The Portland daily press., 1890-04-26

very near hers, so near that wanton
breeze blew stray tendril across his
cheek.
"You know it," she said simply.
Was that kiss? The sea gulls could
have told, but they never did.
"Then, Ethel" he said, 81 have way.
1t is little dangerous; will not deny
that. If you love me, dear, as well as
do you, you will not fear"
The hand in his trembled SLIGHTLY bu,
she made no protest.
II cannot give you up. This is des
p&Tate remedy, but desperate cases need
such. / am going to make heroine Of
you. You must fall over the rail into
the water
"Toml" she gasped, staring at him
with wide eyes.
"Yes-wait. You must fall into the
water, you see, and then 1 will jump
over and save your life. 1t will be easy.
AS soon as you fall / will be overheard
too. Do not be afraid to trust yourself
to me; there is really not much danger
because can swim as well as can walk
1t is the only way, dear. believe me. You
are not afraid?'
She considered little.
81 see, Tom you think mamma will be
SO glad to have me brought back to life
that she will-will let us have our way"
"Yes, that is just it" he agreed.
"But, oh! is there not some other wayi
This is reckless, it Isl
Ill Ill L.
other way. shall be sure to save you,
and then-then, little girl, you are mine
for always"
"But, Tom," she urged, "suppose
mamma will not yield even then"
''She will, though" he asserted conf
IDENTIFY.
Something of his own daring spirit in
fected her. The spice of danger, her full
confidence in his ability, their long love,
otherwise hopeless-she made no further
objection, but entered heart and soul into
the wild scheme.
GLOW am to know when to fall?"
"You must find your opportunity.
Scream as you fall, and then away I will
go. ! shall be very near you all the re-
mainder of the day; but do not notice me
at all. You will be very careful, SO that
no one may see that the fall was premedi-
tated. And-there goes the first bell!
Run, Ethel! No one must know we have
been talking. And, Ethel, do not let that
Lorf'-but she was gone.
Slowly passed the day. Luncheon was
over two hours ago and the afternoon
was slipping on. In the saloon the tin.
kla Of Guitar mingled with the sn,,-,a
Of merriment and singing; only scat
tered few were left on deck. Watching
the waters were Etheland the inevitable
Lord Fenyll with his inevitable eyeglass.
She could not get rid Of him; the miser-
able young man was too infatuated to
perceive her abstraction.
Little by little she drew near to a part
Of the boat where she thought she might
make the dreaded plunge most easily.
Tom, in the shadow Of sail, appeared
to be absorbed in novel. No one, not
even himself, knew that the beok was
upside down. Ethel stole glance at
him. Will he be in time? she wondered
in an agony Of fear and anxiety. How
blue the water was-and how deepi
What if-but no! no! she would not
think of that. Now was the time, she
decided feverishly.
lis not that sail, Lord Fenyll?" she
asked.
"a sail! In which directionT Eagerly
he took up his telescope. This was Just
tho ny,porf,,p;fv che xuox&ad Cl,xrl,r L.
swept the horizon with the glass.
"Why, yes" he says. 81 see it quite
plainly. can even read the name on
oh, Miss Van Zandtl Help! helpw
With shrek of terror she had disap-
peared over the side; only one terrified
scream, but In an instant the deck was
filed with eager, frightened faces.
Lord Fenyll was rushing from one end
OF the place to the other, dragging with
him an immense coil Of rope, tangling
up himself and every one else, crying
out the awful accident at the top Of his
voice.
Mrs. Van Zandt and another lady had
tainted; the gayety had vanished; all
was confusion and haste.
Tom saw nothing of this. He was in
the water before the echo of her voice
had died away on the startled air. With
firm, rapid strokes he beat the waves,
and his eyes were alert to catch the first
glimpse. The sun glared into his face,
but he did not find her. His heart failed
him. God! he could not see herl Why
did she not rise? "Ethelr" he cried aloud
in a frenzy. But what was that white
speck yonder? Could he reach it? A
moment more, only a moment more,
with ebbing power, as the white face
came to the surface, he threw one arm
around the body. His strength all but
exhausted, he was taken with his lifeless
charge into the boat lowered to meet
him. The glad news was shouted to the
waiting yacht, and willing help was
ready to greet the rescued and rescuer.
The little figure in its clinging white
seemed devoid of life. The soft baby
curls around her forehead clustered dark
ly golden; the large drops of water slip
ped off one by one, till there were little
pools on the floor. Pale and pure and
still as death itself she was-ah! pitt
fully still. The red, laughing lips were
pallid now; the soft white hands limp
and inert.
my girl, my little girl!' moaned and
sobbed Mrs. Van Zandt, and while they
talked in undertones, and while tears
fell, they took her below, and toiled for
hours to summon back the wavering
spirit.
Tom-unhappy Tom-was the hero Of
the houE But be could not be quiet; he
could not wait in patience. Great waves Of
remorsefi filed his breast, till the drops stood
out upon his forehead and his lips whiten-
ed. The dull boom of the sea seemed to
roar in his ears; he felt that lifeless body
still lying passive in his arms. Neveragain
10 see her smile, never again to hear her
voice, with its gentle, tender accent;
neVer-ah, no! 1t could not be too late
she must not die! Up and down, outside
the door, he paced, listening to each
sound, wrestling with his misery. prav.
ing to God as he had never PRAYED be-
fore. To the excited groups, gathered
here and there, he paid no attention at
all, nor, indeed, did he even see them
Blind to their curiosity, deaf to their
words of wondering sympathy,
needless to remonstrance, alone with him
self, he suffered on his mental rack. Min
utes passed like hours. There was lit
tie hope, a bare chance of life for her:
but still it was hope. The glad news
spread, but the suspense to Tom became
still more torturing.