As he pushed out from shore and set his sail small breeze that blew down north, an absolute contentment possessed him The idle waters lagoon, lying without tide or current in eternal indolence, rippled and sparkled in breeze and sunlight with merry surface activity, and seemed to lap the leaky little boat more swiftly on its way Mosquito Inlet opened broadly before him, and skirting the end of Merritt's Island at last into that longest lagoon, most familiar, the Indian River Here the wind died down to mere breath, which barely kept his boat in motion; but no attempt to row As long as he moved at all, satisfied living the fulfilment dreams in exile, lounging stern ancient clothes he had purchased, his feet stretched comfortably before him in their broken shoes, one foot upon thwart, the other hanging overside so laxly that occasional ripples lapped the run-over heel he scanned shore and river for familiar points of interest--some remembered snag that showed the tip of one gnarled branch Or he marked newly fallen palmetto, already rotting water, be added map of vast detail that he carried head But most part his broad black face was turned blue brilliance above him in unblinking contemplation; his keen eyes, brilliant despite their sun-muddied whites, reveled heights above him, swinging from horizon to horizon wake of an orderly file of little bluebill ducks, winging their way across the river, or brightening with interest rarer sight of pair of mallards or redheads, lifting soaring circles great bald-headed eagle, or following the scattered squadron of heron--white heron, blue heron, young and old, trailing, sunlit, brilliant patches, clear even against the bright white and blue sky above them

Often he laughed aloud, sending great shout of mirth across the water in fresh relish comedies best known and best enjoyed as excruciatingly funny as it had ever been, when his boat nosed its way into great flock of ducks idling water, the mad paddling haste nearest him, the reproachful turn heads, or, if too near, their spattering run out of water, feet and wings pumping together rose surface, looking for all the world like fat little women, scurrying with clutched skirts across city streets The pelicans, too, delighted him perched with pedantic solemnity upon wharf-piles, or sailed in hunched and huddled gravity twenty feet above the river's surface in swift, dignified flight, which always ended suddenly in an abrupt, up-ended plunge that threw dignity winds in its greedy haste, and dropped them crashing water

When darkness came suddenly at last, in toward shore, mooring warm-fretted end of fallen and forgotten landing straggling orange-grove was here, broken lines of vanquished cultivation, struggling little trees swathed and choked festooning gray moss, still showing here and there the valiant golden gleam of fruit Gideon had seen many such places, had seen settlers come and clear themselves space jungle, plant their groves, and live for while in lazy independence; and then for some reason or other go, and had scarcely turned their backs, the jungle had crept in again, patiently restoring its ancient sovereignty The place was eery ghost of dead effort; but it pleased him

fire and cooked supper, eating enormously and with relish His conscience trouble him at all Stuhk own career seemed already distant; they took small place thoughts, and served merely as background present absolute content He picked some oranges, and ate them in meditative enjoyment For while he nodded, half asleep, beside his fire, watching the darkened river, where the mullet, shimmering with phosphorescence, still leaped starkly above the surface, and fell in spattering brilliance Midnight found him sprawled asleep beside his fire

Once he awoke The moon had risen, and little breeze waved the hanging moss, and whispered glossy foliage of orange and palmetto with sound like falling rain Gideon sat up and peered about him, rolling his eyes hither and thither menacing leap and dance jet shadows His heart was beating thickly, his muscles twitched, awful terrors of night pulsed and shuddered over him Nameless specters peered at him from every shadow, ingenerate familiars wild, forgotten blood He groaned aloud in delicious terror; and presently, still twitching and shivering, fell asleep again something magical had happened; his fear remembered the fear of centuries, and yet warm daylight was absolutely forgotten

He got up little after sunrise, and went down river to bathe, diving deep with joyful sense of freeing himself last alien dust of travel Once ashore again, however, he began his breakfast with some haste first time journey feeling sense of loneliness and longing kind still happy, but his laughter began to seem strange to him solitude He tried the defiant experiment of laughing effect of it, an experiment which brought him feet in startled terror; laughter was echoed As he stood peering about him, the sound came again, not laughter , but suppressed giggle human beyond doubt Gideon's face shone with relief and sympathetic amusement; he listened for moment, and then strode surely forward toward clump of low palms There he paused, every sense alert His ear caught soft rustle, little gasp of fear; the sound of foot moved cautiously

"Missy," tentatively, "I reckon yo'-all's come jes 'bout 'n time foh breakfus Yo' betteh have some Ef yo' ain' too white to sit down with black man "

The leaves parted, and smiling face as black as Gideon's own regarded him in shy amusement

" yo', man ? "

"I mought be king of Kongo," he laughed, "but I ain't Yo' see befo' yo' jes Gideon--at yo'r 'steemed sehvice " He bowed elaborately mock humility of assured importance, watching her face in pleasant anticipation

But neither awe nor rapture dawned there She repeated the name, inclining her head coquettishly; but it evidently meant nothing to her She was merely trying its sound "Gideon, Gideon I don' call to min' any sech name ez that Yo'-all's f'om up No'th likely " beyond the reaches of fame

"No," said Gideon, hardly knowing whether glad or sorry--"no, I live south of heah What-all's yo' name ? "

The girl giggled deliciously

"Man," she said, "I shu got the mos' reediculoustest name you eveh did heah They call me Vashti--yo' bacon's bu'nin' " She stepped out, and ran past him to snatch his skillet deftly fire

"Vashti"--a strange and delightful name Gideon followed her slowly Her romantic coming and her romantic name pleased him; and, too, he thought her beautiful She was scarcely more than girl, slim and strong and almost own height She was barefooted, but her blue-checked gingham was clean and belted smartly about small waist He remembered woman who ran as lithely as she did, numerous "diving beauties" vaudeville stage

She cooked their breakfast, but he served her with an elaborate gallantry, putting forward all his new and foreign graces, garnishing his speech with imposing polysyllables, casting about their picnic breakfast radiant aura of grandeur borrowed recent days fame And that he pleased her, and with her open admiration essayed still greater flights of polished manner

vague plans for delaying his journey sat smoking in pleasant conversational ease; and when an interruption came it vexed him

"Vashty ! Vashty ! " woman's voice sounded thin and far away "Vashty-y ! Yo' heah me, chile ? "

Vashti rose to her feet with sigh

"That's my ma," she said regretfully

"What do yo' care ? " asked Gideon "Let her yell awhile "

The girl shook her head

"Ma's moughty pow'ful 'oman, and she done got club 'bout the size o' my wrist " She moved off step or so, and glanced back at him

Gideon leaped feet

"When yo' comin' back ? Yo'--yo' ain' goin' without----" He held out his arms to her, but she only giggled and began to walk slowly away With bound after her, one hand catching her lightly shoulder suddenly that not lose sight of her

"Let me go ! Tu'n me loose, yo' ! " The girl was still laughing, but evidently troubled She wrenched herself away with an effort, only caught again moment later She screamed and struck at him as he kissed her; for now she was really in terror

The blow caught Gideon squarely mouth, and force that he staggered back, astonished, while the girl took wildly to her heels He stood for moment irresolute, for something was happening to him For months he had evaded love with gentle embarrassment; now, savage crash blow, unreasoningly that he had found his woman

He leaped after her again, running as he run in years, in savage, determined pursuit, tearing through brier and scrub, tripping, falling, rising, never losing sight blue-clad figure before him until at last she tripped and fell, and he stood panting above her

great breath or so, and leaned over and picked her up arms, where she screamed and struck and scratched at him He laughed, for no longer sensible to pain, and, still chuckling, picked his way carefully back shore, wading deep water to unmoor his boat Then with swift movement he dropped the girl bow, pushed free, and clambered actively aboard

The light, early morning breeze had freshened, and out well toward the middle river, never even glancing around sound hallooing he now heard from shore His exertions had quickened his breathing, but strong and joyful Vashti lay huddle of blue bow, crouched in fear and desolation, shaken and torn with sobbing; but no effort to comfort her untroubled by any sense of wrong; simply and unreasoningly satisfied with what he had done Despite all his gentle, easygoing, laughter-loving existence, nothing incongruous or unnatural sudden act of violence aglow with happiness; taking home wife The blind tumult of capture had passed; great tenderness possessed him

The leaky little boat was plunging and dancing in swift ecstasy of movement; all the little waves ran glittering sunlight, plashing and slapping against the boat's low side, tossing tiny crests following wind, showing rifts of white here and there, blowing handfuls of foam and spray Gideon went softly business of shortening his small sail, and came quietly back steering-seat again Soon making for what lea the western shore offered; but holding middle river as long as , because with every mile the shores were growing more familiar, calling to him what speed Vashti's sobbing had grown small and ceased; he wondered if she had fallen asleep

Presently, however, her face raised--a face still shining with tears She saw that watching her, and crouched low again dash of spray spattered over her, and she looked up frightened, glancing fearfully overside; then once more her eyes came back to him, and she got up, still small and crouching, and made her way slowly and painfully down the length boat, until at last Gideon moved aside for her, and she sank bottom beside him, hiding her eyes in her gingham sleeve

Gideon stretched out broad hand and touched her head lightly; and with tiny gasp her fingers stole up

"Honey," said Gideon--"Honey, yo' ain' mad, is yo' ? "

She shook her head, not looking at him

"Yo' ain' grievin' foh yo' ma ? "

Again she shook her head

"Because," said Gideon, smiling down at her, "I ain' got no beeg club like she has "

soft and smothered giggle answered him, and Vashti looked up and laid her head against him with small sigh of contentment

Gideon felt very tender, , at peace with himself and all the world He rounded jutting point, and stretched out black hand, pointing