Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-08-13


we feared you might have come TO
HARM she replied,
You feared for me?' he questioned,
eagerly and wistfully,
You. who believe in the duty of be-
ing selfish, can hardly imagine, | sup
pose. that one may feel interested in
the safety of fellow being" she re-
torted, turning away from him and
leaving him rebuffed and baffled.
All the next day the rain fell in tor
rents and the wind ragged Janet slept
little when night came, for the dark
was full of strange noises.
Toward daylight she arose and went
to the window. AS far as the eye could
see the island was covered with water.
1t had risen level with the gallery floor
and was struggling and gulping under
the house. Still the wind howled and
the rain deluged the earth. A terrified
flock of sows stamped through the
water on their way to the high ground
of the ridge Presently a rocking chair
came bobbing along on the flood; then
then barrel Janet looked across the
road to 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 a little shiver as she
turned away and went to knock at her
fathers door
Get up, papa" she cried; every
thing is under water"
Mr.. Dale, after splashing forth on a
hasty tour of investigation, found that
most OF the cottagers had already adj
journed to the ballroom" that being
considered the safest place, Phil was
going around in skiif to carry them
hither; trying TO revive their drooping
spirits with the theory that the whole
thing was a great lark.
This will be something to talk
about next winter he said as he
helped Janet into the skiff If ever
you get short of subject for converse
ton, you can always fall back on your
perilous adventures"
''Yes-if we live to tell the tale +" re-
IHdThtu Janet,
Up at the ballroom they found a dis
nal enough crowd. One stout German
lady shook her head automatically, and
calculated at intervals: Wen never
see our happy homes again! The chill
dren were fretful, and their terrified
mothers seemed to have lost the art
OF soothing them. Phil made a 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 1t was a fictitious gayety
he stimulated, and it soon flickered
down again. There was something too
alarming to be ignored In the fury OF
the elements-the rising water the
never ceasing wind and rain. Janet
noticed with some surprise that Mr..
van Dyne was gloomy and even snap
pish. He answered shortly when
spoken to, and seemed more concerned
about his own comfort than ANYTHING
else. He secured one of the few arm
chairs, and ensconsing himself in it,
feleDSeu into Sullen silence.
And still, as dark drew on, the storm
increased, with lashing rain and
screening wind, and, above all other
sounds. the great hoarse roar of tho
breakers Phil and some of the other
n en- made what provision they could
Tor the comfort of the women and chill
dren; but Mr.. Van Dyne made no move
to give up his easy chair. Presently
there were people asleep on the tables
the floor.
1t looks now like tramps' lodging
house" remarked Phil to Janet.
She turned and looked at him. eve
are in great danger, are we not?" she
asked, Il heard Captain Sanders saw
we may expect the worst. if the wind
veers"
We'll, it hasn't veered YETI he an
swered
"But it may"
Yes, 1t may. | will tell you the
truth, because you have the courage
70 near Il. We are in great peril. and
heaven knows how it will end"
WIS oiitHNt DtlWePn them for
a minute, and then he took her cold
hand in his
Janet he said Il must tell You
even here and now-how much 7 love
YOU even if you cannot love me- It
eases my heart to tell YOU"
But do, Phil" she answered look
ing up with her frank blue eyes-'tbe
truth is. was afraid to let myself love
you until learned, through this storm
how kind and good and unselfish Won
really are. You used to say such hard
marsh things, but now 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 he
even In the thought Of dying together
But no such poetic climax was pos
Side. 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