Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-19
of despair. He went back to

they got through here with whole
skins he would take the fellow north
with him.
He slept very little that night. The
wearier his brain grew with the puz-
1le the wider awake it held him. He
placed the mystery in the scales with
logic and common sense, but the
scales would not balance. The facts
hat presented themselves only in
creased the fantasy of the unknown.
From the cases of Jake and Tony an
alliance appeared TO exist between the
islands two radical attributes--its
commonly accepted supernatural at
mOsphere and its poisonous snakes.
10th of these unaccountable adven'
lures, one of which had ended fatally,
had occurred in the same place-that
piece of forest between the shore OF
the inlet and the ruins. What was the
connection between the violent and
fatal force that lurked there and the
wearing manifestations Of the coquina
house. and, for that matter, with the
oppressive air one breathed after dark
at Morgan's--even here on the Dart?
When, for relief from these Ques-
tions to which no answer would come.
he turned to mis- own problem, the
girl, he only found more to trouble,
more to mystify, From the first her
presence had led him to answer 70
unexpected and. he felt, inexplicablc
impulses. And tonight she had come 20
him with a yelled warning that the
piece of woods was unsafe. Had she
actually known ANYTHING, or was her
fore knowledge psychic? For she had
given him an impression that that
word would fit her better than any
he knew. One fact fingered in his
memory with triumphant clearness
He did not regret the question he mad
asked in the back shadows of the
ruins He was eager for the dawn to
give him an opportunity ito answer i.
in her presence.
When the dawn came, however. 1t
did not bring its usual release from
| fnncies of the night He rose tired, de.
! pressed, irritable. His plunge in the
swift waters of the inlet failed to
arouse him. As he stood on deck after
! wards, scanning the tangled shore of
The island distastefully, almost with
| hatred, that significant sentence Molly
had uttered so confidently down there
IN the saloon came back to him.
"By and by even the sweetest days
will be coloured for you like that
He swung about impaiiently. his
eyes searched the dunes which were
! touched with a delicate mauve by the
dawn He felt that the girl would
come this morning. Uncomfortable as
he was, what had happened last night
would trouble her, would bring her -
the sands. Moreover, he had told her
TO come. he remembered, and at the
time he had not questioned her obed'
fence.
His restlessness increased until he
rOwed to the dunes. He wandered
among them while his certainty fell to
hope, and his hope began to dwln'
die.
At last he saw her far up the curry
ing beach She walked slowly Her
! head was bowed She wore black
gown which made her figure seem
very slender, rather pitiful.
He hurried to meet her, but, instead
of the eXutation and the steely trl-
umph of last night, he experienced a
growth of his depression until 1t be
came sorrow He wondered if this
could be accounted for by her black
dress and her downcast eyes.
He took her hand, which she per
mitted to rest passyely in his, and
led her to the first dune. There for
some moments they sat in silence
their backs against the sand, gazing
out to sea where the sun rose in an
opal mist. When he spoke his voice
was lfeless.
There is so much to say-so much
to ask. am glad you have come"
She did not meet his eyes.
"You shall not ask me to come
again
Yes he answered, "because-it is
very curious. You would not tell mt
your first name. I've asked you. lC
not know that, but know love you.
Hush, she whispered. you mus
rot say that"
Even" he asked. If you"
Not even then"
"Yet you have come as l asked.'
"To tell YOU that"
"You have told me and it alter
nothing. There Is something here
something can't explain, but 1t shall
not intervene. In the end it shall b.
as | wish
Don't say those things--not ever
YOU"
He looked y, her duly. Where hat
his courage and his will Of the othe
morning, OF last night, fled? lmpatien
with himself he burst out.
"What in all this mystery?'
| ,'rp pE rpNTINtfEp