The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-25

1
in the CLASSY water.
AS the canoes in single file silently
rounded the outer point the sound o.
music foated across the bay. Thu
musicians at Vagabondia were playing
a serenade-an old Mexican love song
with soft, insinuating cadence. The
paddles ceased to move, and the canoe!
drifted aimlessly on into the shadows
Miss Hayward closed her eyes and re-
clined gracefully on the cushions, hel
tapering fingers trailing in the phos'
phorescent water. Even Upton's exu.
berance for the moment succumbed
and, his paddle athwart the gunwales
his eyes fixed upon the heavens, he
too, trailed his hand in the water as
II to establish a means of communica.
ton for their souls.
The music ceased, but Upton and
Miss Hayward remained in silence.
Heavenly, Miss Cruttendon!"
Hampton muttered, his eyes upon the
other canoe.
| Suddenly one of Sousa's marches
bounded over the water and seemed to
awaken the slumbering woods with its
depths of harmony. Upton's reverie
came to an end.
Il say, there's jolly good place a
little up, called Satan's Ladder, be-
| lieve. Let's paddle up"
It must have been on some such
night as this that the place was named
Satan's Ladder. As the canoes stole
gently forward the paddle strokes, the
whispered words, were all echoed back
In almost supernatural distinctness.
The boats were beached at the foot
of the cliff.
Lets 60 up, Miss Hayward"
THANK you, but I'd rather not un-
dertake it." -
"Oh, should love to go, Mr.. Up
toni" Miss Cruttendon- said quickly.
Upton assembled, extending a helping
hand to Miss Cruttendon. The others
followed. Hampton was left alone
with Miss Hayward.
Il should love to have undertaken
that Chamber five years ago."
do five years, then, make so much
difference in a girls life?"
why, yes, Mr.. Hampton, or in a
mans either. Don't you think so?"
"Yes-sometimes, but it has not
made much difference in mine"
"Are you sure, Mr.. Hampton"
He smiled at her persistence.
Eyes, positive. Five years ago I took
my last vacation and find myself just
as capable of enjoyment now as
then"
"And just as ready to fall in love!"
He was taken aback. II do not quite
understand, Miss Hayward" There
was just trace of haughtiness in his
tone.
why, you know all men are ever
ready to fall in love-and to fall out
again."
Hardly all men, Miss Hayward"
His voice was reproachful. do you
think it altogether fair to make SO
sweeping an assertion"
mo, it was not, but you have never
been guilty Of that, Mr.. Hampton"
mo, Miss Hayward, decidedly no!
That very quality have always re-
garded in mans character as one of his
lowest, meanest traits. For me to love
once would be to love always"
Would be, Mr.. Hampton" she look
ed shyly up at him.
He was perplexed. Was this beau
tiful girl drawing him on? It seemed
hardly probable, and yet what could be
her object in all this?
you are cynical, Miss Heyward?"
mo, hardly that"
She leaned back YEARLY against the
massive wall Of rock, and in contrast
to it she seemed so frail he longed to
protect her, to shield her from the men
who had made her doubt. He tried to
speak in commonplace terms, but his
voice refused to be controlled. She
turned quickly toward him and, Just
for a moment, her fingers rested upon
his arm.
"Mr. Hampton some years ago one
of my girl friends met a man who
swore he would always be true to her.
She was but girl and blindly trusted
him. He was an artist summering in
her village, and acquaintance ripened
into something deeper When the sum-
mer was over and he was forced to
leave, he kissed her and swore, with
his lips to hers, he would return; and
she waited for him with a blind trust.
Imagine her feelings when, some
time ago, she, grown to a woman, met
him; and he, not knowing her, shower
ed attentions upon her, even attempted
to make love to her."
Hampton leaned back against the
cliff and, with his paddle, traced fig
ures in the sand.
do you marvel that she began. to
distrust mem"
He did not speak and all around
them was silence, unbroken save by
the muffled laughter Of the climbers.
Suddenly he Strengthened up. He
took her hand in his. His arm no
threw around her shoulders.
"She shall believe in them hereafter.
Kate" She drew her young form up
to It's full height and stepped out from
the rock. Her resolute head was sill
touetted against the silver moon.
stop! Five years make great diff
ference in girls life. Mr.. Hampton!"
His hands dropped to his side
"And in a mans" he muttered.
The others were descending.
81 say, you missed jolly climb.
Glorious view from above. Can't sea
why they call it Satan's Ladder,
though. Ought to be the golden
stairs"