The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18
HER ARMS WE'RE GRASPED BY STRONG HANDS AND SHE


seven. The water was pretty deep in the
pool. being almost up 10 her waist as she
stepped down into it, but she was so near
home that she did not care though she got
wet through. STOPPING to pick up the
Shell she found that the water was
even deeper than she had supposed for,
as her fD gers reached 20 the bot
tom OF the pnOl, her face was
almost wet by the waves which came
ripping in with the rising tide. But the
moment required to pick up shell would
not DJure her. even though she had to put
her face into the water, so she stopped
lower, with closed eyes. and grasped at the
she'll below.
Her fingers closed on the richly spotted
object, but instead of the hard. smooth sur
lace she had expected to Sc "a her fingers
sunk deep into some soft, Shiny substance,
and before she could drop it and rise from
he'll STOPPING position sudden splash and
furry dashed the water into foam, and
Two sDake-like objects rose from the
depths and twined themselves around her
arm, bare to the shoulder, with numbDg
force.
The water bpt moment before clear as
crystal was in An instant clOuded with
INK, ana another snake-like form rose and
twlned around her arm, increasing the
force and pressure until she suffered agony
from the hold upon her arm, as well as
from the fright caused by the sudden at
tack of the unseen foe.
Her face was scarcely three inches boye
the surface of the pool, and To her horror
she found that the strength of the creature
was sufficient to keep her from ris ug any
higher. and she knew that few moments
ID ore of The pain would weaken her so that
she must be drawn down into the pool in
stead of being able TO escape from the hor-
bic creature which held her III its grasp.
In the first shock a shrek of fear had
Star led the Toy, who was some distance
from her, and he came running back 10
see what bad caused the cry. de was only
three years old, so could be Of no assist
ance; indeed, The mother feared that the
child also might be grasped md dragged
into the puol. She called TO him 10 run 20
the house. some little distance away,
around point of land which hid 1t from
SlRht, and call for help. She had Ii tie
nope that aid would reach her before she
"cuid be drawn into the water, for the
HumDing hold upon her arm was making
hef SO ialnt that she feared she would lose
netSeli and fall an easy prey TO the mon-
Ster' one had seen many little squids and
khe" that large ones were often taken
nero, OUT had not supposed there were any
large enough to be dangerous.
he boy ran crying around the low
point of land which MD jhe houses and
the woman braced herself with ali her
strength 70 Keep from being drawn INFO
the pool before help should come.
The tide was rising rapidly. Wave after
wave came ripping and swishiup apeinst
her form, each one breaking a little
higher dashing little more Of its spray
into her ben0ed face. Death seemed vary
near. but her only fear was of the horrihla
beak which she knew would be buried IN
her ouiyering flesh so soon as she shonid
lose her strength and fall into the pool tn
where the deyil-fsh could grasp her with
all its arms.
She could not raise her head to see If
help was coming, but she strained her
ears, hoping to hear footsteps or voices.