Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-01-05

was seized with slight sensation or
giddlness, at the thought Of food, so
that he was glad OF the catboat for
support.
'Oh, you arei" Compassion thrilled
her tone. "I'm so sorry. Come-lf you
can walk" She caught his hand as If
TO help him onward. 1--WE can build
fire and have something hot; there's
plenty of fuel"
"But-what did you doT
"I-oh, took my eggs au natural
barring some salt and pepper. l was
In too much Of hurry to bother with
a stove"
why In hurryr
She made no answer for an instant.
He turned to look at her. wondering.
To his unutterable establishment she
not only failed to meet his glance, but
tried to seem unconscious Of 1t.
The admirable ease and gracious
self-possessIon which he had learned
to associate with her personality as in
.alienable traits were altogether gone,
just then--obliterated by a singular,
exotic attitude Of constraint and diff
ldence, of self-consciousness She
seemed almost to shrink from his re-
lgard, and held her face little averted
from him, the full lips tense. lashes
low and trembling upon her cheeks.
Halfway up to the farmhouse mem
pry shot, through Whitaker's mind as
startling as lightning streaking athwart
"a peaceful evening sky. He stopped
with an exclamation that brought the
girl beside him to a standstill with
questioning eyes. h
"But the others--F' he stammered.
"rhe othersY' she repeated blankly.
'SThey-the meE who brought you
,here-T'
Her lips frightened. She moved her
head In slow negntion.
VI have seen nothing of either of
them"
Horror and pity filled him, conjuring
up a vision Of Wild raving waters, mad
with blood-lust. and in their jaws, arms
and heads helplessiy whirlIng and toss
Ing raH M ssa n
Poor devils!" he muttered.
She said nothing. When he looked
for sympathy in her face, he found II
BET and inscrutable.
He delayed another moment, think
ing that soon she must speak, offer him
some sort Of explanation. But she re-
mained uncommunicntive. And he
could not bring himself to seem anx-
ious TO pry into her affairs.
He took a tentative step onward.
She responded Instantly to the sugges-
tion. but in silence.
The farmhouse stood on high ground.
commanding an uninterrupted sweep
OF the horizon. As they drew near 1t,
Whitaker paused and turned, narrow
5ng his eyes rs he attempted to read
the riddle Of the enigmatic, amber-tint-
ed distances
There was not sail visible in ali
tIe blue cup OF the sea.
II don't know" said Whitaker slow.
~, as much to himself as to his com
panIon. "Its odd It passes
me
@Can't you tell where we arer' she
inquired anxiously.
@Not definitely. / know, Of course
we must be somewhere Off the south
coast. of New England. There are
islands on the south coast of Massa
lchusetts--a number Of them: Nan
tucket, you know, and Martha's Vine
yard. This might be either-only Il
isn't, because they're summer resorts
That"-he swept his hand toward thG
land in the northeost-"mi4ht bC
either, and probably is one of 'em. Al
the same time, 1t may be the mainland
] don't know"
@Then then what are we Il
dot"
He looked round, shaking a dubious
head. "Of course there's nothing lik,
q hagpole here. We might nail I
plank to the corner Of the roof and /
table cloth 70 that, suppose"
aAnd build fires, By night7"
He nodded. BEST suggestion yet, II
do that very thing tonlght-after rv
hnd bite to eat"
She started lmpatiently away. "Of
come, come What am thinking Of
to let you stand there. starving b
inchesT
They entered the house by the bac
door, finding themselves in the kitche
that mean and commonplace assen
bly, room of narrow and plnched lives
The immaculate cleanliness of decen
close poverty lay over 1t all like
blight Whitaker busted himself In
mediately with the stove. There wa
a full woodbox near by; and within
very few minutes he had a brisk fir
going. The woman had disappeared
the direction of the barn. She returne
IN good time with half a dozen egg
Forging IN the pantry and cupboard
she brought to light a quantity of SUI
plies; a side of bacon, flour, potatoe
sugar, ten. small stores of edibles
tins.
"rm hungry ngnIn, myself" she d
clared, attacking the problem of simp
cookery with n will and confident q
that promised much.
The aroma of frying bacon, the stea
OF brewing tea. were all but intolerab
70 an empty stomach. Whitaker lie
the kitchen hurriedly and, In an e
deavor to control himself, made
two others on the ground floor; in Il
upper story. four small bedchamber
above them an attic, gloomy and ech
ing. Nowhere did he discover an
thing TO moderate the impression ma,
by the kitchen. 1t was all impeccab
neat desperately bare.
Depressed, he turned toward I
head Of the stairs. Below a do
whined on its hinges, and the woml
called him, her voice ringing throu
the hallway with an effect Of riehnei
deep-toned and bell-true. He was stt
gered by something in the quality
that full-throatrd cry, something tn
ymOte his memoir until 1t was qui
and vibrant. like harp swept by
Did familiar hnnd,
"HughT she called; and agai
Hugh Where are your'