Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-12-04

euuueh snOck OF the cold water on
her ankles or the unexpected hiss
OF the wavelet. ANYHOW. Miss
Hatherfield jumped up with a little
scream and frightened ooh dearl''
l rather fiattered myself she was al
luding to me, but | learned after
ward that | had no place in her
thoughts at that particular moment.
She was thinking only of the mer-
maid. or course | gallantlv caught
her and was on the point Of seizing
the opportunity 10 exclaim, Mag
gIe, | love your when she gasped,
My EASEL Quick, quickpv was
as quick, quick as any human
being could have been under the
circumstances, but the easel and its
attendant canvas were quicker. In
a space TO be measured by seconds
the artistic equipment was dancing
about on the rolling main, and /
had plunged in after it.
1t was a foolish thing TO do. for
there was an undercurrent at that
particular spot with which was un-
acquainted, and that undercurrent
played the very deuce with me. |
quickly realized that was drifting.
but where knew not. One thing
was perfectly clear-I was leaving
the rocks behind me. | am a fair
~ good swimmer. but hampered as
was with my clothes and shoes, |
could make no headway. yelled
for assistance. and-and-I almost
dread to write the words-Miss
Hatherfield tore off her hat and
some other things and plunged into
the sea.
$50 back. 20 back" / cried. cor
you'll be drowned! The current
runs like a mill pond"
could see her battling with the
waves. Her thick brown hair had
come unfastencd and fOated around
her head like a mass Of seaweed. I
noticed, too, that her arms were
bare. She evidently meant bust
peSS.
| was beginning to grow exhaust
ed, when a sudden shout caused me
TO turn my head. As I did so a
boat shot past me in the direction
OF Miss llatherfeld. 1t was filled
with fishermen. and in the bows
stood one bronzcd and hardy toiler
of the deep with a huge net in his
hand.
caught hold Of the boat as it
moved away and was congratulating
myself on my lucky escape when, to
my horror. l heard some one in the
boat cry ont. There she Is. Catch
her, catch her. The mermaid. the
mermaid" The net few in the air
and alighted around Miss IIather-
field.
As TO what happened after that l
am not quite clear, but the hardy
fishermen said | fought like a mad
man; that ! screamed Maggie.
Maggiel" and did all sorts of alb
surd things. Let this be as il may,
all | can remember is waking up
and finding myself in bed, with
Nine Morette and a doctor gazing
at me anXiously. Later on who
should appear but Miss Hatherfeld,
and then the incidents of the pre-
vious day returned to me.
"You were accidentally hit on the
head with an oar" she explained,
while they were pulling me ON
board, and when l saw the blood
streaming from your head / tainted.
/ was afraid it was something seri-
ous"-there was, l observed, a pc
culiar little choking in her voice
and what looked like the least symp-
tom of moisture in her eyes-"but
the doctor SAYS it is only a flesh
wound, and that YOU will be quite
well in a day or two"
| seized her hand. She did not
take it away.
Suppose" l said, lit had been
something serious, would YOU
Then kissed her-twice, and she
offered no objection.
"From this time forth" l said to
the good Nine. Morette when / babe
her goodby at the railway station,
Il shall believe religiously in mer-
maids, because" l added, looking
at Maggie, who was blushing in a
corner of the carriage-"oh, be-
cause, you see, I've caught one my
self w-Sketch.