The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-12-09
Chapter IL
soNYA NICHOLS

Chapter IL
soNYA NICHOLS
THE girls GOODNESS surprised curt.
! Except for breathing Z little
quickly Sonya was entirely calm
and self.possessed. She certainly had
courage, he thought admiringly.
even IL she hadn't shown very much
sense in coming over to that island
alone.
I'D better take you back to shore.
Miss. Your canoes = wreck. We saw
1t down there. It's not worth repair
lng."
The breed got to his feet IVY
you tell dat yong TELLER get my ca
noe? Wat you 60 do Wit me?"
II ought to pitch you into the lake.
friend. But I'm not going to. A night
on this island'll sober you mp and
teach you . lesson. You're lucky to
get OF 50 easy"
To smooth out his enmity he add.
ed: I'm not reporting this to the
Yellow-stripe because think you've
ordinarily got more decency than
you showed this evening. I'll beach
your canoe below the old post where
you got It: and I'll see that you're
taken away from here in the morn
ing"
He walked out on the rock thrust,
got the girls net and creel Of fish,
and rejoined her.
AS they started down the land
wash together, her hand touched his
arm. little gesture Of gratitude.
"You and your partner to do this for
complete stranger like mel can't
think Of anything adequate to say. =
Curt had not heard her speak be-
fore. Her voice drew his attention.
A low contralto, it was tinged with
an accent, faint rather pleasant,
giving an odd sweet overtone to heI
words. Her English was precise and
flowing. but English was not hel
native tongue.
''No bother to u.s." he turned heI
thanks aside. "But you do want "a
be more careful than you were to
night" He had meant to give her q
stern "ta!king-to": coming across t.
the island. he had even thought NJ
several blunt things to say. But
some instinct checked him.
Paul had found the canoe and
brought it to the water edge. use
this one to 60 back in. Mam'selle.'
he babe Sonya. "Our own is muddy
from q wet portage today. I'll take
it."
He stepped in and glided out into
the channel. Curt Aoated the breed,
canoe, helped his companion in
showed away. and followed in Paul',
wake.
The girl took OF her tam, wiped
her forehead with q ridiculously
small kerchief, and looked back a
the receding islands. For the frs
time Curt observed her closely. H,
tried not to stare but he could hard
ly help 1t. He did not remember tina
he had ever seen so beautiful q cir
as this tenderfoot stranger.
She was odd and puzzling. Some
thing about her-he could not pin 4
down to any one thing-gavs hin
the impression OF aristocracy. Tn,
fingers Of her small brown hant
resting on the gunwale were lonl
and tapering: there was . prou,
poise to her head: her Arm nose
arched lips and delicately.moldet
chin seemed finely aristocratic
Brownish-golden and silky. her hal,
was 80 long that he knew It mus
reach to her knees when she combe>
It out loose.
LIE stopped padding . minute {.
- prefer her his opened cigarett'
case and lighter. She selected
cigarette. lit It slowly ana delibel
ately. The little fame lighted up he
face for . moment, and he saw he
more distinctly-her long lashea
the brown Of her eyes. the meres
suggestion Of . dimple IN her cheeks
She was about twenty-four. b
judged: maybe nty.ave-it Va
hard to tell . girls age, especiall
at twilight in . canoe.
In . vague way he understood VII
no had not given her that stailkin1
to" She was no child, like Rosali
Marlin. to be scolded or lectures
She had character ana depth 70 hel
this stranger. Her thoughtful e,
lures showed maturity far beyon
her years. . maturity Of mind IN
heart which Rosalis did not hav
and never would attain.
But Ill In all be did not kno,