Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-07
stitious imagination
CHAPTER ~
The "Oueer Girl

for, when he opened his eyes. the low
sun was shining, through the port. The
charnel house atmosphere had been
dissipated The Dart lay on an even
keel, Tony was up. The welcome
od0ur of coffee entered The S,ate-rOodi.
Slipping on his bathrobe Miller hu'.
lied TO the deck, jumped overheard,
and fought that racing tide until it was
on the point of vanquishing him.
When he was dressed Tony brought
him his coffee. He sat on deck sip
ping it calmly Apprasi, his surround
ings, almost glCefully aware Of the re-
treat of last nights fancies.
He could see the fisherman's boat
nov. anchored a third nf a mile away,
close 10 the shore of the island. It
vas, as Anderson had said, low, filthy,
ancient; but its deck was empty, its
owner nowhere TO be seen.
Miller's eyes followed the tangled
shore-line in the hope of glimpsinc
the coquina house But the thicket
was unbroken as far as two gigantic
mounds Of white sand which siretched
eastward from near tie river end Of
he island and evidently separated The
river and the inlet. From the Tide
Miller knew there must be an Openinl
10 the sea somewheres down there
Probably the inlet made a sweep to
The east and ran out between the
mounds and the dunes. The tradition
that buccaneers had used the inlet was
perfectly understands to Miller
Screened from the marshes by he is
land and from the sea by the dunes
with a heavy fall of tide. it had been
an ideal spot for the careening of pi
tate craft.
The sun was higher now in a clear
sky behind the dunes. The white
grains and the polished sea shells
here and there glinted jewel like in It's
rays. On the SUBMITS tufts Of long,
slender grass waved langudly in A
light breeze. II was already warm.
Tony came up and took the cup and
saucer He was about to descend when
he paused with a long intake of breath,
THAI same pallor came into his face,
that same fixed terror into his eyes
as he stared across the dunes.
What are YOU gaping at now" Mil
hr asked good-naturedly,
The lips opened. Tony whispered.
Look In--in white"
During that outburst of Yesterday
there had been. Miller recalled, some
thing about a woman in white, pre-.
sumably the shade of the Algerian. lie
smiled
Come, Tony. Not by broad day.
light. You only make yourself ridicul
Gus"
Look Tony repeated. He point
Miller gazed across the dunes shat
ing his eyes. There was something
tItlt, tIuSt W 'u' SD NuIut' IltllG
white; something that moved wo
man or girl.
He sprans up. Laughing, he jumped
t. the lower deck and drew in the din
gy.
There's one ghost I'll lay for YOU
Tony"
Don't go" he native begged.
Miller stepped into the boat. pushed
Off and with few strong strokes
reached the dunes. He was curious
He reacted to an exciting impulse
Who was This early morning adventure
q in white who moved across an emp
tv shore? II might be the girl of WHOM,
Anderson had spoken that queer
girl about whom he had maintained 80
pulling reserve.
He hurried among the dunes, nc
longer able to see the figure IN white
But he remembered where ii had
stood, not more than a quarter of a
mile away He crossed rapidly IN
that direction, pausng only when the
advisabilily of caution impressed hint
II would not do 10 assume the usua
at Captains Island II was far from
ordinary that the girl should he there
at all, clothed in this fashion. He war
by no means sure that he would offer
her welcome encounter, She miSll'
Try TO elude him. Yet he had made =
boast of the affair TO Tony, He want
ed to convince Tony and himself that
the normal was not altogether rorcigl
tt the place. He planned, therefore
70 step from the dunes to he beach nj
most at her elbow, but at the last dune
ne paused too long, Fascinated by villa,
ne saw thus at close range "A
She was young girl. bot more thar
twenty, he thought, although at firF'
he couldn't see her face. She was not
tall, and she was very slender. A.
she stood. clothed in q long. clinginr
robe of soft. white stuff. bending for
ward TO the breeze gazing across III,
waves, she might have been figure