The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-04-18
A LOST LOVE
BY p. J.

Across the marsh glowed In summer
iuxuriance the vivid greenery of trailing
grspeyines, of bright leaved birches, OF
glossy oaks. They clung to the rocky
iedaes with the persistency Of all green
| life that thrusts its roots In New England
soil.
Cottages OF summer pleasure seekers
dotted the rough elevation, cleaning
among trees and gray rocks. The nat
salt marsh lay always the same between
the beach and the country road, stretch
ing its acres Of damp, green, and Shiny
water, treacherous as the sea, and not
half so beautiful.
Here on the beach, at high tide mark,
walks girl. She is alone. The girl IL
probably twenty-five or three. She Is not
dressed In the retarding long skirts, but
in short beach or mountain dress, whose
blue folds reach only q little below her
knee, giving place to the full trousers.
A low, westering sun was pouring over
everything the warm, yellow splendor
that seems more entirely beautiful on the
coast. 1t flooded in beauty the little low,
dark, wooden house that stood on the
sand between the beach and the marsh,
and which was the home OF Marion
Logan.
the strangers, her lips taking on scorn-
full smile as s,e saw approaching the in
sipid Everard, who, for two months, had
paid unremitting court to the hshermans
daughter.
Marion had no mind to have the deli
cious sunset spoiled by his prattle, and
she said, with a cold decision: 81 prefer
to be alone tonight, Mr.. Everard"
He had nothing more to do but lift his
hat and allow her to walk on.
ais the world of wealth and cultivation
like that?" Marion asked herself, as she
walked slowly on along apath that curved
by the edge Of the marsh, the rank, coarse
| grass sweeping her feet with its rough
| edges.
She had forgotten Everard and the gay
| company on the beach.
Her eyes, wandering listlessly to the
| other side OF the marsh, saw, in an open
space, man walking slowly with his gun
over his arm, apparently watching for the
fight Of the little "peeps" OF the salt
marshes. without knowing that she did
SO, she watched his movements, feeling an
idle interest In the fate next bird that
few over. Then, as the falling, fiutter-
ing bird proved the skill of the marks
man, she was conscious of an involuntary
feeling Of resentment against him.
"He looks as il he were a stranger
here" she said to herself. ~ hope he
won't 60 on the marsh; he would never
know the way"
The fullest glory of the sunset was past,
| and Marion knew that it was time for
her to go, but she could not. A whisper
Of some unusual desire made her stay.
| Could glimpse of the future have been
hso fad her thar unuld "a uirI ha va
fingered, waiting for the bliss and pain
that was coming to meet herr
Suddenly iHPelled- by what seemed an
inward cry of her soul, she turned eager
| ly to look back at the man she had been
| watching.
| He had left the firm path, and was COM
ing across the marsh, and not, she saw
| directly, by the only place which was
| safe crossing. However strong the
| treacherous stun looked, she knew that
| It was dangerous In every place but one.
She ran back down the slope, her face
blanched with fear.
She waved her hand to the man and
cried out:
"Do not comet Go backl The path is
not safei"-
He stopped instantly and looked back,
then forward.
"Is it not as we'll to keep on? I'm more
than half ncross.'
81 don't know" she replied, in a tone
Of painful doubt-"I don't know how
you came as far as that 1t is almost inn
possible to get across the marsh save by
one path"
Even as she spoke he felt the slow sink
ing of his feet beneath him.
He look two or three steps with increas-
ing difficulty.
az am beyond the firm ground" he
said, at last. 81 can only try to get to
you"
him; her hands pressed together, her
beautiful face pale with anxiety, her large
eyes strained forward with q look that
Then she ran up the beach to an old hut
which stood near, q battered, deserted
fsherman's house.
One side of IL was already half un-
boarded, and the boards tapped in the
wind, held loosely by q few rusty nails.
The girl, hardy, and used to many kinds
Of hard work, seized one Of the boards
and succeeded in wrenching 1t from its
place. She ran with il down to the marsh
again. It was not long enough; she
needed yet another, as she had feared she
should.
Keep up one moment" she cried,
"only one moment, and you are safe"
Marion's swift motions told with the
precision Of knowledge.
She threw down the board, her actions
unimpeded by long dress, and stepped
lightly upon it with the other in her
hand, placing that as a continuation OF
the path she had already made. Then she
sprang back, while the stranger, after ono
or two unsuccessful efforts, su cceeded in
placing bis feet on the board, and the
next instant he was by Marion's side.
Then for the first time she looked at him
with eyes that consciously saw his face.
Jasper Wildair stood by her, and had in-
voluntarily clasped her hands In his own.
He could have passionately offered up
his life at that moment for this woman,
and he had never seen her before.
"You have saved my life, I" he said; "and
life never was 90 dear to me as then.
And / did not feel that this was the
time for me to die"
last al, "a NTH .;r, MA