The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1916-09-14

ucSt ne cQu4u.
Then he pushed open the door
and stepped calmly into the cock,
pit, with the gravest Of bows to the
startled young woman by the tiller.
| And startled she undoubtedly was
so startled, indeed, that sheet and
tiller alike slipped from her grasp
and the knockabout, left to its own
devices, came suddenly into the wind
with great tapping of sail and
rattling Of sheets.
"0hp said the girl in amazement.
Again MeVicker bowed.
"Youn pardon my intrusion,
won't you ?" said he. 'sI'm mighty
sorry | frightened you; but, you see,
there was really no other way Of
making my presence known, and it
would have been q shame to miss
this chance Of a sail with YOU"
"Where did you come from, and
what on earth are you doing here?"
she asked. To cover her evident
embarrassment she began trimming
in the sheet and putting the neglect
ed boat on her course again.
81 came from the euddy," said
McVicker grayely, sand, as TO what
am doing, well, ! am waiting at
present for an invitation to finish
your sail with you"
'sHow do you happen to be aboard
this knOekabout, anyway she per
sisted.
swell, ! believe / own her. At
any rate, there are papers purport-
ing to be a bill Of sale of her in my
desk at home.n
SYour boatS ?" she cried in amaze
ment. 'sYou say this is your boat ?"
He nodded, smiling.
"Then somebody has made a mis-
take. Mr.. Gray told me to take
this boat, the one at the third buoy
from the pier
'fUnder ordinary circumstances
the boat at the third buoy would
have been Gray's," said McVicker.
"But Hanson just went out awhile
ago, and I'm afraid you've not taken
the empty mooring buoy, which he
left, into your reckoning
sand I've come aboard your boat
and taken you out, then" she said,
with an odd expression curling her
lips. 'sWhy didn't you tell me when
| first came aboard ?"
TO tell the truth, / was asleep
in the cuddy," said he. Il made my
presence known as soon as / was
awakened BY the Stating Of the
sail.
@WelI," she said, with decision, |
'I'll take you back, with profuse
apologies. I'll leave the boat al the
moorings Just as ! found her, and |
then you can finish your interrupted
nap" she ended, with a mocking |
Iaugh.
Look here, said Mcviiker; @you
have kidnapped me, TO say nothing
If laying yourself liable to charges
IF piracy in stealing my boat. /
nave a few demands to make in re-
urn"
~What are theyf' she asked, with
! light laugh.
'1n the first place ! demand that
Tou finish your sail in this boat"
aid he. "And in the second place.
lie paused.
"What is the second condition !"
he asked.
The second condition is that you
i've me an answer-an affirmative
the question ! asked
on after the dinner at the Grays'
ast Tuesday night"
The girl flushed. Her head was
urned away.
"And If / refuse TO comply with
he conditional" she suggested.
Il shall press both the charges Of
Tracy and kidnapping" said be Sc
erely.
"Of course / can't face any such
larges as those" she said demure-
/. Take the tiller, please, Billy.
bis breeze is getting fawy."
McVicker sprang to her side with
wonderful light in his eyes. A
nall brown volume slipped from
. pocket, caromed off the rail and
emit overheard with a splash, but
engrossed was be at that mo-
ent that he failed to notice his
IS, nor did he realize that his
ioicest tome was bobbing up and
wn in the knockabout's wake.