The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-08-22

this was rejected with fine scorn, and
as Edith moved away from the desk
she remarked that an engagement to
go rowing would be indefinitely post
poned- Then, womanIike, she fed to
her room and spent the rest of the aft
ernoon in tears.
That evening she went to the boat
landing alone and, selecting a light
boat, set out for solitary row. She
padded about the lake for awhile,
thinking Of the trips she and Ralph
had enjoyed, then with sudden de-
termination started away from shore.
Bawn had told her that he had stuck
on a sand bar at Plum island, In the
center of the lake and around the point
from the hotel. Edith decided that she
would look at the Plum island sand
bar herself and make certain that there
was absolutely no foundation for
Bawn's tale
She found relief from her vexed feel
ings in the exercise, and, setting her
course for the island, she pulled lusti-
ly. She did not realize what progress
she was making till she found that the
boat had stopped-on the same bank!
She reversed the oars, but the mo-
mentum had carried the boat well on
to the bank Of mud, and her effort was
without result She removed her shoes
and stockings to get out and push, but
a preliminary sounding with the oar,
an afterthought, proved to her that
Bawn's contention had been correct
and that the mud was too deep and
k<,<<x xx<.F< g. 4.
4 The twilight faded into dusk, and
with the darkness came sense Of ut
ter desolation- Once faron whistle
told of the approach of the night train,
but for the rest there were only the
sound of the crickets on the island and
the call of an owl somewhere ON the
mainland. She laid her head on q seat,
and for a second time that day she en-
joyed good cry.
About 10 the moon rose, sflvering the
lake and deepening by contrast the
gloom Of the shore. Across the lake
she could hear the regular squeak Of
oars in their locks, and, straining her
eyes. she could just make out a famil-
lar form. 1t was Bawn, and, like her
self, he was alone.
He was too far or to hear her cry.
She raised an oar and roughly imitat-
ed the Morse code. Bawn, amazed,
recognized the strokes. 1t sounded to
him as Il some one were trying to imi-
tate the telegraph instrument It was
his call, "R. B.-R. B.-R. B"
Curiously he searched the water.
Edith stood up. Her light dfesa.
backed by the wooded island, caught
his eye. INe raised his oar. Down It
came upon the gunwale. He was send
ing the call '.Seventy-threeT Then he
bent to his oars and with long. steady
strokes forced the boat toward the Is
land. He approached cautiously and
did not strike the bar.
81 am glad 10 see you realize now
that couldn't help getting home late"
was his greeting. Edith's spirit was
gone.
Take me out of this horrible place,
Ralph" she said, '.and forgive me for
being cross-SI take it alb back"
There was a rope in the bottom Of
| his boat, and he threw her a line. Hfs
back heaved asAe tugged at the oars.
and soon she was in clear water. He
took her into his boat and, towing the
other, made his way back to the land
ing.
What he said and her answer are not
recorded, but the conversation may be
imagined from their talk on the land
ing.
"Just one kiss" he urged as she
| stepped out 1.-The boat.
"No," she answered firmly, blushing
| as she spoke. but some day you mat
have not one. but-seventy- three