Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1918-06-04
CHAPTER xII-continued.

"The most amiable person / know
he cried. elated. "Greetings"
She paused by the steps, looking up,
a fascinating vision.
you're able to stand without assist
anceT
"As a matter of fact, I can move
only at the cost of excruciating agony"
She considered him with a sober face
and smiling eyes. 81 don't believe you.
You're fraud. Besides, l didn't
come to see you at all came to find
oIt why Mr.. Ember dares so to neg
lect me. Did you deliver my invita-
tion?"
81 did, unwillingiy. He was DESC
lated but he couldn't accept-had to
run pack to town Immediately after
dinner"
Hes as great a fraud as you are.
But since he isn't here, shall CO."
"Please-Im famished for human So
ciety. Have pity. Sit down. Tell me
where you've been with the boat"
MERELY to the head of the bay to
have the gasoline tanks flied. A most
boresome errand. If promise to come
over this evening and play you rub
Der or two-will you permit me to go
home nowW
ION such terms I'll do anything you
can possibly suggest" he declared, en-
chanted. "But how will you
get here? Not alone, through the
woods l can't permit that"
"Elsle shall row me down the shore
and then go back to keep cook com
pany. Sum Fat can see me home-if
you find it still necessary to keep up
the invalid pose"
I'm afraid" he laughed, II shall call
my own bluff. Must you really
go so soon2"
GOOD afternoon" she returned de-
murely; and ran down the steps and
off to her boat.
Smiling quietly to himself, Whitaker
watched her cast the boat off, get I'M
der way, and swing 1t out of sight be-
hind the trees. Then his smile wavered
and faded and gave place to look of
acute discomfort. Three mortal hours
to fritter away in profitless anticipa-
At seven Whitaker was merely nerv-
GUS.
BY eight he was unable to sit still.
Half an hour later the house was too
small to contain him. He found him
self at the end of the dock, tingling
with Impotence, but finding some little
consolation in the restless sweep of
the wind against his face and body. He
could see little-a mere suggestion of
the shore line picked out with the dim,
semiphosphorescent glow of breaking
wavelets. Some minutes elapsed. The
pallor of the east grew more marked
Whitaker fancied he could detect O
figure moving on the Fiske dock.
Then, startled, he grew conscious OF
the thick drone of a heavily-powered
motor boat near inshore. Turning
quickly, he discovered black, vague
shape not twenty yards from where he
stood, showing neither bow nor side
lights: stealthy and mysterious ap
partition creeping toward the dock witt
something of the effect of an animal
about to spring.
And Immediately he heard mans
voice from the boat, abrupt with anger
mot this place, you ass-the next"
"Shut up" another voice replied
"There's somebody on that dock"
At the same time the bows of tn,
boat swung off and the shadow slipped
away to Northumberland the Fisk,
place.
A wondering apprehension of some
nameless and desperate enterprise
somehow involving the woman VIII,
obsessed his thoughts, crawled in Whit
aker's mind. Automatically he turned
back, let himself down to the beach
and began to pick his way toward thu
Fiske dock, half running despite hi
stiff ankle. But he had not gone hal
the way before he pulled up with
humping heart, startled beyond ex
preston by cry in the night-a or.
of wild appeal and protest ringing
clear down the wind, a voice who's
timbre was Enthusiastically that of
woman: aux secours AUX secours I
Twice 1t cried out, and then wa
hushed as grimly as the first inco
herent screams. No need now to CUES
at what was towards: Whitaker wa
running, needless of his injured foot
pitching, slipping, stumbling, leaping-
somehow making progress.
BY now the moon had lifted abov
the beach high enough to aid him some
what with its waxing light; and, lool
ing ahead, he could distinguish diml
shapes about the dock and upon it ths
seemed to bear out his most cru,
fears. The power boat was passabl
distinct, her white side showing plainl
through the tempered darkness. Mi'
way down the dock he made out strui
Cling figures-two of them. he judged
a man at close grips with a frant
woman. And where the structul
Joined the land, a second pair, again
man and a woman, strove and swaye
For all his haste, he was too SLOW
be was still a fair thirty yards ava