The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-08-09

shore, Germdite's boat licked
rock, and Gernldt'te tcGs stunned.
Chapter Is
THE LANDING
lHoLIN leaped back to the stern of
~ the boat.
"Germaine!" he cried out in
alarm.
There was no answer.
He bent over her anxiously. She
must have been leaning forward and
IN the act Of shutting OF the power
when the impact had flung her from
her seat and her head had struck
some part OF the engine. She was
stunned. surely no more than that,
for there was no sign of any wound.
His common sense told him that 1t
could not be anything really serious
but common sense seemed sorry
comfort He was in an agony Of sus.
pense.
The boat grounded on the beach.
He picked her up in his arms and
carried her ashore. Her face. SO
close to his, resting on his shoulder,
was white. bloodless. It brough. fear
TO him. Unreasoning fear-because
surely there was no real cause for
fsar. Her hair brushed against his
cheek. somehow strangely urging
him 10 hold her closer still. She was
no weight in his arms. and yet his
arms trembled.
His eyes searched around him.
The beach was strewn with boul-
dsrs and rocks, but beyond, perhaps
. hundred yards away, were trees,
already beginning to look ghostly
through the gray curtain of fog. He
carried her across the beach, found
. patch Of sward under the trees
Just at the edge of the wooded land,
and laid her down.
And now she stirred, opened her
eyes, stared at him blankly for a
noment-and smiled.
That's fine!" he exclaimed buoy.
,antly. You're better. But just lie
still until tie up the boat"
Then he brought cushions-a tar.
paulin to lay upon the ground.
-Now." he demanded, shows that.
little lady7"
Perfect" she answered. "It Is
nee Of you-and so silly OF me-"
"sillyl" he ejaculstel. Cali my
fault ! should have kept my eyes
open"
For comethiug yon couldn't sect"
"oh, we'll" he said little lame
y, @at least"
"oh. Welt" she interrupted.
shat expresses It exactly. It
ee7ldn't DO helped. and anyway
there's no real harm done. I pitched
hsadlong against the engine when
We struck. as you have already
guessed. and I shall probably have
3 headache--whieh won't last" She
felt gingerly over her head with her
hand Also a goose-egg-which
lwon't last either"
Stout fellow!" he applauded.
The fog was still thickening.
Colin could scarcely zee the boat
now a. the waters edge. Thank God
Tiers was no cause for grave con-
eern on her account, bu what to do
r0wf Suppose the fog lasted on
through the afternoon, the night
unfortunately? He might get assist.
.anes from the stub. II one struck
acroas overland. II couldn't be very
far away.
Look here" he proposed, from
what you said. this club can't be
more than a mile or so at most from
here BY land. and I think I'd better
cut over there and pet some OF the
chaps 70 help out You can't stay
here all night. you know"
CHE raised herself up on her 81.
- bow.
You win do nothing OF the sort!"
she stated with flnality.
"And why not2" he asked.
For a host of reasons" she an.
swe.ed- In the iirst place. I'm quite
all right. or. at least. will be In
half an hour or so: and. II It became
a question OF going to tho club. I
eould so with 20 In the second
place. in this fog. we'd be lost In
the woods before we had gone
quarter OF mile. And In the third
place. We are perfectl. all right as
we are. no matter how long the fog
lastA We are not even golng to be
subjected 10 any hardshlps. There's
a thermos bottle aud lunch basket
IN the boat. you know"
II sounded logical. Undoubtedly
abe Was right.
.sstin the skipper perceive be
tsased,