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

good, reliable friend was with me.
Even then. 1 should keep q sharp
lookout and shy clear Of such new
strangers as tried to scrape an ac-
quaintance. There's plenty of EN-"
Mirandy felt terribly put down, and
didn't stay long. When she went
across to her lodging, Cynthy looked
after her with the .muttered observa-
ton: well. guess I've taken the
idea out of her head Of going OF sixty
miles to an ocean island all by her
self. hope have"
Mirandy was depressed, and no mis-
take. At first she dwelt on the shady
side of the question. Oh dear! had not
Cynthy spoken ominously of the very
thing or object her mother had always
cautioned her against? A stray man!
And was not the "coast-guard," that
Mrs. Farley had spoken Of rather jub-
ilantly, very junket, SO to speak, of
this Objectionable species?
The next moment she smiled.
There's not the slightest doubt that
Cynthy d like to go with me-" she
said in soliloquy, "but-I don't want
her. One old maid is enough to go off
boarding for rest and leisure and then
=" up came that fine characteristic
of her fathers-"am not l sufficient
unto myself? Verify I am, and stray
man. or no stray man, Pm going to
Serum Island, and right away, tool"
Miss Cynthy Wells bade Mirandy a
significant, more than half displeased
goodbye, when two days later an ex-
pressman came for the little black
trunk, and Mirandy started, alone of
course, for Serum Island. She had al
most asked at last to accompany Mi
randy, but the latter lady had managed
to remark innocently that Mrs. Farley
had but one room to let.
| Oh, but the glory of the sea! 1t
seemed as though Mirandy Rose was
fairly intoxicated by the splendid vi
sion. She would sit for hours, dream
ing across the broad expanse, her soul
fairly reveling in the changeful pic
ture. She would forget everything her
wearying needle, the sameness of her
maiden life, get in late at meals, and
forget that Gods creation held such
a thing as stray man, in the beauti-
fully absorbing dash and brightness OF
| foaming wave and rushing billow. She
was Gin it" at last to her hearts de-
light and content, Gin" for the long
desired, restful sight.
As for the coast guard, they came
and went In their clean white cloth
ing, apparently oblivious of meeting a
stray woman on her way to and from
4 the rocks close by the sea. Once or
twice when they happened to look at
her face, they looked again, to Miriam
| dy's surprise, exactly as if they wanted
to see the pleasant countenance again.
One day-it was gray, sunless day.
such as often lends a peculiar charm
to old ocean, Mirandy had taken a
| book Mrs. Farley recommended, and
had skipped blithely as girl across
some low rocks, until slight distance
from the shore she seated herself on
some favorite rocks higher up and
commanding sweeping view along
the watery way. For long time the
book lay idle in her lap, as with hands
clasped around her knees, she watched
a number of fishing vessels making
their slow journey to deeper waters
Then the dusky beauty of sky and wave
claimed her attention. Finally, to rest
her eyes, she took up the book to be-
guile her little while until the tide
rolled in.
The story proved alluring beyond
| fof oh
paused to laugh happily at tiny wave
let's that rushed in an important way
between the rocks below her, then she
read on. All at once she started in
surprise. A bold wave, not so tiny,
came with impetuous force up the de-
clivity where she was perched, send
ing foam and spray all over the page
she was reading.
Why! how had the sea "contrived''
to roll in at such rate while she had
ceased to watch for little time? At
first she was amused, and sat smiling
in pleased unconcern as another am
bilious wave sweiled, and roared, and
stood up, Perhaps I'd better be get
ting down to the sands" she said.
But on looking behind her she gave
little cry Of CONSERVATION. She re-
membered, too, on the instant, that
Mrs. Farley had warned her that the
tide had sly way. on rough days, Of
creeping swiftly around the back of
the high rocks and hemming them in.
II shall get proper wet" she said,
cheerfully, ''but must plunge right
along. Oh dear, dear mel"
Even as she spoke, monster wave
dashed defiantly over the rocks mid
way between herself and the shore,
and before that had subsided there
came another, then another; there
seemed no pause between.
Land sake alive! You don't mean
/ 4 = S, xr,hox