Flood Tide

Eldridge to make his appearance and finding that his crony did not make his appearance, Willie r

multi-paned window of the shed. "Much as I'm longin' to go ahead with this model, Bob, before I go f

eturned Bob. "I'll work while you're gone.

ur shoulders. 'Tain't as if you'd come to Wilton to spend your time workin'. Celestina hinted last evenin' she was afraid you bid fair to get but mighty

ound the shop with you, Mr. Spence. I'd far rather you took me into what you're doing than left me out. Besides, I don't intend to

er spirit. If you'll just feel free to pull out when you please it will take

I promi

I must say you're about the best feller ever was to come

chaos of tools, the old man moved unwillingly t

we're doin' 'til next week if I had my choice; still, things bein' as they are, mebbe it's as well not to

le he waved his h

rolled up his sleeves and to a brisk whistle

catboat, with sails close-hauled, was making her way out of the channel, a wake of snowy foam churning behind her in the blue water. Through the door of the shed

rom magazines and newspapers. Likenesses of Lincoln and Roosevelt flanked the windows with an American flag above them, and a series of battleships and army scenes beneath. The inventor's taste, however, had not run entirely to patriotic subjects, for scattered along the walls, where shel

soap box were suggestively placed. But perhaps what told an observer more about Willie Spence than did anything else was a bunch of rarely beautiful

with it in a mad orgy of delight. A shadow, a string, a flicker of metal was the signal for a frolic. Let one's mood be austere as a monk's, with a single twist of her absurdly tiny body this small creature shattered its gravity to atoms. There was no such thing as dignity in Jezebel's presence. Already three times Bob

sprite gently. "What do you thin

d at him out of h

t off the next thing you know," went o

floor, aimed her toward the doorwa

only to come suddenly into collision with a stranger who had cro

ace a half childish, half pouting expression. But it was in her eyes that one forgot all else,-eyes large, brown, and softly deep, with a quality that held the glance compellingly. Her gown of thin pink material dampened by the sea air c

prit before she could make her escape and placing her in the warm curve of

stared. So di

tantalizing enough; but in combination with the creature who stood laughing on the

nce, for instead of addressing him, she continued to to

ithout glancing up, "that Jezebel grows

her she sensed what a thrice-blessed kitten she was. It did flash through his mind as he stood there that the two possessed a bewitching, irresistible something in common, a something he was

se her eyes and look at him inquiringly. Then he saw a tremor of

she gasped. "I thou

he Eldredges'. I'm expecting him

iful as they lay in a fringe against her cheek, yet e

n managed to stammer, feeling some explanation might

O

against the background of budding apple trees, with a shaft of sunlight on her hair, and the kitt

hed while she continued to cares

g?" she asked at length,

hope so," Bob answere

ke Wilt

endou

lace has great beauty," obs

I ever saw before in all my life," burst

tener d

elicately arched brows. "You are enth

parts

se have y

me with disturb

y. As he named the list he was conscious that it smacked rather too suggestively o

you?" he suggested, eager

th his handkerchief, he dragged it for

bel, roused into playful humor, thrust forth her claws and, encountering Bob as h

m seemed hopeless. It apparently failed to dawn on either of the young persons brought into such embarrassingly close contact by the dilemma that the kitten could be handed over to Bob; or that the tie might be removed. Instead th

ie all to pieces,"

t mind, if she doe

ou can hold her a second longer,

atch the fragrant perfume of her hair. So far as he was concerned, Jezebel might retain her hold on hi

he

he offending kitten w

the man, smiling down at th

tically. "There she goes, the imp! What

right, t

ead ruffed up. I could

but as she did so a spray of w

r flowers," said Bo

They are withered,

she began to draw into smoothness t

d critically to one side. "That is ever so much better. You would har

d me at all," contrad

"I've certainly delayed you. Besides, it

something I c

just came to see if he could fix the clasp of my belt buckle. It is broken, a

me se

't think of t

could. If not, I could at least han

laug

Willie's skill is super

a test case

she he

r property to me," Bob said

e quick response. "Se

white leather to which a handsome silver bu

ning and looked with beating pu

an be mended?" she

urse i

'm so

nd you shall have it

ou see," she went on, "it was given me on my birthday by my-my-by

e telltale solitaire. Even though his search was not rewarded, he felt certain that the hand concealed in the folds of her dress wore the fatal ring. Of course, mused he, with a shrug, he might have guessed it. No such bea

p he had discovered the manufacturer's name. If the buckle could not be repaired, another of similar pattern should replace it. Unquestionably he was a fool to go to this trouble and expense for nothing. Yet was it quite for nothing? Was it not worth while to win even a

s Morton-B

t be the son of Au

t Ti

in the ravishing dimple a

ed. "I just call her that because I am so

rounded the corner of the shed and entered the room. "Delight-as I live! I mi

into her blushing face while she bent and spread

back before I had gone!" she said, ar

had I known you were here," declared he af

inket dangling from R

e Zenas Henry gave me," she confessed with contrition. "How do you supp

ver a little thing like that. 'Tain't worth it. Break all the buckles ever was

ton says

ilton, he'd be cuttin' me all out. So you an' he have been gettin' acquainted, eh, while I was gone? That's right. I want he should kn

on Cape Cod," observed Delight, darting a misch

. Somebody's got to show him all the sights. Mebbe if y

ld be g

presentiment that she was laughing at him, and even the farewell she flashed to him over h

ped, when he had wat

it never dawned on me to introduce you to her. I thought of course you knew already who she was. Everybody in town knows Delight Ha

O

break in on Bob

r-boat we're tinkerin' w

s

dered he had furnished all the data necessary, for instead of enlarging

et ahead much while I was gone," he ventured

I did

r," the little old man went on. "Ja

n did not re

he at length ruminated aloud. "Somethin

haps

dridge from crown to heel, an' it ain't

b said in an attempt to comfort the disquiete

ried treasure; or of the ultimate salvation of the damned, t

calamity. Wilton was a paradise like the first Eden-a garden

en, sensing that Willie was still unconvi

ldn't come back, I guess you a

ungster," was the retort. "But who's goin' to s

ally to the begin

red roses in his hand. "You-you see," he went on, endeavoring to speak in off-hand

rrupted Wil

or me to stay here until we

an until the

n't take to

is hands together. "Under those conditions we'll pitch

ton looked

gh at a pace like that," he said, fumbling awkwardly with the flow

for you to go home-that you had important business i

as the sanguine response. "A piece of work like this would give me

cheeks, his averted eye and the drooping blossoms in

r experience, take it by an' large, I ain't sure but what you'll ge