Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-04-04

torted, ouly TO let them drop agail
below the horizon. in a few minutes
The incoming tide splsshed lazil,
against the rocks and broke in smal
waves on the white beach. Draws
up on the beach by the rocks ma,
the boat of some fishermen, .wh.
had perhaps that morning set tn.
white buoys that marked his. lob
ster-pots. Ezra and his friends "a,
on it gunwale. As they stood M
to take of their coats they saw or
the other side of the ledge fsrtbe,
up the beach at no great distanc.
from them dingy tent. In from,
OF 10 an iron pot rested OF. : fsu
stones over some blackened EN- bers.
"Whst have we here ?" said the
student.
"Some strollers who shall be
turned out Of town tomorrow, ]
promise you" said Ezra.
"And whipped before they 20 ?"
queried the student.
"Aye, ifthey play any outlan disb
tricks" answered Ezra.
While they we're looking q young
girl stepped to the door of the tent
and, shading her eyes with her
hands, looked of on the water and
then, turning slowly. looked at the
young men, whose heads she could
see over the ledge OF rocks; q slight,
straight, well-poised figure, with
black hair, dark skin, and flashing
black eyes.
"Too fair a figure for the whip
ping post" said the student.
Ezra leaned against the rock and
looked at the girl. She half smiled,
turned her head half coquettishly.
and went back into the tent.
''Too fair figure for the whip
ping-post," repeated the student.
"What flashing eyes she had 7"
said Ezra.
"Come," said the third, "let us
take our bath, and Ezra can have
the Gypsy whipped to. o.morrow if he
wishes"
They threw of their clothes be-
hind the rocks and swan out some
hundred feet beyond the ledge. As
they foated there in the calm sea
the student called their attention
to the tent again, and out from the
door stepped the girl, q red ker-
chief twisted round her head, a
jacket round her shoulder, and a
short skirt which showed her bare.
brown feet and ankles.
AS they watched her she ran down
into the water to her waist, and
then, making her jacket and skirt
into small bundle, she threw them
back on the shore.
They could see her wet shou lders
glisten in the rays of the setting
sun as she easily and gracefully
swan out from the shore. She
passed them, and still swan SLOWLY
and easily out towards the Sound.
They we're all good swimmers-Ez-
ra had swum from point to point, a
distance Of some three miles-and
without a word they followed her.
So they swan on in silence, follow
ing the girl, Ezra slightly in the
lead. until they were some distsn nee
out from the shore. They had been
swimming rapidly, bat in spite of
their exertions the girl had easily
kept her lead and had now and then
glanced over her shoulders and half
smiled as il to challenge them to q
race. The student stopped frst.
The pace was telling on him.
"Wait, Ezra" he said. As they
oil stopped the girl stopped too,
and, floating in the water, watched
them.
"How far are vou going !" said
the student. "This 10 swim enough
for me. / am going to the shore
again."
"And l." said the third. "Come,
Ezra let US 90 back"
"Swim back if you want" said
Ezra. "This 10 no swim for me Il
will join You presently"
"Come back with u.s." said the
student. "The sun is setting, and
it will be late before we get back to
town."
"Go back" said Ezra, shortly.
Pm not keeping you I tell you
will join you presently"
''Come with NJ now" said the
other. As he spoke the girl half
lifted herself in the water, smiled