The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-05-30

breasted, but within his own heart
things were at terribly low ebb.
Nearer and faster came the rattle OF
the wheels uill then there swept past
him, at their best gait, the new team OF
Murray Nesbitt and Nellie Martin her
self was sitting beside the handsome
driver. She seemed to be looking up at
him, too, with more of earnestness and
emotion i'll her face then Jack Loutrel
had ever seen there. True, it was but a
glimpse he caught as they flashed past
him but he cared no longer who might
see him in his forlorn predicament, and
sprang over into the road to make the
best of his way to the hotel
That had been an eventful morning
for Nellie Martin. 1t was long drive
that Murray Nesbitt had planned for
her, and that, too, not without n pur-
pose of his own. The swift motion was
a good thing for Nellie, and aided
amazingly in restoring the tone of her
somewhat ruflled spirits but, for all
that, she was more silent, and in IL
manner more suhdued than Murray had
ever known her before. How could he
have given up so good and so hopeful
not and Nellie heard him to the end in
such humble quietude, that Muir
rays heart throbbed quick aud fast,
with glow of coming triumph.
They were not driving very fast just
then, but were coming out upon the
seaward slope of "The View"
Nellie's face had been half-averted,
and there was dreamy look in her eyes
that her companion did not see. Sud-
denly she exclaimed, with sort of half
electric start:
"Where is the rock : Why, it is
nothing but foam and how the wind
is blowing"
"Oh, that rock" he said, coolly.
"Why, that's nothing. he water has
been over it this half hour
Home. home! Drive back TO the
hotel instantly gasped Nellie. "Oh
if anything has happened to him |
left him on the rock without a boat ~
Even Murray's disappointment did
not prevent his obeying so serious an
injunction, and OH they sped, past Jack
Loutrers ambush, little dreaming that
he would come striding on behind them.
1t was short drive, long Us it seemed
to Nellie's conscience-stricken haste
and she ran breathlessly from the car
riage to the beach.
Careful hands had hauled the boats
up high and dry, for the waves were
chasing one another i'll a rough and
tumble that WIS momentarily becoming
more boisterous.
No one seemed at hand to help, and
Nellie's own fair hands were quickly
tugging vainly at one of the gayly-
painted wherries.
"Wait a moment, miss" shouted be-
hind her the voice of the boat keeper.
why, yer into the water yourself.
rou 'uo1fI wnnV =" -~.-- ---l - III -h"+
sea 7"
"Oh! but we must save him. l left
him on the rock :"
Just then, q long, crested, splashing
wave died away from around her feet,
and left behind it, on the sand, a round,
water-soaked chip hat. Nellie saw it,
and covered her face with her hands,
for now she knew that Jack Loutrel
was not upon the rock.
As for Murray Nesbitt, by this time
he measurably comprehended the situa-
ton, or thought he did, and insisted on
doing his uttermost to get one or more
of the boats into the water, having it in
mind to row all over the cove in search
of any hope of aiding his unfortunate
rival while poor Nellie, after a few
moments, mechanically picked up the
wave-tossed wreck of hat, and turned
back toward the hotel, without vouch-
safing word of explanation to the
curious and anxious inquirers, who were
now rapidly hurrying down to the
water-side. So general, in fact, was the
exodus, that when Nellie entered the
veranda, she found it altogether deserted.
On she walked, like one in dream;
but at the further end, toward the road,
tall form, clad in garments that clung
forlornly close to their wearer, passed
stiffiy by her, as if it had been one who
knew her not.
"Oh, Jack :" exclaimed Nellie, and
she grasped him hard by the arm as she
spoke. "Jack Loutrel is it you: Jack,
here's your hat"
Jack had turned upon her pale, re-
proachful, almost stormy face but
Nellie's blue eyes were streaming with
tears, and her lips, that had been so
willful, were quivering as they nevor
had before.
"Oh, Jack if you had not come
ashore, l should have died p
Nellie Nellie Martin !"
"Yes, Jack; found it out all at once,
when l saw there was nobody on the
rock. And, then-oh when thought
nothing but your hat-Please forgive
me, dear Jack"
Alas! for Murray Nesbitt The glory
of his new team had departed, for Jack
Loutrel had got his answer.