The leader., 1897-11-17

ance could reach them none too soon.
Swells might have shone as a college
oarsman, but he did not know how TO
manage canoe in a storm.
Bob rushed to the little boathouse
at the foot Of the lawn, tossing aside
superfluous clothing as he ran. Even
his yachting cap was dispensed with
and his black curls given TO the wind.
For an instant he paled and shivered
when he saw that the larger rowboat
had been washed from the beach, but
there must have been an inspiration in
that smile which persistently remained
in his thoughts, for he showed out the
little clinker that he had built for his
solitary expeditions and started with
long sweeping strokes for the canoe
that was more than half the time out
of sight. His powerful pulling, aided
by the wind, soon brought him to the
turbulent scene of rescue. Swells and
his companion were in the water cling
ing to the boat. Though the girl was
pale as death, she had the courage
OF good blood and gave a faint cheer
as Bob dropped alongside of them from
the top of a wave. Swells looked black
and only had sufficient grace to keep
his mouth shut.
God bless and reward YOU, Mr.. Wal.
tcrs,' exclaimed the girl fervently, as
Rob deity swung her into the boat.
None of that, sir" said he, as he
gave Swells a sound rap over the
knuckles, for he was making frantic
effort to crawl over the side. 81 am in
command this time and am going to
get my boat to shore. Three of us will
swamp her and there is no other way
but to tow you in, Mr.. Swells. just
hang on TO the stern"
Then was the lover completely de-
moralized. He grew profane in pro-
testing that no one but himself should
take Miss Princely in. 1t was his right
and his duty. If anybody towed it
would be Bob Walters, and again
Swells attempted to Chamber into the
boat. This time his efforts were &C.
companied by few buckets of water
and Bob became aggressive in earnest.
He choked Swclls until he Just had
strength enough to hang on, put the
young lady to bailing and set out for
the beach. On recovering his wind,
Swells was worse than ever and again
came near capsizing the boat by trying
to get into it. Bob knew too well what
was at stake to temporiZe any longer.
Selling Swell's wrists he knotted them
together with the anchor rope, drew
the line taut, handed it to Miss Prince
ly and told her to keep the fellows
head above water if she wanted to.
Thus Bob brought them in after hard
battle and madden man than Swells
never crawlcd out of the water. His
chattering teeth prevented his relev-
ing his mind at the time and it was
Miss Princely that returned thanks as
she held Bob's hands in both of hers.
But Swells was heard from the next
day. He claimed that he had been
treated like calf at the tail end of
& butchers wagon and yearned for re-
venge. He justified challenge on the
ground that Bob appeared to have. some
pretty decent sort of ancestors. The
latter promptly accepted, named rifles
as the weapons and telegraphed me to
come on to act as his friend. | rather
protested, for didn't want my friend
to kill or be killed, but he positively as
sured me that Swells would not be at
the meeting place. Sure enough, he
took violently ill the night before and
his seconds made a shame-faced apol
ogy for his absence. One of tie first
moves was an effort to have Bob dis
charged, but | had told the old gentle
man all the facts and the way that he
combed that boy of his down for
coward and an migrate delighted my
soul.
But Bob had no use for the place
after a few months. He was to marry
Miss Princely, who wondered how she
could have ever thought she loved a
creature like Swells while there were
men like Bob. Princely was a mer-
chant prince and an old-school gentle
man. He wanted just such partner
AS Bob would make, and his daughter
took him to him.-Bookkeeper.