Litchfield enquirer., 1880-10-14
THE RIVALS.
A ROMANCE OF ILFRACOMBE.

none that offer such attractions to the lover of
| the beautiful. Nowhere does the sea break on
| such bold rocks: nowhere are there such deep.
| clear pools, such lovely seaweed, such treas.
ures of sea-howers and anemones; nowhere
such hills to ramble on and climb over. In point
OF drives and excursions inland and along the
coast there are few places like it; but its great
glory is its sea and rocks, Its pools and sea-
weeds. Such. too was Gerald Mayfield's
opinion; and he appreciated it the more be-
cause he enjoyed the beauties and hunted for
| the seaweeds and auemOnes with Maud Hen
/ cage. They were not old acquaintance. Tt
was but fortnight since they had arrived up
| on the outside of the coach from Barnstaple
! together. So pleasant had been that Journey
to that young man that he had at once decided
to stay at the Grand Hotel, where Maud and
her mother were going to stop, instead of GO
ing into lodgings, as he had before intended.
Gerald Mayfield was junior partner In the
| house of Mayfield 81 Harper, Australian and
! Cape merchants. His father had been the
head OF the firm, and at his death Gerald, who
had just left college, came into the business
| He was now thirty, tall, strongly built man,
with quiet manner. Not handsome man, but
with good deal of character and resolution in
bis face. Until he saw Maud Heneage he had
never been really in love. He had always
supposed that ne should marry some day or
life. and had been but little in the society of
| women. During this fortnight he had been
almost constantly with Maud Heneage some
| times with her mother as a companion, some
| times with a party of three or four others
| from the hotel, occasionally by themselves, or
rather chaperoned only.by Mrs. Heneage, sic
| ting on the rocks in the distance, reading. By
| the end Of that time he loved her with all his
heart, but as yet he had hardly even begun to
wonder whether she would in time come to
| love him. ..r ....t
Before breakfast Gerald always went for his
swim, walking round to the cove, and coming
back by the row-boat across to the pier He
was strong swimmer, AID his custom was to
swim out through the mouth of the little inlet
into the rougher water outside One morn
ing bather went out lust before him, and
swan steadily seward. ''That fellow will
be getting into mess, - Gerald said to him.
self. 1.-The tide Is running up, and he will
find difficulty in getting back again." Keep
| ing hundred yards or so out, as was his Gus
tom, for about ten minutes, Gerald turned to-
ward the mouth of the cove not having given
| a second thought to the swimmer who had
preceded him. Just as he was opposite to the
| great rocks at the entrance he heard shout
far behind him. He stopped to listen, and
again the shout for help came distinctly to
his ears. q 'ri@@" .~'"
Il thought that fool would get into
scrape,' he muttered, turning round and max
| ing off with long, steady, even stroke in the
direction of the man, whose head he could see
nearly three hundred yards out giving loud
shout as he started to encourage him with the
knowledge that help was coming. He arrived
just IN time the swimmer was utterly ex-
hausted. and had lost both pluck and presence
of mind. Once he disappeared altogether, and
Gerald w irtv ST
thought that he would arrived too late. How
ever, he came up again, and splashed and
struggled wildly for a moment or two, but
was just sinking when Gerald arrived The
latter caught him by the arm, and the man
| strove desperately to throw his arm round
him.
keep quiet" Gerald said sternly. eff
you struggle III let you 60"
There was no installing the firmness of the
tone, or that the threat would be carried out.
The man ceased to struggle at once
That's right" Gerald said CHOW lie on
your. back; III take you by the hair and tow
you in as easily as possible" ..f.e
AS he spoke he looked round and saw the
boat coming out from the cove with its load of
bathers. He shouted at once, and an answer
ing shout came back and the boats head was
turned toward them. - ..
"That's all right" he said cheerfully to the
other. 'Now I'll tread water, .and you can
put your hand On my shoulder and keep your
mouth above water comfortable till the boat
comes up"
With the prospect of help close at hand the
man regained his courage, and was soon able
to dispense with Gerald's help and to support
himself until the boat came up, and he was
taken on board. Gerald swan gently back.
and by the time he reached the cove the man
had already begun to dress. Gerald's clothes
lay close to where he was sitting, for at H.
fracombe al fresco dressing is the rule,
the two or three little wooden boxes on wheels
being insufficient for 1.-THE of the bathers.
AS he approached, the man stood up and
held out his hand. .,.,.
Il owe you my life," he said; ''another
few seconds and should have gone under"
Yes; it was near shave for you," Gerald
answered. but there was no difficulty in
saving you ; it was not like jumping off
bridge for a shrieking woman, or into the sea
when a ship is running before gale. saved
your life certainly, but 1t was with no more
trouble and risk than if had been standing on
shore, and had thrown you rope.".
81 was fool to swim out 50 far" the man
said; "but have been out as far before.
suppose there was some sort of tide, for after
turned did not seem to make any way to-
ward shore" . o. =.
ITO tell you the truth" Gerald said, 81
thought you fool when saw you swimming
out. One ought never to go far from shore at
any OF these watering places till one has found
out all about the set Of the tide. There, now
You are dressed, should advise you to run
back at sharp pace, for your lips are blue,
and you look pinched all over, and drink a
strong cup of coffee directly you get in.''
Il will take your advice, !" the other said.
. But when can see you again? My name
is Gossett. and am at the big hotel.''
''My name is Mayfeld, and am staying
there, too" -8r, ar r., z.,.t-... SOS y
81 don't know why, butt don't like him"
Gerald said to himself as he looked after Cos
sett, as he went up the steep path from the
cove. ''They say that man you have saved
from drowning is sure to do you some harm
not that am fool enough to believe that, but
| don't like him. Somehow or other, I should
say he was shifty. But, there, dare say it's
prejudice, and that he is a good fellow enough
though certainly not strong man, any
way"
Physically, the man did not look strong,
and the world did not trouble itself as to his
mental strength. Paul Gossett was manager
OF the Metropolitan and Suburban Bank,
good position for a man Of his age. A popu-
lar man generally, with constant smile and a
gentle manner. Much liked by his Directors
and considered very eligible man indeed, at
Chaplain, where he lived
Gerald Mayfield went for sharp walk af-
ter his bath, and most of the visitors at the
hotel had finished breakfast when he went in.
Half AN hour later Mrs. Heneage and her
daughter came in dressed fora walk. As a
matter OF course, he took his hat. 9o .4}ia
"What are your plans for this morning ?"
81 do not feel equal to much walking this
morning, Mrs. Heneage, 80 think shall
sit down behind the Lantern rock. Maud will
stay there with me, and In the afternoon we
viii go along the. Tor walks" r..
''Very WE'LL" Gerald said; 81 will see YOU
comfortably seated, and then I shall go for a
walk inland, and be back to lunch - 80 .
Three minutes later, at turn of the walk
they came suddenly upon Paul Gossett
'Why. Mrs Heneage, this is indeed a
pleasure" he said, as he shook hands with
L mother and Honohfor xp;th