The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1917-01-13
OFF THE COAST
BY SUSAN Z. CIAGETT.


termined to carry Out her plan In the
face Of angry opposition she could not
have fold. Probably 1t was due to the
opposition
Yet II was q very simple thing she
proposed 10 do--merely to shun the
beaten path that led toward white
Sulphur Springs and 60 anywhere that
would take her away from the life her
people he'd led for generations and
expected hey to live.
She longed fDr Portugal or the fjords
of Norwpy, bat she sailed on steam
er for the fjoris Of Newfoundland, the
Norway Of America.
The walk to Signal Or CabOt's tower.
is not one to take alone. 1t Is long.
It is steep. The road follows the
shore until It begins to ascend and Is
lonely. When steamers come there Is
always a sprinkllns Of people, mostly
driving toward the tower, where there
Is magnificent view Of the harbOr
and ocean. This and much more was
told in the booklet Lavinia had learned
by heart. But there was one grave
omission. Indeed, two. The first was
wind, the other, mist.
She had felt wind before, but never
like this. 1t whipped her wet skirts
about her until she thought she would
never move again. Ahead was the
tower. gray and somber, built to defy
the elements. She saw little group
of people standing in an angle of the
granite mass, one figure apart from
the others and nearer to her. Then
everything was blank. She was con-
scious only of blind terror as the wind
caught and whirled her about. For
space eternity fronted her, then the
awfulness of the wind subsidized and
she found herself clinging desperately
to the gray sleeve Of an ulster.
"What made you attempt that
nlone?" the man said roughly, giving
her little shake as he let her go.
'Didn't you know Signal hill was no
place for n woman unless she had a
man with herr"
He left her in the angle of the wall
and stepped forward, tall, broad
shouldered athletlc-looking man with
keen blue eyes and determined
mouth.
"Come," he said, extending his hand.
"If we are to make Quidi Vidi we
must be off,"
"But l am not going to Quidi Vidi.'
"Yes, you are. The village is my
objective point"
at is not mine"
"Can you cross the strip aloneT'
He nodded toward the narrow path
where the wind had full sweep al
though she could not feel it where she
sat.
- She arose with such evident reluct-
4 Slce that he threw back his head and
laughed.
When they parted neither knew the
others name.
The next morning she left for Labra-
dor.
She was little late in reaching
the steamer, and, somewhat breath,
less from haste, was following the
steward down the deck when the back
of rough, gray coat caught and held
her attention. There was something
familiar about 1t, so familiar that she
moved hastily forward, confronting the
owner with blazing eyes.
"You"
"Why not?"
"You came because you knew was
sailing on this steamer?"
"Partly. l intended taking the trip
1t made no difference If came now oil
later on. Do not misunderstood me
Tt was not for your charming society
but because I know 1t is not desirabl,
for woman, especially young won
an, to take this trip alone"
"And how am 1 to know you will
not make yourself as unpleasant "a
other people. You are as much ,
stranger as they"
He regarded her steadily. "Yo,
will take that back" he said at last
"No." She turned from him with
out another word.
They ran into fog that night, depres
sing, penetrating fog. There wer
eleven days Of it, and the trip wa
heightened to fortnight, but lon
before the fourteen days were VI
Lavinia had offered friendlness.
He accepted her overtures with n
degree of eagerness, but under his ap
parent Indifference was steadfast de
Il termination that made itself evlden
their last evening on board when h
n ended the silence that had fallen be
4 tween them by saying:
n "You have not yet retracted tn
Il words you said to me the morning W
left st. Johns"
n st is not fair that you should hol
a them against me. l was beginning t
a regard you as friend"
you knew was to be trusted"
She did not answer directly. $40
two weeks we have neither of u
known who the other was. | do NJ
even know your name, but ] am gOin
ask you to nay home. win 30
~ er
His eyes softened to wonderfl
gentleness. "When?"
"And Won NAV ask for"