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


ing his eyes as he attempted to read
the riddle of the enigmatic, amber-tint.
ed distances.
There was not sail visible in all
the blue cup of the sea.
II don't know" said Whitaker slow.
ly, as much to himself as to his com.
panion. tits odd it passes
me
Cant you tell where we are?" she
inquired anxiously.
"NOt definitely. [ know, of course,
we must be somewhere off the south
coast of New England. There are
islands off the south coast of Massa.
chusetts-a number of them: Nan,
tucket, you know, and Martha's Vine
yard. This might be either-Only ii
isn't because they're summer resorts,
That"-he swept his hand toward the
land In the northeast-"might be
either, and probably is one of 'em. At
the same time, 1t may be the mainland.
don't know"
"Then then what are we to
dor
He looked round, shaking a dubious
head. "Of course there's nothing like
fiagpOle here. We might nail a
plank to the corner of the roof and a
table cloth to that, I suppose"
"And build fires, by night?"
He nodded. BEST suggestion yet. I'll
do that very thing tonight-after I've
had bite to eat''
She started impatientIy away. "Oh,
come, come! What am | thinking of,
to let you stand there, starving by
inchesT
They entered the house by the back
door, finding themselves in the kitchen
that mean and commonplace assem-
bly, room of narrow and pinched lives.
The immaculate cleanliness of decent,
close poverty lay over it all like a
blight. Whitaker busted himself i'm
mediately with the stove There was
full woOdbox near by; and within a
very few minutes he had brisk fire
going. The woman had disappeared in
the direction of the barn. She returned
In good time with half a dozen eggs.
FOraging in the pantry and cupboards,
she brought to light a quantity of sup
plies; side of bacon, flour, potatoes,
sugar, tea, small stores of edibles in
tins.
I'm hungry again, myself" she de-
clared, attacking the problem of simple
cookery with a will and a confident air
that promised much.
The aroma of frying bacon, the steam
Of brewing tea, We're all bit intolerabIc
TO an empty stomach. Whitaker left
the kitchen hurriedly and, in an en-
deRvOr TO control himself, made q
round of the other rooms. There were
two others on the ground floor; in the
upper story, four small bedchambers;
above them an attic, gloomy and echo
ing. Nowhere did he discover any,
thing to moderate the impression made
by the kitchen. 1t was all impeccably
neat, desperately pare.
Depressed, he turned toward the
head of the stairs. Below a door
whined on Its hinges, and the woman
called him, her voice ringing through
the hallway with an effect of richness.
deep-toned and bell-true He was stag
gered by something in the quality of
that full-throated cry, something that
Smote his memory until it was quick
and vibrant, like a harp swept by an
I'D familiar hand.
"Hugh?" she called; and again:
Hugh Where are your"
He paused, grasping the balustrade,
and with some difficulty managed to
l"ticuIate:
'Bere coming
Hurry. Everythings ready"
Waiting an instant to steady his
nerves, he descended and re-entered
the kitchen.
The meal was waiting-on the table.
The woman, too, faced him as he en-
tered, waiting in the chair nearest the
stove. But, once within the room,
he paused so long beside the door,
his hand upon the knob, and stared
SO strangely at her, that she moved
uneasify, grew restless and disturbed.
A CLEAN of apprehension fiickered In
her eyes
why, what's the matter?" she
asked with forced lightness. why
don't you come in and sit DOWN.
He said abruptly: you called me
Hugh!'
She inclined her lead, smiling mis-
chieyously. II admit it. Do you
mindf"
Mind? MOI" He shut the door,
advanced and dropped into his chair
still searching her face with his
troubled gaze. "Only," he said-'you
startled me. I didn't think-expect-
hope"
"On so short an acquaintance? she
suggested archly. perhaps your
right. l didn't think And YET
Il do think-with the mar who riskec
his life for me-Tm a little justified
Ia forgetting even that we've never
met through the medium of a conVen
rtonal introduction"
1T isn't that, but :" He hesi
tated. trying to formulate phrases t.
explain the singular sensation tina
had assailed him when she called him
q sense ton the precise nature o
which he himself did not as yet un