The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-08

| waste a climax when nothing has led up to
| it."
! oh you're going to provoke a climax,
! them" l said
1T scarcely deserves the name" she re-
piled; but one can't be anything but crude
with such people We are going to have a
| boating accident this afternoon"
1T seems a little severe to drown them
merely for being stupid" l observed.
'Oh, they're quite commonplace enough
to contrive to get drowned in the course of
the proceedings; and 1 can't help it if they
| do. But that is not the primary idea of the
plan" she said. Il shall send Jack out
! for a nice long drive with the others, and
1 shall take the two girls out in a Canadian
| canoe and upset them accidentally. You
| must have the two men close by in a punt
and save our lives"
What is the exact object in view?" / in
| quired, with bewildered amazement
II should have thought that was suffi-
| GENTLY obvious" she explained. "Of course
you save me, and they save each other, and
| if that doesn't bring them together 1 shall
| give them up as hopeless"
In all probability" 1 suggested, Lane
and Forbes will insist on saving you; 1
may get one of the girls out and the other
one will be drowned"
IF they had any spark of ingenuity that
certainly might happen" she remarked,
calmly; "but they're sure to seize such
splendid opportunity for being obvious.
What do you think would be the best scene
for the accident? The island down there
would do wouldn't it? There's lasher
about two hundred yards off, and that
would impart an air of heroic danger"
isn't this just little-fantastic?" VEN
tured to suggest
Fantastic? Not at ALL" she answered.
IF they'd only led up to it properly it
would have seemed natural. But you don't
mean to say that you're going back
me?"
Il can't say I altogether approve" 1 re-
marked.
oh very WELL" she answered, then
we'll have the accident without you, and L
shall in all likelihood be drowned. knew 1
should fall martyr to my good nature
some day"
1t is, perhaps, unnecessary for me to say
that i eventually agreed to take my al
lotted part in the water ordeal. Duly, i'll
accordance with the arrangement, l located
the punt at the top of the island, in COM
pany with the lugubrious Lane and Forbes
They were more than usually lugubrious
that afternoon, because the girls mad re-
covered their self possession, and had been
comparatively lively at lunch. In about
half an hour the canoe approached with
Mrs. Trevor steering in the stern. 1 pre-
tended to be uncertain about it's occupants
so as to secure the attention of my COM
panions, and then the accident occurred
beautifully, with the aid of a pile, about
twenty yards from the punt. Mrs. Trevor
went into the water with a piercing shrek
for help and merry twinkle in her eye.
1t was what, l think, is called a psyche
logical moment. Lane and Forbes rose to
their feet with scared faces and plunged
into the water without hesitation. To my
relief they did exactly what Mrs Trevor
had prophesied, and swan straight to their
respective inamoratas. 1 followed with less
furry, because 1 happened to know that
Mrs. Trevor could swim like fish. heard
little Miss Collins say, ooh, GEORGE" as
Lane reached her; but Miss Towards heart
must have been too hard, or her mouth too
full Of water, to say anything. In minute
or two the three dripping ladies were on the
bank, and we swan across and got the
punt. AS we conveyed them home l saw
at a glance that Mrs. Trevor had hit with
one barrel and missed with the other. Lit
tie Miss Collins laughed and talked and
thanked Lane, and her happiness was evil
IDENTIFY only waiting for a hot bath ard an
explanation. Mrs. Trevor cXpatiated on our
heroism, and invented = recent liz rrible
boating disaster in he laSner, to which,
she alleged, they were being swept. The
occusence, however, only appeared 10 have
chilled Miss Howard and Forbes more deep
ly She thanked him listl9Saiy and they
sat silently at opposite ends If the purt,
gazing into vacancy. = could see Mrs. Ire
vor casting whitening glances on them at
intervals.
When we got to the lawn, Lane and Miss
Collins walked up together to the house.
and l fancy most of the explanation must
have been got over then. At any rate, when
I had changed and come down, 1 found
that they were having tea together some
where, and l also found Forbes in the smok-
ing room consulting a time table.
II think 1 can catch the half-past five
train" he remarked as I appeared.
What the dickens are you thinking OF
doing?" 1 inquired.
Going" he said shortly.
Il hope you won't mind nv asking, but
has anything happened" I replied.
Anything happenedn' he exclaimed.
why, good heavens, man! you don't mag
inc can stay here any longer, do your"
why not!' he answered furiously BE
cause-oh, what a brute have been to that
girl!'
II don't think it would do any harm if
you told her So" suggested.
Tell her so when I've saved her life, and
put her under an obligation like that? No,
l am not quite such brute" he returned
Forbes always was a bit of an ass
Put her under an obligationi Dear mev'
murmured. We'll, please yourself"
if she wanted to do anything for Forbes she
must have another accident before half
past five.
She groaned and informed me that that
Howard girl seemed to have swallowed
too much water and was crying in her bed
room, and that she also wished to leave at
once.
And they shall CO." she said vndictive-
ly; "but they shall go together and come
back together. 1t will be their own fault
if they look ridiculous; but l can't have
INSTRUMENTATION and ingratitude like this |
suppose Mr.. Forbes will be good enough to
let me know of his departure soon. You
might go and stir him up a little"
1 went and pretended TO sympathize deep
ly, which reused him to fury.
He left me to make some explanation to
Mrs. Trevor, and returned even more angry
at her reception of his information, as was
very natural Once or twice he asked me