Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-08-29

TO attain the WOODS yOnOer, ana Dullu
fire to dry our clothes; the air chills."
I looked where he pointed. up mar
row rift in the rocks, yet scarcely felt
strength or courage to attempt the
ascent He must have read this in
nv face, and seen my form shiver as
the wind struck my wet garments. for
he made instant decision.
"Ah, have a better thought than
that, for you are too weak to attempt
the climb. Here. lie down, madame,
and l will cover you with the sand.
1t is warm and dry. Then l will
Chamber up yonder and fling wood
down; twill be but a short time until
we have a. cheerful blaze here"
From where l lay my head on a
nummOck of sand, my body COM
pletely buried, could watch him scale
the rocks, making use of the rift in
the face of the cliff, and finding no
great difficulty. At the top he looked
back, waved his hand, and then dis
appeared among the trees. All was
silent about me, except for the dash
of distant waves, and the rustic of
branches far overhead. 1 gazed up
at the sky, where the clouds were
thinning, giving glimpses Of faintest
blue, and began to collect my own
thoughts, and realize my situation.
D'Artigny appeared at the edge of
the cliff, and called to reassure me of
his presence. He had his arms filled
with broken bits of wood which were
tossed to the sand, and a moment
later he descended the rift in the wall
and paused beside me.
"No sign of anyone up there" he
said, and, 1 felt, not regretfully. "The
canoes must have been blown some
distance down the coast"
Were you able to see far
"Ay, several leagues, for we are
upon a headland. and there is a wide
sweep of bay below. The shore line
Is abrupt and the waves still high.
Indeed 1 saw no spot in all that dis
lance where a boat might make safe
landing. Are you becoming dry?"
Il am at least warm, and already
feel much stronger. Would it not be
and wait our rescuers there, where we
can keep loOkout?'
IF you feel able to climb the rocks,
although the passage is not difficult
A boat might pass US by here and
never be seen or know of our pres
ence, unless we keep up a fire."
held out my hand to him and he
helped me to my feet. The warmth
of the sand while it had not entirely
dried my clothing had given me fresh
vigOr, and 1 stood erect, requiring no
assistance. With this knowledge a
new assurance seemed to take posses
sion of me, and l looked about and
smiled.
81 am glad to know you can laugh"
he said eagerly. 81 have felt that our
being thus shipwrecked together was
not altogether to your liking"
"And why?" l asked, pretending
surprise. Being shipwrecked, of
course, could. scarcely appeal to me,
but 1 am surely not ungrateful to
you for saving my life"
"As to that, did no more than any
man might be expected to do" he pro-
tested. But you have avoided me
for weeks past, and it can scarcely
be pleasant now to be alone with me
here"
avoided you!- Rather should l af-
firm it was your own choice, monsieur.
If 1 recall Alright l gave you my con-
fidence once, long ago on the Ottawa,
and you refused my request of assist
ance. Since then you have scarcely
been of our party"
All" he burst forth, " have been
Oftentimes nearer you than you
thought. I could not forget what you
said to me at that last meeting, or the
appeal YOU made for my assistance.
realize tie position you are in,
madame, married by force to man
you despise, a wife only in name, and
endeavOring to protect yourself by
wit alone. l could not forget all this,
nor be Indifferent. 1 have been in
your camp at night-ay. more than
once-dreaming l might be of some
aid to you, and to assure myself of
your safety"
You have guarded me?"
las best 1 could, without arousing
the wrath of Monsieur Cassion. You
are not angry? it was but the duty
of a friend"
mo, am not angry, monsieur, yet