American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-19


"And left you in an open boat?" be
answered angrily.
He knew / was with YOU"
What was irrelevant il this explana
ton Of the mate conduct escaped
him at the time. The full moon
hal emerged from behind the RIA ing
clouds. and it bfiehtcned her face,
fringel by the tangled hair and yellow
sou wester, to AN uuearthly beauty
that he had never seen before. He
wondered at it. ana for a moment a
grisly thought crossed his mind that
this was not life. but death. that he
had died in the fall. ana in some man
ner the girl had followed.
She was standing erect, her 1.-the
figure swaying to the boats motion,
and pointing to leeward, while the
mOonlit face was now sweetened by
the smile Of a happy child. He stood
up aud looked where she pointed, but
saw nothing and seated himself to
look at her.
See she exclaimed gleefully. They
have hauled out the spanker and are
sheeting home the royal. | will
be married. ! viii never be married.
de knew | was with you
Again he stood up and searched the
sea to leeward. There was nothing In
sight.
"Unhinged." he thought, by this
nights trouble. Freda. he said gen
tly. please sit down You may fan
overheard"
IL am not insane. She said, as
though reading his thought, and, smil-
ing radiantly in his face. she obeyed
him
"Do you know where we areT' he
asked tentatively. Are we in the
track of shils?"
$50. She answered. while her face
took on the dreamy look again; 1--WE
are out of all the tracks We will not
Ue picked ul. We are due west from
Oh. island ! saw it at shutdown
broad on the starboard bow. The
wind is due south If you viii pun in
The trough of the sea we can reach it
before daylight am tired-so tired
and sleepy. Will you watch Outy'
why. certainly. Lie down in the
stern sheets and sleep if you cam
She eurled UP ina her yellow oil coat
ana slumbered through the night. while
he pulled easily On the oars, not that
he had full faith in her navigation,
but to keep himself warm. The sea
became smoother, ana as the moon
rose higher il attained a brightness
almost equal to that Of the sun. cast
Ing over the clear sky a deep blue
tint that shaded indefinitely into the
darkness extending from itself to the
horizon. Late In the night he remem-
bered the danger Of sleeping in strong
moonlight, and. arising softly to cover
her face with his damp handkerchief,
2 be found her looking at him.
we are almost there, John. Wake
I me when we arrive" she said and
closed her eyes.
He covered her face and. marveline
e at her words. looked ahead. He was
e within a half mile Of a sandy beact
l. which bordered a wooded island. The
> sea was now like glass in its leve
s~mOOthness. and the air was warm anC
fragrant with the smell Of flowers an'
foliage. He shipped the oars and pull
ed to the beach. AS the boat grounded
she arose, and he helped Der ashore.
The beach shone white under tn
O moonlight, and dotting it were larS
shellhsh and moving crabs that scut
e tied away from them. bordering tn
r. beach were forest and underground
with in~terlacery Of lowering vines.
ridge Of rocks near by disclosed cave
, and hollows, some filed by the waite
J Of tinkling cascades. Oranges shOweI
: in the branches Of trees, and coco
Z palms lifted their heads high in tn
: distance. A small deer arose, lOokel
z at them and lay down. while a rabbi
: inspected them from another direction
and began nibbling.
AN earthly paradise, I should say,
he observed as be hauled the boat u
the beach. Plenty Of food and water
at any rate.
1T is lilo island, she answered wit
that same dreamy voice. 1T is uni1
habited and never visited.
But surely. Freda, something Wi
come along ana TAKE Us Ou'
NO. If 1 am taken Of 1 must b
ID married. Of course. and I will never b
81 married"
BIT Who to, Freda? Whom must 70
Ia marry if we are rescued
The mate. Mt. Adams. Not yoI
a John owen. not you. 1 do not Xix
to you"
She was unbalanced, Of course, bU
the speech panied him immeasurabl!
" and he made no answer. He searche
the clean cut horizon for a momen
K and when he looked back she was clos
to him. with the infantle smile on be
face. candor and sanity in her gra
eyes. Involuntary be extended b
ne arms, and she nestled within them.
You will be married, Freda'' I