The Marble times and Crystal silver lance., 1901-09-06

her arms as she cried joyfullyt
"A stray man, as am living wom-
an! Thank God!"
She took the cape from her shoul-
ders and waved 1t to and fro with all
her might. The white figure approach
Cd swiftly, and soon a hearty voice
called out:
Hold on, my dear. don't be afraid,
I'll come for you presently, stay right
where you are till l come"
AL by herself Mirandy blushed.
"He called me my DEAR she said, un-
der her breath. my! where is he?"
Mirandy thought she had seen a
man run before, but she concluded
she hadn't really, as the round white
cap and the flying white figure fairly
spun out of sight. A moment or two
more and out from just before the
Life Saving Station shot long white
boat, which danced recklessly, she
thought, through the foam, and bade
defiance to the rush of the still in
coming tide. Three men were row.
ing.
''I'll warrant Cynthy d give about
all she's worth I'd. be here now," bub-
bled Mirandy, never thinking there
might still be considerable danger.
But when a stalwart man in an oil
skin suit clambered to his neck in wa
ter to the rocks below, and called
aloud, 'I'll throw you a rope, my
dear, put it around your waist and
come far as you can, then trust me
to save you." Poor Mirandy turned
pale.
II shall be dashed to pieces on the
rocks" she cried.
"Oh no you won't" cried the sturdy
voice, you're only to trust yourself
to me, and you're SAFE"
She put the rope with its adjusted
loop about her waist. She descended
trembling few steps, then suddenly
floated off and almost Immediately by
some dexterous clutch she was caught,
held upright, and before there was
time to realize anything she was in the
long white boat.
I'm wet through" she faltered,
scarcely knowing what she was saying.
Never mind my DEAR" said the
hearty sailor, Give got you all right,
and you're perfectly safe"
And no 1t proved. At the station
she was given comfortable room in
which to don sailors jacket while
her dress was dried. This, by some
process, was soon accomplished, then
Mirandy found herself well enough to
inspect the interesting and remark
ably speckless place.
''I shall come for you again, my
DEAR" said the man who had rescued
her, as he left Mirandy at Mrs. Par
ley's, later on.
And come for her he did, in good
earnest. He was to leave the service
in the fall to enter a shipchandler's
establishment in a near city. And he
secured Mirandy's promise to keep
house for him in the most honorable
and desirable position possible, for
somehow he had liked the comely face
and bright, CHEEKY manner of the
seamstress, from the moment he
caught her from the rocks in his strong
arms
Dear me, Mirandy," said Cynthy
Wells. the day after Mirandy's return,
to her rooms, who in the world
is that great man that came home
with you, but left so soon, with so
many good-byes?"
"Oh that?" replied Mirandy, her
eyes dancing brightly. now who do
you suppose that is, Cynthy?"
mot some stray man you've picked
up, hope" said Cynthy, severely.
"No, it's stray man that picked
me up" said Mirandy, "and mighty
glad was to have him, too. He saved
my life, and this fall we are to be
married. Poor mother was mistaken,
there is such thing as knowing when
man can be trusted"
"Humph!" muttered Cynthy, as she
turned from Mirandy's door, "I was a
great goose not to insist on going to
Serum Island myself, this summer"
After a moment of dissatisfied mus
ing, she added, "any stray man may
not be the worst thing in the world
| after all'-Mrs. Harriet A. Cheever.