Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-07-24
owner of the Helene, is saying:
ssR1lt can Won r,apaoe ITO"

But can you manage it?'
Watch me-
! Their eyes meet. His fall
She steps lightly into the Helene,
| and a moment later Verna leaps into
| her arms.
Cast off," commands the fair skip
per.
! The breeze has freshened. When the
| Helene found itself clear of the
anchored yachts it made a sharp tack
to port, then a bee line for the feet,
now half an hour in advance
All on shore could see that a reck-
less but a masterful hand guided the
fortunes Of the Helene, but at the first
sudden tack many "Os." Abs" and
signs came from the landing
The Helene was too long and too
narrow for the customarily quick
maneuvers of boats of its class. Other
wise, except for its unusually long,
deep centerboard, it was a catboat
pure and simple.
For half mile outward it held its
course we'll aport of the fleet. Sud-
denly dip to starboard, and the
Laura, the Thrush, and the Nancy
Deane accepted the challenge.
The breeze, now grown to a steady
blow, had changed several points with
in the hour, and is almost directly to-
ward the Oaks landing.
Nancy Deane was nearest the pivotal
point, the Thrush next, while the
I
quarter of a mile away when the
challenge came and the turn was made
The Helene cut quick and clean
between the Nancy and the Thrush,
and so suddenly did it right and fill,
after the second tack to starboard.
that already it was winner as to posi-
ton and start.
The five in the Nancy Deane regard
ed each other blankly. Dan was on
the alert, but said nothing. Fred saw
only the vision Nell spoke to him.
He did not hear Dan watched Nell.
The vision turned once and
seemed to look directly at Fred 1t
was CLEAN of defiance. Fred misin-
terpreted it. Nell saw She felt Freds
heart follow the Helene. A slight
pallor crept over her cneek for an in
slant only, succeeded by a faint flush,
which remained. She turned to see
what the two men were doing. Her
eyes met Dams.
Can we do it?' she said.
We'll try
The wind increased.
She's mad said Dan "'The Hell
enc can't stand it."
Silence.
On they scudded.
All eyes were on the Helene. It's
rail was on the water. Fifty feet more
and it would strike the Leopard. It
did not strike. It's single mast snapped
off like match; clear, but for the
tangled cordage.
La Dumont, leaving the tiller, sprang
forward with something sharp in ner
hand, cut away the ropes, gave the
Helene strong turn to port, cleared
the Leopard with a Craze, and then
the landing.
Thank God she's SAFE" said Dan.
Fred looked bewildered. Nell's hand
found Dams.
When the fleet" reached the line
the vision was saying to the boat
man:
Present your bill at the Office" and
when the s'groupe" had landed, she
was sitting upon the veranda with
Verna by her side.
The next morning, at 10, stranger
came. Entering the office he inquired
for Miss Demar." No such guest had
Registered. A smile passed over his
clean cut features. Miss Dumont and
Verna passed by a window upon the
veranda.
Members of the "groupe" were here
and there. Fred was alone. Dan was
not far from Nell, nor she from the
Bairds.
Good morning" said the stranger,
emitting names.
The vision turned a tr1fle pale
such mere trif1e,
"Are you ready to go?" he contin-
ued, kindly, with pleasant smile and
reinsurance in his steel gray eyes.
Yes she faltered, and sank into
sat The child was wide eyed and
chung to her vision
Before departing the stranger said
to mine host"
I'm simply specialist. My ward
left the sanitarium cleverly. How she
found her child | do not know"
He paid all accounts and left, the
chauffeur and Verna on the front
seat, he and the vision" on the next.
When all became known to the
"groupe" Fred awoke, but he had over
slept. Dan had not. The wedding will
occur in September, and Dan and Nell
are not regretting the defeat of the
Nancy Deane by the Helene, the fast
est 'scud'' on the lake--under pres
sure.