Page:Raymond Spears--Diamond Tolls.djvu/60

 man's gasolene boat tied up—I 'lowed—I sure 'lowed he was a friend of yourn!"

"Oh," Delia smiled, enlightened. "Oh, no! He was no friend of mine"

"But he left his boat with you?"

"Yes, he kept right on going," Delia admitted, "but he left his boat."

"Lawse!" Mrs. Mahna exclaimed, staring at the self-possessed girl. "We 'lowed—we got to thinking like's not that scoundrel might harm you—we knowed him! Course, hit were none of our business, but we just dropped down. When I seen you sitting on the stern there, reading comfy, I knowed you was all right. Then the cruiser there—we 'lowed perhaps you-all'd taken a boarder or—or he was some friend or husband or something like that"

"No, nothing like that," Delia replied, keeping a composed countenance with difficulty. "Won't you come over? I would like to talk to you, Mrs. Mahna."

"All right," the river woman replied. "I'll sure come."

They had dropped their anchor a few yards distant, and Mrs. Mahna immediately crossed the open water in a little skiff that rocked at the end of a short line from the stern of their boat.

"I sure am glad I found you all right and well took care of," Mrs. Mahna declared. "You wa'n't no