The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-19
Crime Of the Gadfly.


One piping summer afternoon fussy
little steam launch called the Gadfiy, came
lathering her way down the river from
Sunbury, and stopped dead short at Tagg's
Island. Her crew consisted Of q big man
and very small boy. The heat was in
tense, and the man thirsty, so, bidding the
small boy sit quite still until his return,
he betook himself to the neighboring hos
telry His nose was well inside foamlng
beaker Of shandygaff, when shrill cry OF
alarm caused him to turn and look through
the window. Then he swore dreadful
oath and dashed out Of the door.
( What had happened was this; The small
boy. left to his own devices, had been play
ing with the engine. Though quickly con-
scious of his error, through his ignorance
/ OF the tricky ways of machinery, it was too
late to repair ii. He had given the Cad
/ fly her head, and she was now running
amuck on the river, with a random helm
! and full steam on.
| About this time young Teddy Jones, late
/ OF the Indian Civil Service. being in hol-
/ iday MOOD was sculling lazily toward Sum
bury aud heartily enjoying the fine, sunny
+ weather, when, Just abreast Of Tagg's ISL
and, he passed a dainty little craft, man
ned (if the word be permissible) by still
+ daintier bit of femininity. 1t was but
} furtive glance, it is true, but 1t suificed,
and he straightway felt that his heart had
boted and was following that dainty bit OF
I feminlnity down stream.
by ioyei ! never saw such a girl in
my life," said he. 'Such an air, Such
hS1iref Surh Heilni What he
/ deuce is the matter?'
He had heard the small boys cry of
alarm. and. resting upon his oars, he
turned and saw big man on Tagg's
Island gesticulating wildly, and a runaway
launch p1unging and snorting hither and
thither like thing possessed. with a small
boy doing his very worst with the wheal,
and crying piteously. The hue and cry was
quickly raised. and boats pushed out with
the view OF stopping the fugitive: but with
the aid of the misguided small boy at the
wheel. she bafied everybody's good inten-
tions. Teddy Jones was about to join in
what promised to be an exciting chase,
when. to his horror. he saw the accursed
launch bearing straight down upon the
| dainty craft he had passed moment be-
fore. Its fair occupant. conscious of her
danger, strained every nerve to avoid the
deadly impact: but. turn in what dree-
tion she would or could, the demon Cad
fly was at her heels. as with the fell de-
termination to blot out such a vision of
loneliness from tie face of the waters.
1t was done in moTent. The keel of
the tiny craft suddenly glistened in the
sun. straw hat went floating toward the
weir. and the sight of a white. terrified
face and long hair streaming out in the
swirling waters made Teddy Jones' heart
leap to his throat. Then. with a few
strenuous strokes he reached her. In an
other instant he had gripped her arm
sturdily, and a pair of sweet troubled
eyes were upturned TO his gratefully. But
the roar of the sliding waters was loud
In this ears. and. as his craft swayed peril
ousiy on the edge of the current and he
saw ominous white threads OF foam wisping
in and curling toward the lips OF the fall,
he. with reassuriDg words, drew her to the
stern, and babe her cling tightly to the
tiller ropes. Then, with one supreme eff
fort, he brought the boat into the still wa
ter, with his lovely dereIict in tow, and,
in another moment. she sat pale and wet
and trembling by LIS side.
But the peril was not over yet. With
her tiller hard over, and apparently jam
med. the unconscionable Gadhy was now
madly careering in circles that each time
brought her nearer the weir. Teddy Jones' |
absorbed in his work of rescue, had not
noticed this, until, attracted by warning
cries from the river bank he saw the rabid |
thing tearing down, as with malice pre- |
pense, in wild scurry OF foam, full tilt !
upon him. There was no time to pull out |
OF the danger, SO he set his teeth and |
awaited the onset. 1t came. The boat re- |
coiled and swayed violently, and Teddy |
was thrown headlong over the thwarts.
Then he heard loud cries of Jump, lad: |
jump" and saw a small body speed /
through the air and splash into the river,
hn1r
for the Gadhy-her tiller righting she shot. |
as with sense of shameful discontinue, |
straight for the weir and self-destruction, |
There was loud crash, her nose went up |
in the air, her propeller churned the CLASSY |
slope into froth aimlessly for a moment |
or two, and then she sided over and hung |
limp and broken upon the comb of the |
raging and triumphant waters
~ good job, too" said Teddy Jones to !
his companion. That horrii thing meant |
to murder you"
Her color had returned. TIE look of alarm |
had fed from her face, and a smile flick
cred upon her lips as she said:
81 have had, indeed. a very narrow es-
cape from DEATH Believe me, am very
gratful."
''Pooh!" said he; what little have
done has been a pleasure | can assure
you and his glance rested approvingiy |
upon the contour of an adorable form /
made visible through the frank lndscre-
ton OF clinging drapery. Then he added, /
in a tone OF conjunction, But, you know,
I'm sorry that you are $3.50 wet. It must |
be horribly uncomfortable"
Not in this warm sunshine she an
swered. cheerily. Really, | don't mind /
it at ALL" and she wrung her dripping
locks as a mermaiden might, and made an I
Intellectual attempt to twist them into a |
coil. 81
Il cant do It." she added with the |
merriest of laughs. The river has run
away with all my hairpins.''
Permit me. then he said, ito offer /
You the shelter Of my straw hat"
She accepted without demur, and, with
a dexterous twist filled the crown with
her flowing mane-and 10. there sat his hat
jauntily Just above her beaming sapphire
eyes
Capital" said he. Things look less