Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1918-07-02
CHAPTER xv-Continued.


beach by way Of the road through the
cluster of deserted fishermen's huts.
Fifteen minutes walk brought him
to the pool. Ten minutes hard work
with the spade sufficed to excavate
shallow trench in the sands above
high-water mark. He required as
much time again to nerve himself 20
the point of driving off the gulls and
moving the body. There were likewise
crabs to be dealt with.
When it was accomplished, and he
had lifted the last heavy stone into
place above the grave, he waded out
into the sea and cleansed himself as
best he might, then lay down for
time in the Strengthening light, feel
ing giddy and faint.
What the gulls and the crabs and
the SCATTERING surf had left had been
little, but enough for indisputable
Identification.
Whitaker had buried Drummond.
BY the time he got back to the
farmhouse, the woman was up,
dressed in the rent and stained but
dry remnants of her own clothing (for
all their defects, infinitely more be-
coming than the garments to which
she had been obliged to resort the
previous day. and busy preparing
breakfast.
"Well, sir !" she called heartily over
her shoulder. "And where, pray,
have you been all this long timer"
II went for SWIM" he said
evasively-"thought 1t might do me
good"
you're not feeling well?" She
turned to look him over. He avoided
her eye. II had a bad night"
"Still got the hump, eh?'
"Still got the hump" he assented,
glad thus to mask his unhappiness.
breakfast and a strong cup of tea
or two will fix that" she announced
with confidence.
His stout attempts to match her
cheerfulness during the meal fell dis
mally short of conviction. After two
or three false starts he gave it up
and took refuge in his plea of indis-
position. She humored him with a
covert understanding that surmised
compressed into a ten-minute confess
sion.
The meal over, he rose and sided
awkwardly toward the door.
You'll be busy for a while with the
dishes and things, won't your he
asked with an air meant to seem guile
less.
"Oh, yes; for some time," she re
piled quickly.
II think I'll take a stroll round
the island. There might be something
like a boat hidden away somewhere
along the beach"
"You won't go out of sight?" she
pleaded through the window.
ut can't be DONE" he called back
strolling out of the dooryard will
much show of Idle indecision.
His real purpose was, in fact, de
finite. There was another body to b'
accounted for.
To his intense relief, he made NJ
further discovery other than a scatter
ing drift of wreckage from the motor
boats. He turned at length ant
trudged YEARLY back toward the farm
house.
Since breakfast he had seen moth
ing of the girl; none of the elaborate
ly casual glances which he had from
time to time cast inland had discov
cred any sign of her. But now sh'
appeared in the doorway, and after ,
Slight pause as of indecision, move,
down the path to meet him.
He was conscious that, at sight o
her, his pulses quickened. Something
swelled in his breast, something tight
ened the muscles Of his throat. TIL,
way of her body in action. the wa,
of the sun with her hair
Dismay shook him like an ague; h,
he was so glad of her, and so afrai,
He could not keep his eye
from her, nor could he make his desir,
be still; and yet and yet &.
They paused beside one of the Low
stone walls and the girl sat dow
upon the lichened stones then looked
up to him with a smile and a Sigh
movement of the head that plainly in
vited him to a place beside her.
MdlNucu yOui Ou anu Out 1IOu
the windows. You might have beef
looking for a pin. from your pains
taking air. Off there along the cliffs
He nodded again, gloomily. He
comment seemed to admit of no NOR
compromising method of reply.
"Then you've nothing to tell me?"
He pursed his lips, depreciatory
lifted his shoulders not quite happily
and swung one lanky leg across tn
other as he slouched, morosely eyini
the sheets of sapphire that made thei
prison walls. There was little silence
She watched him askance with he
fugitive, shadowy, sympathetic AM
shrewd smile.
"Must / make talk, then?" she dc
manded at length.
eff we must, suppose-you1l hav
to show the way. My minds hardl
eouaI IN trafl-breakinP TODAY"