Just as the sun was about sinking he approached a small wooded
island about half a mile from the boat-house, and was surprised to
notice a rowboat high and dry upon the beach. "Some one has
forgotten that the tide is going out," he thought, as he passed;
but it was no affair of his.
A voice called faintly, "Mr. Scofield!"
He started at the familiar tones, and looked again. Surely that
was Miss Madison standing by the prow of the stranded skiff! He
knew well indeed it was she; and he put his boat about with an
energy not in keeping with his former languid strokes. Then,
recollecting himself, he became pale with the self-control he
purposed to maintain, "She is in a scrape," he thought; "and calls
upon me as she would upon any one else to get her out of it."
Weariness and discouragement inclined him to be somewhat reckless
and brusque in his words and manner. Under the compulsion of
circumstances she who would never graciously accord him
opportunities must now be alone with him; but as a gentleman, he
could not take advantage of her helplessness, to plead his cause,
and he felt a sort of rage that he should be mocked with an
apparent chance which was in fact no chance at all.
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