The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-22
Our Daily Short Stories
ROMANCE OF SUMMER
BY H. S. CANFIELD.
Copyright. 1901. by Authors syndicate)

Not an unmarried man in the hotel!
That is the condition which confronted
fifteen desperate spinsters in Belleview
house. at the north end of Long Lake
The lake itself spread from the front
n,qzza in an expanse of light blue in
sunshine and dark blue in shadow. Its
surface crinkled into white under the
stroke of strong breezes, Its precipi-
t5us shores were swathed in hemlock
and balsam pine, and the healthy re-
sinous odors of these invaded the nos
tlis. The prevailing colors of this land
slape and waterscape were blue and
sreen-dark green. The air was like
vine. Nothing lacked to make of Belle
view house and Long Lake a summer
paradise, except men.
He came, and, of course, made a COM
notion The commotion was decorouS
and under the surface. but it was
there. One of the girls, gazing discon-
solately from her window near noon,
saw him dismount from the red road
cart of the hotel. He distracted a
vaise and a couple of fishing rod cases
in a businesslike way, and walked into
L.
not out of her mind. She went in sue
cession TO the rooms Of the other four
teen, raped on the doors, called softly
through the transoms: "A mani" and
hurried to dress. A little later, grouped
about the register. they read his name:
Harvey Rowland, New York" written
in large, black, sprawling hand. Gu
Iiously enough, the writing seemed to
convey that the fingers which held the
pen were used to something heavier.
The man himself. the badgered clerk
said, had Immediately taken a boat
and gone out to catch fish, he would
not return before dinner This was I'M
satisfactory but better than nothing;
he was there, anyhow.
The girl who had seen him became
center. Really, she had seen only
a sturdy figure under a soft brown
hat but she was not hampered in
drawing his portrait He was young.
strong. well dressed, evidently of re-
finement. She should say that he had
blue eyes and a sweeping golden mus
tache. One hand was gloved, but the
other was white and shapeIy. and she
thought that she had noticed a bril-
liant upon a finger. When she had de-
tailed the story for the tenth time she
knew the man SO well that she felt
akin to him; she would have known
him anywhere.
They saw him that night at dinner
and took stock. He varied in particu-
lars from the verbal. picture. He was
more than 30, heavily built, with a
dark skin, plenty of black hair and
dark gray eyes. He had a mustache,
but it was jetty as the wing of a raven.
He was quiet of demeanor, surveying
them casually and respectfully, but
without tremor. He had a large chin
and resolute jaw. His hands were
brown and powerful-capable looking
hands. He spoke seldom, in a deep,
even voice, and he had an excellent
appetite. After dinner he did not hang
about the piazzas waiting to be intro
duced. but, knowing the thing in store
for him, walked into the woods, where
4 he smoked a cigar. and. returning,
went to bed. He was voted distinctly
Disappointing.
among these young women, some
of whom were chaperoned and some
were not, was Winifred Bray-un-
chaperoned. She was rs years old, and
able to take care of herself She was
woman of the world and a woman
Worker-a writer for magazines and
line press-and had come to the lake
Tor rest. She liked solitude; the man
liked solitude. Since they wanted to
he alone, they found themselves rnys-
teriously drawn together There was
something in her which led him to seek
her society: there was something in
MIN which compelled her. Her absorp-
uon Of him did not please her women
acquaintances, and she did not care.
AS Tor Rowland, he knew nothing
ABOUT il. 1t is sure that if made aware
Of 1t. he would have cared even less
man she. In respect to his life and
deeds he was a singular man.
He found it sweet that summer.
Love is the noblest passion of which
humanity is capable, but in it's ORR
GIN, at least, it is sexual and propin-
guilty is the strongest factor in it's
creation. ~ the far end of the boat
was an olive face with serious brown
eyes. red lios and rounded cheeks and
cAln. Her figure was strong, upright
ana beautifully nodded, her voice
I.rm and tuneful They had many
tmngs in common. Their likes and