The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-09-19
The Face
In the Sand
az JOHN i. RBECKET
BY JOHN J. A'6ECKET
Copyright. 1901. bp A. s. Richardson

8 Copyright, 1901. by A. s. Richardson Q
0oooooooooooooooooooocoooo
Miss Hartwell strolled along the
beach at Atlantic City that early sum
mer morning. drinking I'm the air and
watching the slow, green waves break
with the conviction that she was deriv-
ing new strength for her settlement
work II only some OF those poor east
side youngsters could have a little Of
this sea air too, But they would reap
| the benefit OF al she got. and there
was comfort.
At which stage of her reflections she
paused to look with smiling curiosity
at something in the sand. 1t was the
profile of a young girl fashioned very
| cleverly out OF the damp material As
she continued gazing II grew on her
| that the features were quite like her
own.
1t was a mere coincidence. Of course.
She didn't know anybody In the place.
| finding all the company she needed In
Miss Cunningham. After their break
| fast she would get her friend TO walk
| that way and see how the sand image
| affected her.
The waves OF the incoming tide were
almost tapping IT. but her companion
caught sight OF the alto rilievo mod
| eled from the unstable material and
stopped to look at 1t more closely.
'why. Margaret" she exclaimed aft
| er a moment. raising her eyes to the
others face. sit looks like you. Turn
| your head. There. Now take OF your
hat. Yesl 1t is a fair likeness Of you.
Who in the world can have done itY'
1T Is enough Of a likeness to merit
this" returned the other. stamping the
delicate profile into oblivion. 1T is a
| piece of impertinencer'
In the sun parlor Of the casino that
afternoon she noticed a man regarding
her. There was a contented, well fed
air about him which she did not like.
although he was a good looking man
In his heavy way. Earnest, practical
interest In the thin poor made her a
little intolerant OF sated idleness. At
dinner that evening she caught his eye
| upon her again as he passed her table.
She averted her face Miss Hartwell
was a very pretty girl. but a fastidious
| one, with no taste for a seaside fiirta-
ton.
'aThat IL Burlington, the sculptor y
she heard a woman remark to her
neighbor.
That face in the sand! Her face
This was the man!
Miss Hartwell got a note from heI
brother Tom that day saying he could
not come before the end Of the week
You girls want a man to fetch and
carry for you. You mention half doz
en- women you have met and then com
plain that the place is restful. but q
little dull, Here's your chance.
hear that Hammond, a Boston man
classmate OF mine at Yale. Is at At
lantic City. He is n good fellow-rich
family, brains-but is shy Of girls.
shall make him miserable by sending
him note OF Introduction to you an6
Miss Cunningham"
| A day or two later the young fel
low presented the note. He was q
charming young man. From an ac
quaintance he rapidly developed into
an acquisition. He was quiet and dig
II
like him very well Tom is a good
athlete but not strong on analysis OF
character" she laughingly said to Mis-,
Cunningham.
Miss Hartwell had not encountered
her face on the sand again and wa.
reaping nothing but health and pleas
ure from her vacation. especially since
young Hammond had become such ar
interesting part Of II. Then one morn
ing she came upon 1t again. As before
1t was early morning. She stamped
IL out even more emphatically.
Her brother arrived that day. ant
she Immediately confided to him how
much annoyance the sculptor was &C
casioning her. Tom lost no time II
} getting after the man. who denied al
knowledge of the matter.
81 came here for rest and amuse
, ment, and the last thing am likely 4
do 10 to make faces In the sand.
work In more durable material"
But the likeness was unmistakable
and you are the only sculptor here,
urged Tom doggedly.
''That may be. l had nothing to d.
with It. Ny word should Offset a mer
suspicion. 1 do not know your sister
but II she is the young woman / thinl
, you can assure her that 1 will no
model her face in the sand" the maj
concluded sarcastically.
Miss Hartwell was incredulous whel
she heard her brothers report. II dom
like the mans face" she said.
THAT doesn't prove he did yours n
the sand, Maggie" returned her broth
3 er reproachfully. Il gather from hi
r remarks that he doesn't like you
face"
al Miss Hartwell tossed her head. Ton
| was SO easy going. She might catcl
this man at his work. Then she knew
she could count on Tom. She strolle'
along the board walk. occasionally aI
! preaching the rail and looking down ol
e the beach. for the next two or thre
: mornings early. But she saw no one
4 Perhaps he had been frightened Oh
, IL she could only catch hint
), The next morning she did. There
crouched down on the sand. working 4
IT, SO absorbed that he never glance
| around, was q man. He and she wer
y almost the sole persons abroad at tina
e hour.
+ She recognized the clandestine mod
= eler beyond the shadow OF doubt. Bu
u instead OF getting her brother and ha,
, ing him fall upon the delinquent re
handed she hurried back to the hott
a and watched from behind the curtain
= Of her room until she saw the san
artist come Up. Then she sailed fort