The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-26

you'll find it. "A lady dropped a pa
per-a letter-into the river, and IL
must get it for her. Back in a minute"
There was no mistaking the expression
of the intruder's eyes, or the frank tone
of his voice. The other young man
smiled. |
"All right" said he; "you'il confess 1t
looked awkward. Get in; I'll shove her
out. Can you manage herS She's not
of the tub order" i
"You're very good. Can manage her!
Ratherp
He took her gently out with two care
fully-calculated strokes, and then slanted
down with the stream with wary touch
to the right now and then till she was
straight. An upset here would have
been disastrous; and she was built tor
speed-not for safety.
When he had given a few vigorous
strokes, and had left the villa far behind
him, he was horribly disappointed to see
no traces of the paper anywhere. This
was puzzling. Either the current was
very much more rapid than he had
imagined, or he had wasted more time
than he thought. He stopped padding;
and after allowing for the impetus to die
away, found that he was leaving trees
and other landmarks, quickly behind
him. The current had therefore carried
the bit of paper long way in that short
time. Here the river was broad, but
some way ahead Of him it was divided in
to two channels by long island. The
right channel led to the weir, the left to
the lock.
"Of two things s-one," thought he.
"Either that bit of paper has had the
gumption to 60 straight to the lock-in
which case | shall probably find it
stopped by the gates-or it has been
idioiic enough to go over the weir, In
which case / must go after it, confound
it! That will be a nuisance, seeing that
I don't know anything at all about this
particular weir, Or how much water may
be going over it at the present moment,
and if there's any water on the lower side,
or only stones. Because, though sup
pose I've a right to break NY own neck
if I like. mustn't break that mans
canoes back. Besides if the paper has
gone over the weir, should say it must
have become so much pulp by this time.
And I shall have hot walk home
and Miss Phoebe will laugh at me fol
my pains, and think me a meddlins
idiot"
, Anyhow, he first went to the lock, and
there he found against the CRATES large
;, collection of river-weed, straw, twigs
dry leaves swans feathers anything bu
: higbly-glazed, monogrammed paper
such as had fallen from lovely PhGb
Munniss's careless fingers There wer
people about here, too, belonging to tn
LIGHTHOUSE. and two or three pairs o
! ewes to stare at the strange apparition 0
a strange gentleman in Mr.. Pettigrew'
y racing canoe, who came right up to tn
J very gates, not to 60 through them, bu
!, TO poke about in the rubbish that ha
accumulated behind them with the en-
!, of his paddle, and very eager face; hi
Is search being unsuccessful, backing care
fully until he had space to turn, and the
u making off again up the river as quick
; as he had come down it.
When he reached the end Of the Ions
6 narrow island, which divided the we
: from the lock, and ON which the loci
u house stood, he rounded the point, an
went down little way toward the wei
|! Here the channel was wide, but the GU
/ rent was very strong toward tine middle
y and anything but sluggish at the bank
and there was roar of falling water.
g eli Hip cried voice, and
man came running after him along tn
l. bank. He stopped the canoe with
u strobe or two backward, for the voie
=, was urgent.
I'll "You can't take her over there" erie
9 the man.
ss "ampossible9 I was going to see abor
q it."
d swell, you can't. There is too muc
e of everything for that canoe-water all
,e stones, too. She's too long"
Is By this time Paul Lescar had backe
IL toward the land, and the man can
down to him.
VI 81 wonder Mr.. Pettigrew didn't te
- you that sir"
le "He had no time. Well, I don't ca
u about going any further. l only want'
- to follow something that think b
ID gone over the weir before me. You didn
e. happen to see bit Of note-paper pass
70 hereabouts a little while ago, d
40 - youw .....
~ ~ He watched the mans face as he sa
10 this, fully aware of the absurdity Of d
~ ~ question, and quite ready for laug
p but to his surprise, the man showed no
70 himself. and answered: ?
oe "Ah! a bit Of white stiffish paper. site
n n ing up like a sail, as it might be?"
" " eyes, yes; you don't mean to say
n0 "Bit of paper size of tea-cup-
- breakfast-cup, you might say?"
We "Yes. yes; has it"
~ "'Bout minute-minute and half
az two minutes ago." a
n "Yes-well, where is itF "
u "Ah! I noticed it particular-it's go
oi clean over"