Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-01-20

walSt-decp. MISS Warmer hau grown
more gracious.
"Go and swim, Ned" she commanded
with little laugh. 1--WE won't quarrel any
more.
Quarrel ?" he repeated. "You think L
would quarrel with you IT, as you have
told me. it has all been a mistahe-our
caring for each other-anl You really love
Fielding. do you think l wouldn't he man
enough to desire your welfare first Of all !:
Do YOU think | would let any memory OF
one year go--of last summer-however
precious, stand between you and Your hap
piness Z"
1--WE never live over again our last sum-
mers, she replied with some constraint
"You are right he echoed, in lower
tone almost too low to he audible above
the watcr-camor, 1--WE never live them over
There is only one thing l would
like to say TO you, Elma. You won't be
angry Ii is this: Be sure you know your
own mind.
"Youyou think l do not now?' she
questioned, sharply.
| tduuOt zen. i uOpc you WV '''A
men are wont to take such disappointmcnts
plilosophically. | do not think that Field
ing would.
Miss Mariners cheeks turned a shade
paler. Her duslly complexion had BLUSH
look
Are you getting chill?" cried Denton.
"Not Mt all. But don't see Harry any
| where. 1t is strange he should stay away
SO long"
| Denton put up his hand to shade his
eyes and looked out over the water. The
sun was dazzling.
| ~ do not see him either." he answered,
and continued to gaze.
"de is perfect swimmer" said the girl,
uneasily. "And he surely would not go
too far out
"Can you stay here alone?' Denton asked,
quickly, cor can you go in ashore by the
line? I'll look for him."
I'll go ashore" she had begun to say,
when he had plunged out through big
wave, and could no longer hear her.
She turned and slowly made her way
back, clinging ever to the sagging rope.
But she had not gone far, when some
thing checked her steps and caused her TO
turn sharply and face seward.
A wild cutlery that for an instant made
her heart stand still A bitter cry, and
sudden hoarse shouts. Then the beach
blackened with men and women by thou
sands other than the bathers.
"NIan drowning.' That was all. That
was the awful cry.
| Elma Mariner standing statue like. with
eyes straining to know the worst, could not
even feel the water that Tapped her ankles.
She was incapable of feeling anything;
cold as ice; frozen from head to foot. For
now she knew-half intuitivelv, half by
circumstances-tha Harry Fielding was
out there beyond reach of the boldest, and
going down to his death.
She could not stir. She could only stand
| there feeling frozen.
The shouts of outcries constantly in
creased. until the hubbub was maddening,
it seemed to her And still she stood there,
with capability for just one agonized idea:
eff could only swim!'
| Harry Fielding, her lately avowed lover,
the man who had weaned her heart from
Edwin Denton. Harry out there, battling,
struggling. dying
| She fancied she saw his arms flung up
for the last last time: then-hush! Why
was that out there? Could she see the
CLEAN of orange and a paler blue than salty
waters? Why should they cheer? Was it
because another lisked his life to save he1
lovers? Was it because Ned Denton had
not waited, had not hesitated, had gone
out there to save the man who had robbed
him of her love? Hush! Another cheer!
Was she dead herself? Had her heart
ceased beating?
On either side of her some one had
caught her arms and was dragging her ul
the beach. 1t seemed TO her that she must
Shrek aloud. Yet she was dumb, and grow.
ing deaf and blind, she thought. Only he,
mother caught her in her arms.
"Mother," she cried in voice that
grated with its own agony; Mother, will
they both be lost?"
And now another maddening cheer. The
life-savers going out. and strong ropes
gradually uncoiling.
God" prayed Elma Warmer on hel
knees, there at her mothers side; God
if only their strength may last"
Would the life-savers never reach them,
Every second was indcscribable torture
Yet the men had responded promptly. Il
had been hardly minutes since the frs
alarm.
Mother, can you-can you see the blue
and yellow? Oh, God save him for hi.
bravery"
Then She shut her ears with her fingers
the men were drawing in the ropes; the
rhythmic, awful chant Of the voices mcasur.
ing the length of pull, and telling whel
to ease and let out with the ebb of wave.
They were pulling in-what, whom:
Would the savers bring one rescued man
one drowned two drowned, two rescued
or none at all, or not even cold form
with the soul battered out? Who coul(
say?
She held her fingers in her ears. Tn,
chant of the toiling men would have
crazed her.
And amid louder shrieSs and hoarse,
=