Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-10-23

was long way to the guards station,
and nobody did anything.
Once, twice, the boy had gone un-
der.
"Oh, save my child" and the mother
ran across the sands until the water
dashed about her waist, reaching her
arms out across the waves.
God! Would no one go to him?
Suddenly, through the thick Of the
crowd, someone was pushing. 1t was a
girl in grass linen bicycle suit and a
pink shirt waist. She had stripped Off
her leggins and her tan boots and toss
ed off her jacket and her hat, but that
was all. A moment later she sprang
into the surf and swan out arm over
arm in long, sweeping strokes.
"Come back, for Gods sake. or you
will be drowned" some one shouted,
but the girl did not swerve.
The people on the shore beld their
breath, but the girl kept on, and when
Mt last big white cap broke and scat
tered at their feet they saw Miss Birule
| Maloney swimming into land, bringing
Stanley along with her.
II have brought you your son." she
said a moment later, as she laid the
boys limp body at his mothers feet.
! There was touch of defiance in the
girls voice, but the food-gates were
opened in the mothers heart and she
held out her arms and threw them
around the girl. There was no PRIDE
then in the fearful mothers eyes; no
in, 1,nr rnicn Of 1Na,, H,,o tvro hn01
Miss Brides look of defiance faded be-
fore the softening picture, and without!
a word she slipped away, leaving the
mother with her son.
That afternoon Miss Birdie heard
gentle rap on her door and opened it to
see Mrs. Mason standing without.
/ II wanted to speak to YOU" said Mrs.
! Mason, looking about her at the tum-
bled room. Drawers and trunks were
standing open and the bed was piled
with dresses. There We're evidences
of packing all about.
II have come to ask you to forgive
me-" said Mrs. Mason, putting her slim
white hand OH the girls shoulder.
ooh, you needn't do that" Birdie
said.
"But l want to do it," Mrs. Mason
went on. ~ want you to forgive me. 1
{. have misunderstood you. perhaps. 1
| have not been quite just to YOU, but 1
love my son; he is all have in tho
world
"Ycs." the girl said.
"You love him, too, perhaps" H.,
mother said. You have promised to e
his wife. You have riskcd your life for
him.
II have promised to marry him. !.
have riskcd my life for him." the girl
repeated slowly. Then suddenly she
broke into Il short laugh that was not
pleasant to hear. II have risked my
life for him! What is that to do? What
is my life worth? What is my life
worth to such as you-you who have
scorncd me and trampled upon me?
hadn't meant to do anything about it,
but since you have come, may as we'll
tell you. If you had acted differently
shouldn't have done what l did. If
you had treated me once-just once
as if We're anything but dirt beneath
your feet, / shouldn't have made you
suffer as did. But 1 couldn't help it,
1t made me mean. l never thought =
was mean before, but you made me so,
and l just wanted to see your proud
head humbled. But l am satisfied. 1
took your son away from you, but
have given him back to you. meant
what l said this morning down on the
beach. have given him back to YOU"
what do you mean? That you will
not marry him? That you do not love
him:"
Mrs. Mason's heart stood still with
hope, though her pride had been hum.
bled.
The girl laughed again, a hard, cold
laugh. that had no mirth in it.
You love him." she said, land yet
you know no more about love than
that? l love him well enough to have
risked my life for him. you said. That
was nothing. l love him better than
that. love him we'll enough to go
away and never let him see me again.
l know am not fit to be his wife.
you want him to be. Then l shall not
be tit for him. And this morning, there
on the beach. when you put your arms
around me. knew what should do.
came back to the hotel and wrote let
ter to Stanley. He will get it to-mor-
row, with the ring made him give me.
BY that time shall be where he can
never find me. love him we'll enough
for that, but lie shall never know it,"
God help me, but love like that
makes you fit to be his wife," Mrs, Ma
son said, reverently.
The girl smiled, You had better so
back to him now," she said wearily.
But you won't give me away? The
people in the hotel will say you have
bought me off and you must let them.
That won't hurt me-" She waited Il mo-
ment. STANLEY will say l was only a
summer girl, after all. Well, no mat
ter; he'll get over it by and by, and
DerllanS l have lelnejl tO make n man