for Miss Merrion
found Alan's manners SO charming and
so far beyond reproach that she quite
forgot to catechize him as to his social
status, or as to which branch of the
Henderson family he might belong.
True, Dulcie asked him once when
they were alone for a minute or two,
Miss Merton having entered shop in
Bowness to make some small pur.
chase, what he was going to do now
he had left Cambridge, but his reply
had startled her so thoroughly that she
left the subject severely alone after
that
We'll, | don't quite know yet, Miss
Carruthers." he had said carelessly, as
if it were a matter of supreme indiffer.
enee to him whether he did anything
or nothing, "but fancy that after I've
Stacked about for month or two my
father will want me to 60 into the
shop"
Dulcie was Mortified, for she knew
that her father and mother, who were
almost if not quite. as particular as her