The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1921-05-26


The canoe almost crashed against
the side of the bigger boat as 1t came
sidewise of 1t, and Philip caught at 1t
desperately. Slowly lifting himself
up he thrust his face close to Tony's.
She was staring at him blankly as II
his ghost had suddenly risen out of
the stOrm-tossed lake.
Don't do that, darling" he whis-
pered as she drew back In terror. I'm
going TO take you away"
Then she realized who II was, and
reached out and clutched at him,
'breathlessly.
"Climb through" undertoned Philip.
"Quick, climb through, and when tell
you to drop, do it, but not before"
BY holding his body rigidly erect, he
managed to keep the canoe upright
Then he waited, but not for long. AL
most Immediately girls bare arm
shot through the window. Something
wriggled in her clutching fingers.
Philip almost lost his hold on the boat
as Gussie came against his face. He
snatched the pig and dropped it at his
feet. Then a pair Of bare legs fol-
lowed and Tony's body began to wrig-
gle through the narrow aperture.
Once or twice Philip muttered an
ejaculation as streak OF lightning
crossed the sky only to die and leave
the water as dark as before. 1t was
taking the girl an interminable time to
squeeze herself through that opening.
Suddenly her shoulders were through,
and she was hanging on by her hands.
Just at that moment the tug ahead
became silent, and Philip heard the
two men walking back along its roof
They were coming aboard the canal
boat, and if He crushed the canoe
nearer, lifted one hand and jerked the
hanging figure of the girl away from
the window. She Topped face down.
ward into the bottom of the canoe,
and Philip left her there limp without
a word. Then he let go his hold OF
the canal boat, and a great wave Gft'
ed his slender craft upon It's crest and
they shot away toward the bank.
It took a shorter time than 1t takes
to tell 1t for the canoe to reach the
shore. Under the overhanglng trees
where they were shielded from the
wind, Philip turned and looked back
A mans face was thrust through the
window which had just yielded up the
quiet little figure at his feet Then
two forms appeared upon the stern
deck. From the hand Of one Of the
men hung a lantern. Philip remained
very still. He knew they could not
see him hidden away there In the dark
ness.
For long time, through which Ton
nibel never moved Philip waited. The
men on the canal boat seemed alled
with terror. They ran from one end
of II to the other. He heard them call
ing to and fro, and once In whils an
oath escaped from Devon as he
screamed his daughters name loudly.
It was not until he saw one Of them
| climb upon the tug and heard the sud-
den clang of the engine that the boy
| took up his paddle and moved slowly
| along the shore southwark, and, as he
was going with the wind, Philip made
rapid progress toward the head of the
| lake.
In little cove he drew the canoe to
| the shore and, springing out, dragged
| it it's length from the water.
Then he called softly:
"Tony-little Tony"
The girl stirred and lifted her head
"Yep," she sighed 'Im here"
"Come out" said Philip, leaning
over and taking hold of her arm
There Child, don't shake so. You're
| safe here with me, and suppose they
| think you're drowned by this time
| Can't you step out, dearf"
She was trembling, so he had to pick
her up and lift her out in his arms
hanging rock and placed her on the
sand.
Through many sobs and tears, she
told him all that had happened on the
canal boat, and that her father had
said her mother was dead. And so
touched was Philip MacCauley, he felt
the tears rim his own lashes. For a
long time, in fact until the rain ceased
to beat upon the rocks and shore, they
stayed under cover. Most Of the time
they were silent, most Of the time Phil
ip held the curly head against his
breast When the dawn began to break
| Tonnbel reused herself.
I'm goin' away now" she said.
1--WE got to go to my friends. And
can't tell you just how much I'm
| thsnkin' you"
But If let you CO." protested
Philip, "I'll never see you again. Oh,
don't do that. Tony, I couldn't stand
II now ~
81 couldn't, either" she said under
her breath. "I'll be comm back here
to this hole some day."