Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-03-03
CHAPTER xIli-continued.

wa seized with a slight sensation of
elddiness. at the thought of food, so
that he was glad of the catbOat for
support.
"Oh. YOU are! Compassion thrilled
her tone. "Pm so sorry. Come-if you
czD walk" She caught his hand as If
n help him onward. ''We can build a
fire and have something hot; there's
plenty of fuel"
'But-what did you do?'
"I-oh. took my eggs au natural
barring some salt and pepper. | was
fn too much of hurry to bother with
a stove"
why In a hurryY
She made no answer for an instant.
He tuTued to look at her, wondering.
To his unutterable establishment she
not only failed to meet his glance, but
tried to seem unconscious of it.
The admirable ease and gracious
self-possession which he had learned
TO associate with her personality as In
8lenable traits were altogether gone.
Just then--obliterated by q singular.
exotic attitude of cOnstraint and diff
deuce, of self-consciousness. She
seemed almost to shrink from his re-
gard, and held her face a little averted
from him, the full lips tense, laSnes
low and trembling upon her cheeks.
Halfway up to the farmhouse a men,
org 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 standstiIl with
questioning eyes.
Put the others-!" he stammered.,
1.-THE others?" she repeated blankly.
'-Tney-the men who brought you
here-2"
Her lips frightened. She moved her
head In slow negation.
Il have seen nothing of either OF
them"
Horror and pity filed him, conjuring
up n vision of wild, raving waters, MD
with blood-luSt, and in their jaws, arms
and heads helplessly whirling and toss
ing.
Poor devils" he muttered.
She said nothing. When he looked
Tor sympathy in her face, he found it
set and inscrutable.
lie delayed another moment, think
ing that soon she must speak, offer him
some sort Of explanation. But she re-
NAMED uncommunicative. And he
could not bring himself to seem anx-
i9us to pry into her affairs.
lie took a tentative step onward.
she responded instantly to the sugges-
uon' but in silence.
The farmhouse stood on high ground
commanding an uninterrupted sweep
OF the horizon. AS they drew near it,
whitaker paused and turned, narrow
hs MS eyes as he attempted to read
me riddle of the enigmatic. amber-tint-
ed distances.
There was not a sail visible In all
TIE blue cup of the sea.
I don't know" said Whitaker slow
~ as much to himself as to his com
panlon. Its odd it passes
me -
Can't you tell where we areY" she
inquired anxiously.
Not definitely. I know, of course.
We must be somewhere off the south
oas' OF New England. There are
'S'8Dds or the south coast of Massa-
,"uSe'ts--a number of them: Nan
1-eAe'r you know. and Martha's Vine
- ms might be either-only it
e1 + because they're summer resorts.
lux he swept his hand toward the
'snl In the northeast-"might he
-'''r' ana probably is one OF 'em. At
s same time, it may be the mainland
don't know"
Then +hon
Do" 'A'eH what are we TO
We looked round. shaking a dubious
.o'i OF course there's nothing IIka
1aeGoie Eere. We might nail
-4A 10 the corner Of the roof and
.e c!olh to that, I suppose"
ana build fires. by night7"
~ h2'-ded. Best sug estion yet. I'll
w. mat very thing tonight-after I've
'-l bic TO eat"
Hae started impatient.v away "ob
'1e' come! What e-e 7 thinking q
ieE you stand there, starving by
'ley entered the house by the back
80 hhdlng themselves in the kitchen
--1 mean and commonplace Assem-.
'S'Ln OF narrow and pinched lives.
immaculate cleanliness of decent
4 poverty lay over tr eII Tho .
"a'taker busted himself i'm
sa-Aiely Ntth the stove. There was
-. "eodoox near by; and within q
+e~ minutes he had a brisk fire
lac woman had disappeared in
erection Of the barn. She returned
a time with half dozen eggs
-'As IN the pantry and cunboaras
r. e-sEt 70 Light a qA1tlty Of s1p-
sa side of bacon. aou-. potatoes