Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-11-17

grasp, wlil1e she rose by his aid, and
for an instant longer possibly by way
of reward. Then She disenguged them
with gentle trlnness.
She stood beside him so tall and fair
SO spreneiy invested with the tiaWlpss
dignity of her Womanhood that he ne
longer thought Of The incongruty Of
her grotosQue garb.
you've been up there?' he asked
far too kecnly Interested to scorn the
self-VVidest.
She gave comprehensive gesture
embracing the visible prospect "All
over. When | woke, | thought
surely ! went to see, found
nothing living except the sheep and
some chickens and turkeys in the farm-
yard. And the farmhouSe-apparc
it's ordinarily inhabited Evidently
the people shHNe gone away for a visit
somewhere. II gives the impression of
being n home the year round. There
isn't any boat"
NO boat :"
"Not sign Of one. that | can find
except this wreck She Indicated the
catboat.
"But You can't do anything with
this" he eXpoStulatcd.
The deep, wide break in its side
placed it beyond consideration. even
if it should prove possible to remedy
its many other lacks.
no. The people who live here must
have boat-l saw Il mooring buoy out
there"--wirl Il gesture toward the wa
ter. "Of course. How else could they
get away"
IT, question is. how we are to get
away" he grumbled, morose
You'll find the way" she told him
with quiet confidence.
81, III find the way? How?'
II don't know-~only you must. There
must be some way Of signaling the
mainland, some means of communica-
ton. Surely people wouldn't live here,
cut off from all the world Per-
haps We'll find something in the farm
house to tell us what to do. | didn't
have much time IL look round. |
wanted clothing, mOstly--and found
these awful things hanging behind the
kitchen door. And then l wanted
something to eat, and | found that
some bread, not too stale, and plenty
of eggs in the henhousc. And
yor--you must be furnished -
The reminder had an effect singular
Is distressing. He turned little faint,
was seized with Il slight sensation OF
giddineSs, at the thought of food, so
that he was glad of the catboat for
support.
"Oh, you are. :" Compassion thrilled
her tone. TIN so sorry. Comc-if you
can walk She caught his hand as if
to help him onward I'VE can build
fire and have something hot; there's
plenty of fuel
"Rut--what did YOU do?"
'I--Oh, took my eggs MI natural
barring some salt and pepper. was
in too much Of II hurry to bother with
n stove
'Why in Il hurry?'
She made no answer for an instant.
He turned to look at her wondering.
To his unurtcrable establishment she
not only failed 10 meet his glance, but
tried to seem unconscious of il.
The admirable ease and gracious
self possession which he had learned
to associate with her personality as in
nlipuabl" traits We're altogether gone,
just thcn--obiteratel by Il singular
exotic attitude of consiraint and diff
dcnCe. of sclf-conS seriousness. She
seemed almost to shrink from his re-
gard. and held her face little averted
from him. the full lips tense. lasheS
low and trembling upon her cheeks.
Halfway up 10 the farmhouse a mem
DRY shot through Whtaker's mind AS
startling as lightning Streaking athwart
a peaceful evening sky. He stopped
with an exclamation that brought the
girl beside him to IA StandStill with
questioning eyes.
"But the olhers--V' he stammcred.
1.-THE others?' she repeated blankly.
ITO be continued.)