Flood Tide
Willie—that lovely silver buckle Zenas Henry gave me," she confessed with contrition.  "How do you suppose I could have been so careless? I have been heart-broken ever since." 

 "Nonsense! Nonsense!" cried the old man, patting her hand.  "Don't go grievin' over a little thing like that.  'Tain't worth it. Break all the buckles ever was made, but not your precious heart, my dear. Like as not the thing can be mended." 

 "Mr. Morton says it can." 

 "If Bob says so, it's as good as done already," replied Willie reassuringly.  "He's a great one with tools. Why, if he was to stay in Wilton, 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 know what nice folks we've got in Wilton 'cause it's his first visit to the Cape, an' if he don't like us mebbe he'll never come again." 

 "I thought Mr. Morton had visited other places on Cape Cod," observed Delight, darting a mischievous glance at the abashed young man opposite. 

 "No, indeed!" blundered Willie.  "He ain't been nowheres. Somebody's got to show him all the sights. Mebbe if you get time you'll take a hand in helpin' educate him." 

 "I should be glad to!" 

 Notwithstanding the prim response and her unsmiling lips, the young man had a discomfited presentiment that she was laughing at him, and even the farewell she flashed to him over her shoulder had a hectoring quality in it that did not altogether restore his self-esteem. 

 "Who is she?" he gasped, when he had watched her out of sight. 

 "That girl? Do you mean to say you don't know—an' you a-talkin' to her half the mornin'?" demanded the old man with amazement.  "Why, 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 Hathaway, an' loves her, too," he added softly.  "She's Zenas Henry's daughter, the one he brought ashore from the Michleen an' adopted." 

 "Oh!" 

 A light began to break in on Bob's understanding. 

 "It's Zenas Henry's motor-boat we're tinkerin' with now," went on Willie. 

 "I see!" 


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