Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-04-01


easily. ''Well, am willing TO put N.Y.
self against that bcauty-lover, Miss Ker.
and see who comes out winner!'
And thus they parted.
"SIay 1 beg you especially not to 90
for this sail to. day, Miss Fletcher" said
Hardwickeia few days later.
There had been sail on the lake pro-
posed. Tho first suggestion had come
from Suttcrcll. He now glared flcrcely
at Hardwicke. Sorrcl threw up her lit
tic hand.
81 don't see why you should make any
such request, Mr. HardwiclSe," she said.
"For the best OF reasons" he answered
placldly. 81 believe still wind will
blow up within two honrs and the waters
oil this lake are VIGOROUSLY dangerous in
sudden squalls. One must he able to
sail boat rs to tho manor born, and
even then
Sorrcl had walked on as if unheedinp.
her head still in the air. Miss Ker,
though she had grown tri1c pale,
made motion to follow.
"Perhaps you are wrong about the
wind, MIR. Hardwickc," she said, her
tones having regained, spite of the de-
clared enmity,i an acid urbanity.
cit seems very still now"
81 certainly think Mr.. Hardwick is
wrong" put in Suttcrcll, with smile of
the finest irony.
eve shall see," remarked Hardwiclsc
"Are you going with us?" qucricd
Sorrcl, stopping short.
eyes. You have no obiccton?"
81 thought you might be afraid" said
the young lady, putting aside all her lit
tic poses of inspired fcmininity, and
speaking like the school girl which she,
in reality, had only recently ceased to
be. And she smiled much as Suttercll
had done. But Hardwickc did not ap.
pear to see the smile. 1t was assuredly,
as Miss Kcr had remarked, very still
now. And Sutterell, looking woman
ishiy handsome i'll scmi-nautical attire,
did not know how to sail boat for all
moderate proposes. Miss Ker quoted
poetry now and then, and glanced Mt
him for sympathy. Sorrel, her hands in
her lap, the soft rings Of her hayward
hair crisping under the brim Of her little
sailor straw, gazed out at the mountain
shores and avoided looking at Hard
wicl1c. Hardwicke, smoking by the
ladies permission, looked at the horizon
now and then.
At the end of an hour he made n re-
mark i'll an undcrtonc to Suttcrell.
Suttcrcll glanced up and shrugged his
shoulders. IIardwicllc seemed to insist,
and Miss Ker, glancing out from under
her parasol, became attentive.
a moment later new expression
swept Su:tcrclls facc. His well cut but
weak mouth drew itself together. He
made rapid motion. A sail swept
about
"Looll to what you are doing mani"
cried Hnrdwickc.
The gale struck them at the same mo-
ment. The water, blue before, now
purple and green, was churned into
choppy waves. The sunlight had been
blottcd out of the sky.
Miss Kcr gave low cry and clutched
the side of the boat. The parasol had
been hurled from her hand.
"IIold fast, Sorrel, aud don't fear!"
shouted IIardwIckc.
And then the two mon, hauling in
sail, worked Tor their lives.
''AIind what you arc aboutl" Hard
wicke cried two or three times again to
Sutterell, his voice Kissing through the
roar and whistle of the wind. But SUIT.
terrell seemed to lose his head. His
spray damped face was blanchcd. His
trembling fingers had lost their cunning,
and in the terrifying confusion of the
moment his presence of mind forsooll
him.
Forsoolz him fatally. A fresh blast
struck thcm-thc Don't carccncd.
There was a great cry from Miss
Ker-
And then Hardwicke was throwing
out arms and legs in the green water
and dragging Sorrel up to the surface Of
it,
"Hold for your lifel"h he shouted, and
Sorrcl chung to the bottom of the boat,
now tloating an oblong, unsteady bal
loon, upon the waves. Miss Ker was
clinging there already, shrieking out
prayers. Sorrel had made no sound
BY their side another sailboat was hurry
ing to their rescue, lacking as well as
the wind would allow. The men in it
called to them to hold fast yet moment,
and then Sutterel's CHASTITY visage rose
to the surface and made wild clutch
for the boat. lie caught Sorrcl's Shout
der instead.
"Let go!" cried HardwlcIzc. But
Sutterell was past comprehension.
''Do you want to drown u woman to
save your carcass?"
But help was at hand. The other
boat was already alongside. 1t was but
three minutes since the first had capsizcd.
One minute later the four drenched
bodies had been transferred into the dry
bottom of the second