Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-01-20
CHAPTER X.
The Spy.

Already the sun was warm, the faint
breeze bland. Standing at the window
and shading his eyes against the glare,
Whitaker surveyed q world new
washed and radiant; the landlocked
bay dimpled with vagrant catspaws
Ghd smitten with sunlight as with a
scimitar of fire; the earth fresh and
fragrant steaming family in the ar
dent glow of the dawn.
In another moment he was at the
kitchen door, interrupting Sum Fats
first matutinal attentions to his teeth
with a demand for a bathing suit.
Three minutes later, from the end of
the small dock, he dived neatly, COM
ing to the surface with his flesh tin
Cling with delight of the cool water /;
then, with the deliberate and powerful
movements of an experienced swim
mer, struck away from the land. Two
hundred yards out he paused, rolled
over on his back, and, hands clasped
beneath his head, floated serenely, sun
light warming his upturned face, his
body rejoicing in the suave, clean, fluid
embrace.
Then something disturbed him-a
dull tluttertng, vibrant upon his sub
merged eardrums. Extending his arms
ana moving his hands gently to pre-
serve his p0iSe, he lifted his head from
the water. From the landing stage on
the Fis6e place a motor boat was
standing out. The churning of its pro-
peiler had aroused him. lie could see
OUT single person for all it's crew.
seated astern, dividing her attention
between the side steering wheel and
the engine, she was altogether ignorant
OF the onlooker. Only her head and
shoulders showed above the coaming-
her head with it's shining crown, her
shoulders cloaked with a light wrap
gathered at the throat.
Whitaker admlring, wondered
Sweeping in a wide arc as it gath
cred speed, the boat presently shot out
smartly on a straight course for the
barrier beach.
why! What business had she there?
And at an hour so early?
NO affair of his-Whitaker admitted
as much freely. And yet he was be-
ginning his fourth day on the Great
West bay without having set foot upon
us Great South beach! Ridiculous
oversight! And one to be remedied
without another hours delay.
Grinning with amused liberation of
MS own perverse sophistry, he turned
over on his side and struck out in the
wake of the motor boat. When at
length he waded ashore he found the
motor boat moored in shallow water
at the end Of a long and substantial
JOCK. He patted the TANKS of the yes
sci as he waded on.
food little boat !" said he.
Walking rapidly, very soon he stood
al the head of a rude flight of wooden
steps which ran down from the top Of
4 |aye-eaten sand bluff, some ten or
Twelve feet in height, to the broad and
gently shelving ocean beach. Midway
'oet"een the sand bluff and the break
ing waters stood the woman Whitaker
nad followed. (There wasn't any use
Hlnclng terms-he had followed her
70 MS COMPOUNDED, fatuous curiosityD
tler race was to the sea, her hands
ei'sped behind her. Now the wind
modelled her cloak sweetly to her body.
now whipped its skirts away. dlsclos-
ing legs straight and slender and gra-
ciousIy modelled. She was dressed. il
seemed. for bathing.
Whitaker turn to 60, and turning let
nls gaze sweep up from the beach and
aiong the brow Of the bluff. He paused.
IFo"ning. Some twenty feet or so dis
,@ht the legs Of man. trousered and
booted protruded from a hollow be-
tween two hummccks Of sand. And
the toes Of the boots were digging into
me sand, indicating that the man was
lying prone; and that meant Qf he
were neither dead nor sleeping) that
&c was watching the woman on the
beach.
Indignation, righteous indignation.
warmed Whitaker's bosom. 1t was all
very well for him to catch sight of
- woman through her cottage win