The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-10-08

w coss. Bul Was silent, bu,
Joe mu'torcd. NY Cod"
Ton seconds perhaps after this
climax. the rrincesa devoted 10 ro.
nrctiou Sho was looking at neither
of the two Young mon; her nm.
focused gaze Jay right between
them Then. uoddIng TO herself an
acknowledgment that hcr plans
were satisfactory, she turned
rather busduely 10 Blll and led
hiu aft. laid hold on tho dinghy
painter and hauled ~ IN until the
little boat was broadsldo to the
stern
The first thing 10 DO" she said,
is for you 10 get On hero and SIT
very siill IN tho middle OF the
back seat Don't move, and re-.
momber. whatever happons. don't
try 10 stand up
She was busy untylng tho
painter az she spoke and having
accomplished this she hauled Il In
short and made II faBt around n
cleat with a simple halfhitch
Come along" she now admnn-
ished Bll briefly; 1--WE haven't any
time 10 waste. Take tight hold OF
my shoulder and step right into
the middle OF the boat"
She was rather glad that her po-
sltion. bending over and holding
the gunwale with both hands. gave
her no opportunity to look into his
face. She didn't know, for a fact,
whether OF not he WAS capable Of
negotiating the step down into that
wobbly little dinghy without going
on overheard. if there was a wrong
way Of doing anything OF this sort
he seemed inspired 10 manage Il.
She heaved long breath Of relief
when the thing was successfully
accomplished, and spared Bin a
glance ut congraiulation.
Hut the look he met II with was
one OF absolutely tragic despair.
and II broke over her s.yat he prob
ably thought, having seen her In
that highly equlvocal attitude with
Joe n few moments previously, that
her intention now was simply to
east him adrift. There wasn't time
TO expostulate with him over so
injurious a lack of faith, and she
had not for the moment, even tho
inclination TO try to relieve his
fears. Her emotion had TO find an
luther outlet.
AS she turned away from Bill.
Joe's hand fell upon her shoulder.
I'm going with you. you know"
he said.
"And leave them" she asked.
with q nod toward the companion
way. TO --starye In thcre2"
at won't take them long TO get
out" he told her grimly. I'VE had
better be getting away. We haven't
any time TO waste; aud Il will be
wasting It 10 try to get mo 10 stay
behind, because | won't"
with conildlng movement, sug.
gestivo OF limitless possibilities.
she slipped her hand inside his
arm and led him forward. AS he
turned questioning look into her
face she made n slight backward
movement OF the head which said
as plainly as words could have
done that for some purpose Of hers
she wanted him out of Bllps hear
Ing. She led him forward beyond
the mast, beyond the forehold
hatch. quite into the Sally's bows.
you better tell me quickly.
whatever It is." ho said. because
they may be getting out any
minute"
81 know" she nodded. "But. l
do want to tell you 1rst that I'm
sorry"
His interiectlon. For what7" had
possibly Just tho faintest flavor OF
suspicion about It, but she went
straight on without explaining.
"And Id like YOU to kiss mo now.
because you didn't before"
Once more her two hands pos
sessed themselves OF tho rolled
edges OF his collar and her fore.
arms rested against her chest. She
held up her face to him, and Joe, a
little incredulously, kissol h0r. Sho
leaned away to look into his face.
"You can tell them" she said,
slowly and very distinctly. 1T was
Bill that did IT,"
She gave him then, instantly and
with all tho nervous force Of her
perfectly poised young body, n
most tremendous push, and he
went over, sprawllng backward
into tho water During Just the
space OF time II took for the re-
covery OF her own balance she ut
tered q little sohbng laugh; then
in a scared rush sped aft, cast tn
painter of the cleat, dropped I'm
the dinghy, showed off, shipped her
oars-and pulled for the shore.
CHAPTER <I.