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Show r I OFF THEJCOAST i By SUSAN E. CLAQETT. ft BMi:?iiMiiSMM'MM:KM?rj Just why Lnvlnla l'ayton was de-, terminal to carry ot',hot plan lit the fnco of .angry opposition she could not have iold. Probably It was duo to thu opposition. YetJt was a very tdiaplo thing she, proposed te do-Huerely te shun the, beaten path that kd toward Whltu Sulphur Bprlngs ami so anywhero that, W- would take her away from the life hef ffl people hod lod for souerutlons and fLf expected ho ti live. HI She longed for Portugal. or the fjords jt of .Norvvayt bat sho sailed ou a steutn- ffi r for the fjord of Newfoundland, tho II Norway of America. The walk to Signal or Cabot's tower, Is not one to take aloue. It Is Ions. It Is steep. Tha road follows thu j shore until It begins to ascend and Is lonely. When steamers come there Is always a sprinkling of people, mostly B driving toward tho tower, where therq I Is n magnlflcent view of tlio hurbor H and ocean. This and much more was told in tho'booklet Lnvlnla hnd learned M by heart. But there was one grave omission. Indeed, two. Tho first was flj wind, tho other, mist, I Sho hnd felt wind before, but never like this. It whipped her wet skirts H nbout her until sho thought sho would H never move again. Ahead was tho H tower, gray and somber, built to defy H tho elements. Sho saw n little group of people standing In an nnglc of thu H prnnttu muss, one flguro npart from H tho others and nearer to her. Then H tevcrythlng was bluuk. She was cou-j cou-j fciclous only of blind terror us thu wind H Caught mul whirled her about. For H n spuco eternity fronted her, then tho J lawfulness of the wind subsided nud J fdio found herself clinging desperately H to the gray sleeve of an ulster. H "What made you attempt that j nlone?" tho man said roughly, giving j her a little shako ns ho let her go. Hj "Didn't you know Signal hill wns no H plnce for n woman unless sho hnd n H ninn with her?" H lie left her In the ariglo of the wall H nnd stepped forwnrd, n tall, broad- shouldered, nthletlc-looklng man with l;een blue eyes and a determined H mouth. H "Come," bo snld, extending his hand. M "If we are to make Quldl VIdl wo H must bo off." R "Hut I mil not going to Quldl VIdl.". I "Yes, you are. Tho village Is my I objective point." I "It Is not mine." "Can you cros3 tho strip nlone?" M lie nodded toward the narrow path M where the wind had full sweep ti I- though she could not feel It where she Ep She nroso with such evident reluct-PCCk"11-'1' "lut nu throw back bis bend and 1 laughed, jKB When they parted neither know tha 5 other's name. 3 Thu next morning shu left for Lnbrn- 9 dor. j Sho was n little loto In rcnchlng Hio steamer, nnd, somewhat breath-iless breath-iless from haste, was following tho 1 (steward down the deck when the back of a rough, gray cont caught and held licr attention. There was something Ifamlllar about It, so familiar that she imoved hastily forward, confronting the pwner with blazing eyes. "You I" "Why not?" "You camo because you know I was gulling ou this steamer?" "Partly. I Intended inking tho trip, jit mndo no difference If I camo now or Inter on. Do not misunderstand me. It wns not for your charming society, 9 but becnuso I know It Is not desirable m for u woman, especially n young worn-R worn-R an, to tnko this trip nlone." "And how nm I to know you will M not muke yourself as unpleasant us 9 other people. You nro ns much n M stranucr as they." I lie regarded her steadily, "You I will tnko that back," ho snld at last. I "No." Sho turned from him with-D with-D out another word. 1 They rnn Into fog that night, depres-1 depres-1 sing, penetrating fog. Thero were 3 eleven days of It, nnd tho trip wns lengthened to n fortnight, but long 1 before tho fourteen days wero up j Lnvlnlu hnd offered friendliness. i Ho accepted bqr overtures with no 1 degree of engerness, but under his np-f np-f jinrent Indlfferenco was n steadfast de-t de-t ttcrmlnatlou thnt mndo Itself evident J 'their Inst evening on board when bo .ended the silence thnt hnd fallen be- tween them by snylng: "You havo not yet retracted the i .words you said to mo tho morning wo C .left St. John's." 3 "It Is not fair that you should hold ajthem against me. I was beginning to Regard you ns u friend." j , "You knew I was to bo trusted." j Sho did not answer directly, "For 1 two weeks wo havo neither of u.) kg 'known who tho other wns. 1 do not jjL.cven know your name, but I um goln . ( "TAnsk you to my home. 111 you j His eyes softened to a wonderful T .gentleness. "When?" j "And you may ask for " j Ho Interrupted. "You need not tell me." "You know mo?" "Your plcturo stood on your brother's broth-er's desk at college. Ho Is my very .good friend and tho plcturo Is a won derful likeness." He did not consider It necessary to tell her ho had begged the plcturo from his friend. That would como Inter. She wns not rendy for what he hnd to Bay and ho could wait. ' (Copyright, 1918. by tho McCluro News-' News-' papor (Syndicate.) |