The Call of the South

e ride on the mighty river. Mrs. Phillips and her daughters were to leave for home

the stream, Summer gave notice that in thirty days Nature must find another tenant; and a taste of chill in the air was Winter's advance ag

h, air or sky. It was more as if a strong man was risen from drowsy sleep and stretching his muscles and breathing a fresh air into his lungs for a day of

As with easy strokes he sent the canoe through the water he drank in the fresh beauty of Elise as an invigorating draught. She was so en rapport with the morning and the sunlight and the life

without the coarse obtrusion of muscle. She accredited the easiness of his movements to the smooth water, in which he had kept the canoe because of his desire to be as little distracted as possible from contemplation of Elise's charms and graces. The swing of his body and arms was as graceful as if he had learned it from a d

rsational compass. At the moment she had been so clearly impressed with his almost feminine gracefulness the conversation was taking a dangerous swerve, she thought; and for a minute she was at a loss

aid. "What a pity we couldn't have one

o go there?" a

nnot attempt it without an experienced canoe-man. It

esent the intimation that he was not equal to the business of putting her across the racing water between th

age," he continued. "Not because it is so very dangerous, I suppose, b

the other side, can't they? It s

d has many rocks to smash the canoe. Even going from this side I would prefer to leave y

t of the danger," said Elise, without any sinister purpose; but Rutledge rec

er," he replied. "If the argument does not

the challenge in his eyes and half by her subconsci

ledge remarked as he turned

lise in mingled surprise and pity. "I certai

ard the rapids. "My cowardice is in permitting you to bully me into

ge, then, whether you choose danger or a

for courage by a trick of words, words would be inadequate, of course, to defend him from the imputation. There was no chance now to convince her, he thought, save to try the passage. So, despis

reless strength. A wave rolling over a sunken rock rushed upon them with a gurgle and swash and passed under the canoe with a heave and splash that tilted them uncomfortably and threw a hatful of water

we go

e girl a

aring it, but the current was becoming boisterous and they were drifting faster and faster down-stream. Swifter water and rougher met the canoe at every paddle-stroke. Rutledge

uch discomfiture she was as yet uncertain. She was drenched with water from the slapping waves and the swiftly flying paddle, which was Rutledge's only weapon against the wrath of the river. She saw in his

ng the bullying rocks. She heard Rutledge stifle a cry as he sent the canoe out with a back-stroke that almost threw her overboard, and the rioting current slammed them past a jagged vicious-looking rock

as much of will as of muscle, he shoved the canoe's nose up agains

the island, dropped the paddle in the canoe, grabbed the mooring chain and jumped for the land. He jumped and alighted unsteadily but without further mishap than so far capsizing the canoe that it shipped enough water to more than half submerge it and threaten to sink it. With his effort to

" the young woman aske

" inquired

are dying

answered Rut

d Elise with a gasp. "To presume I would

r you," said Rutled

sumption become unbearable! You know very well, Mr. S

ld you-so-

en to another word. Your pers

I'll not offend again;" and he turned to take a look at the f

he defensive against her own heart. One fact alone, however, would justify her deliberation: that she was not certain of her own mind. F

lem which was of more immediate interest to her than the question of how

e river and made him understand, I think, that we have lost our paddle. At any rate he put off toward the hotel at great speed, and will be down with another canoe I hope before you become ti

d in his speech. She could be as coldly polite as any occasion demanded; but, believing that she had effectually put

you learned to handle a canoe. I did

ace she gave him at her feet. "I was neve

much of credulity. One surely cann

th the primitive dugout or pirogue. I have used one of those on my father's Pacolet plantation since I was a boy. The dugout is made by hollowing out a section of a tree

lood?-a worse flood t

Pacolet some years ago, when railroad bridges, mill dams, saw-mills, cotton mills, houses, barns, cotton bales, lumber, ca

scription is only awful, not interesting. Many were the incidents of heroism and hairbreadth escapes and unspeakable calamity which he related; and he told the stories with such vividne

ds that burned and glowed and crackled with the fire that could stir only an eye-witness or an actor in the unstudied drama he was reproducing, she would clothe the hero with Rutledge's form, identify his distinctive gestures and movement and catch even the tones of h

an adrift on a cabin-top from going over Pacolet Dam Number 3, where so many unfortunates went down and came not up again; but at no time could Elise infer from his speech that he was the hero of hi

finally aroused to know whether by any artifice she might induce him to tell of his own exploits, which his very reticence persuaded her must be many and interesting, and she brought all her powers into play to draw him out: but to no purpose. She refrai

e nor despair. The glamour of her day-dreams made the reading of her heart's message uncertain. Rutledge had not the glittering accessories that attended the wooer of her visions; and yet as he talked to her she was mentally placing him in every picture her mind drew of the future, an

, who was approaching them from almost directly up-stream. His canoe was doing a grapevine dance as he pu

saw where Rutledge had pulled his canoe out of the water

int designated by Jacques as the place for leaving it. He had no desire to stay longer since all

es in explaining the course by which they were to return, t

ledge. The return was a simple matter of dropping off from the far side of the island, floating down a fe

were ready, "perhaps you had better tak

the honour, and turned to pull

said to Rutledge. "I

bottom of the river. He handed her into his canoe with a tenderness that was eloquent; and Jacques, seeing thr

st. Follow

was convinced that such skill had not gone to waste at the Pacolet flood. As she looked at him when the rough water was past and he was send

hurry to dress for her train. Rutledge walked beside her down the long hall of the hotel, and at

se! In heaven's n

e crowned Rutledge's life with all happiness, had not that glamour of her daydreams, fateful, insistent, overclouded and banished it

swer,"-and fled

ntial message which deserved no reply. He could not get his mind to comprehend the import of it; and he was walking back down the hallway with a vexed frown u

ed apply, Mr. Rutle

istory of the morning's ride and the reason "why Mr. Rutledge is so grumpy." Little satisfaction did she get

ut heroes need app

of heroes?" asked