The free press., 1896-05-28
Presently a rocking chair came bob
hing alono ON the flood then q wheel.

Presently rocking chair came bob
bing along on the food then wheel
barrow then chicken coop; then
barrel. Janet looked across the road
toward one of the cottages and saw the
water flowing in at the front door.
under the bed, and out Of the back
door. She gave little shiver as she
turned away, and went to knock at
her fathers door.
"Get up, papal" she cried, "every-
thing is under water"
Mr.. Dale, after splashing forth on q
hasty tour of investigation, found that
mos. of the cottagers had already ad-
journed to the "ball room"-that
being considered the safest place.
Phil was going around in skiff to
carry them thither; trying to revive
their dropping spirits with the theory
that the whole thing was great lark.
"This will be something to talk
about next winter" he said, as he
helped Janet into the skip. eff ever
you get short of subjects for converse
tion, you can always fall back on your
perilous adventures.
''Yes-if we live to tell the tale,"
remarked Janet.
Up at the ballroom they found
dismal enough crowd. One stout Ger
man lady shook her head automati-
cally, and calculated at intervals.
"We'll never see our happy homes
again !" The children were fretful,
and their terrified mothers seemed to
have lost the art of soothing them.
Phil made heroic effort to cheer them
up-played with the children, joked
with the old folks and induced some
of the younger ones to gather around
the piano and sing; but after all it was
a fictitious gayety he stimulated, and
it soon fickered down again. There
was something too alarming to be
ignored in the fury of the clements
the rising water, the never ceasing
wind and rain. Janet noticed with
some surprise that Mr.. Van Dyne was
gloomy, and even snappish. He ans
wered shortly when spoken to, and
seemed lore concerned about his own
comfort than anything else. He
secured one of the few armchairs, and
ensconcing himself in it, relapsed into
sullen silence.
And still, as dark drew on, the storm
increased, wieh lashing rain and
screeching wind, and, above all other
sounds, the great hoarse roar of the
breakers. Phil and some OF the other
men made what provision they could
for the comfort of the women and
children; but Mr.. Van Dyne made no
move to give up his easy chair. Pres
emily there were people asleep on the
tables and benches-some even hud-
died upon the floor.
SIT looks now like tramps' lodging
house," remarked Phil to Janet.
She turned and looked at him. "We
are in great danger, are not we?" she
asked. 81 heard Captain Sanders say
we may expect the worst, If the wind
veers."
"Well, it hasn't veered yet, he ans
wered.
"But it may"
"Yes, it may. I will tell you the
truth, because you have courage to
hear it. We are in great peril, ard
heaven knows how it will end"
There was silence between them for
a moment, and then he took her cold
hand in his.
'Janet," he said, 81 must tell you
even here and now-how much love
you; even if you cannot love me, it
eases my heart to tell you"
"But 1 do, Phil" she answered,
looking up with her frank blue eyes,
The truth is, I was afraid to let myself
love you until learned, through this
storm, how kind and good and unset
fish you really are. You used to say
such hard things, but now J. see you
are one of those who practice but do
not preach"
And SO they sat, side by side, hand
in hand, happy in spite of their peril
happy, as romantic youth can be,
even in the thought of dying together.
But no such poeti, climax was pos
sible. The storm subsidized gradually,
the waters began to recede, and as the
two watched, with tired eyes, the COM
ing of dawn, they knew that fate had
spared them for life and love.-New
ORLEANS acknowledgements