The Newtown bee., 1880-08-25

red, with one of the great bonnet like hats tied over her ears, so as to almost conceal her handsome face, and her pretty little white feet fairly glistened against the dark-brown of the drenched sands.
 :. Even then she drew back from his touch. and seemed inclined to run away. But he suddenly seized her in his arms, ran in waist-deep with her behind a re- screaming protests, and the next instant 8 great header came combing and top bling in, bHrying them out of sight just as they managed to seize the rope, and when they reappeared he was lau yhing boisterously, while she resignedls kept her place, though still shrinking from contact with him.
 :" So, says I to myself, it wasn't the water she was afraid of so much as of the man.
 ssJust then the little girl came skip ping down to the waters edge, crying out in high glee at recognizing her mother in the surf, and tossing her bucket and spade about as she retreated nevertheless, overtopped her tiny gaiters before she could get beyond their reach.
 The lady waved her hand, little sadly, thought, toward the child, and was then dragged out considerably fur ther along the rope by her companion. The latter being capital swimmer then left her in peace, and began to swim pretty far out. Indeed, he was making such bold wide circuits beyond the out ermost cork attachment to the rope, that l, laying my hand on Zjp's collar, was about to shout out warning to him oDr I0 T when l saw him beginning to swim swiftly in shore again, as though he had just recognized some one op the sands.
 ' Just at this moment gentleman passed me on his way into the water, and l felt instinctively that it was he, the recognition or appearance of whom had caused the bold swimmer to so sud denly change his mind and take the back track for the shore.
 'sHe was tall, handsome, abstracted- looking man, of middle age.and a gentle man every inch of him, by his walk and bearing, in spite of the miserable, ill., fitting old bathing costume they had palmed off on him.
 ssHe seemed to be unaware of the presence of any other bather on this particular rope, for the lady was pretty far out, with her back turned toward him, and it was question whether he could have made out her features in any event, ] ust then, they were so over shadowed by the overhanging coal scuttle hat, which every now and then the white-caps toppled over. making her look like 8 mermaid in the waves.
 The little girl, though, who was still playing near at hand, attracted his momentary attention as he was abont entering the water, and thought saw him give a painful start and mutter something to himselfupon observing her, as uIoush Sl>S .sairht have suggested some troubled recollection or fesem- blance of the past.
 That was all, though. Then he steadily out along the rope toward the lady, with that firm footed ease of an experienced bather.
 A vague anticipation I cannot exactly define-caused me to keep my eyes riveted upon the group composed of the two on the rope and the swimmer beyond, who was slowly but surely making his way to within wading distance of the beach.
 ''I hardly think that the last conner -the absent-minded gentleman was well aware of the lady's proximity until he was within a few feet of her. Sud denly, however, he made the discovery, and saw him start back, as though to place 8 greater distance between them, perhaps out of a gentlemanly regard for her sense of modesty.
 He must have uttered an exclama- tion as he did so, for simultaneously the lady turned toward him, her head and bosom rising gracefully over smooth incoming swell, while just then her hat blew off, leaving her handsome face and pretty blonde head exposed to view
 4 wild cry of recognition burst from the lips of both at one breath.
 .'s Henryt she screamed.
 sts Louisar he cried.
 And then the rolling water bore them together, and they were locked in each others arms.
 At this instant another cry, hoarse and terrible-that of the swimmer, who had regained the rope, and was strug- gling toward the pair, with fury and hatred in his dark face-rang out above the tumult of the waters. Oaths and curses were mingled with his shouts. He came swinging along upon Q tall wave's crest, and as the three came to- gether with sort of shock, saw him grasp the woman'S shoulder with one hand, and with the other strike her new companion blow that sent him stag oeTing back, though he managed to re- cover the rope in time to keep his feet.
 ssOh, let me go. He is my husband my dear husbandp screamed the woman, struggling vainly with the swimmer, who was dragging her furi- ously out into the deep water, while the man vho had been struck was courage ously endeavoring to reach her again.
 NouoY.f ,1Ireo un1I v raa Ysod <,r14 I, a,. captor. You shall be mine, or death s! I'll drown you before his eyes, sooner than let you return to him.
 | Help! help!' screamed the woman; he will drown mel
 "And then they all came together again by the action of the waters, the woman shrieking, the men striking des- perately st each other over her head and through the spray, and, as they had all lost hold of the rope, knew that it was but a question of time for them to be caught in the influence of the fatal un- dertow.
 Enoch! shouted to my assistant, who chanced, most fortunately, to be near at hand.
 And then, with my big life-preserver over my shoulder, and old Zip here at my heels, I dashed into the sea.
 In spite of my experience in running out, watching for chances with the back tow, and the like, the three strug glers were considerably beyond their depth, and the woman almost gone, by the time reached them.
 :. Let go of the womanr shouted, with an oath, to the swimmer, who was still endeavoring desperately to drag her from the others grasp and out to sea.
 His only reply being torrent ol curses, struck him with all my force between the eyes, which caused him to lose his grasp and drift q little to wind ward. Then, seeing the other man was nr- able to swim, tossed him the life- preserver, with g few words as to tlle best method of using 1t, and then took