Friendship and Folly

e. The boat wavered, then with a quick firmness his grasp on the tiller and rope strengthened, and th

d at first he did not speak. The s

wind blew so I couldn't be sure. I hope no one knows abou

ained in speed as it left

half-hour that passed befo

and

r," was the just

rd anything? He made a great effort to become calmer. He had pulled the sail taut and fastened it. He now stood perfectly still, with the tiller in hi

eo sometimes by themselves, for Prudence, as Carolyn often said,

left the cabin; he knew that she was standing

he said, wit

stood. In a moment he sat down beside her. He wondered if he

w I was here

ail. I came down here; I met Leander

ted to b

said, with

udence exclaimed, "Oh,

es

y. Presently he asked, "Sh

you might

se we'll go b

he coldly suggested that, now they were out, they might

that she might be heard, "I hope you're not too

N

to blame. You know

now

spoke for a long time. Then Lawrenc

N

'm not Lor

lease

give me y

m, and was instantly crushed in his. He must still hold th

e-"he he

er whisper

a damnable thing? Why? Why? We mig

ly. He felt her shiver,

wards them, and then all

hed,-punished cruelly,-and I shall suffer all my li

uses between

to have me happy

n to the cadence sh

thing,-so that

y, and she sobbed hea

was it? It seemed as if time had been annihilated and he was back to that day when she had said she loved him. And how he had loved her!-as the cataract rushes over the cliff; the old trite comparison was the true one. At the meeting of their lips the torrent rushed ove

to meet. It was a blessed chance,-oh, a blesse

flung from her all the self-control

im, he felt, that was stronger than everything besides. This conviction went to his head; i

, that he should have found her in

cloud just overhead sent down a dash of w

he continued to keep control of the rudder. He tried to think a

Carolyn? Why, his whole heart belonged to this woman who was

thing that he ought to say, but

ws,-some ship swinging at anchor. Vaguely Lawrence heard a man on t

horror, he thought of that picture of Francesca and her lover flying always through trackless ai

are

sense of duty; but duty appeared to be something indefinite and very far away; and then perh

to turn towar

impossible to do. She was looking at him with eyes whose beau

her stil

me to turn?

a slight shudder go through her fr

he same half-tone, close to her cheek,

the two. Far ahead, but growing brighter, a lin

ssed still n

e cried; "but I can'

in?" He spoke rapidly; there was a note of

id; "we will ne

lightly, then put he

added, as he held his burden tightly, "I can't let you go. N

picture of Carolyn's face from coming suddenly and clearly b

fore Prudence lifted her

g eyes could see bonfires on the beach, and children feeding the fl

you going?"

ay. Somewhere where there's a

ust make some

ake th

m wind between ocean and sky, and with no one but you,-no one but you." She rep

I not prove

seems the voice of passion itself; "and as for me-

t his watch; it was ten o'clock. The breeze was abating, and he su

," he said, "we can make Sal

o deftly helped her companion with t

the bows. Its rays fell on the girl's face. It was radiantly, excitedl

ia sails to-mo

d her words would hurt, but she ha

h Lawrence had engaged pas

that the plan would soon present itself to him as the most feasible. Lawrence would go a

done better if she had known Rodney was coming down to the boat that nigh

ngly, gently, and yet with power. Her face showed love, u

iolence, "Prudence, do you guess how I must love you? Do you g

the decreasing wind, some indefinite, curi

usly. "What can that b

vely, "don't let's be supers

w? Is he

out if Devil had any sea-legs. The crow perched on the back of

what we shal

e before we l

tia-they are a

lling him,-taking him away and letting him go back, and tyi

him and bringing out his form in a curious, uncanny way. He made a harsh noise,

out her hand

hat are you thinking w

hich both had been feeling. The crow

him?" she asked. "Don't yo

nd of men swearing-a blow on the Vireo-a rush of black waters-another sound as of the

caught Pruden

as in the water, that Prudence was floating easily on his

quickly, "I'm sure

d, quite calmly, "

ck bulk a few rods away; and then a light fell on the water from a