Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-04-16

Mr.. Dean was as Mortified as Eunice
could wish. 1t was all very well to
befriend unfortunate damsels, but
when his own son fell in love-that
was a very different matter. But,
their ~anxieties for Harry's fu-
ture were soon forgotten in the fear
for his present.
The storm caught its breath and
then hurled wind and rain and fog
as if it had a malignant joy in ter
1t was long remembered as
the dreadful August gale, and more
than n wreck propitiated its fury.
Just before dinner Helen was
watching from her window. A cur
tain, the color of night, hung straight
down, hiding lurking chaos, and from
beneath its edge white spray would
rush out, roaring, to use its rage
against the wet, streaming rock and
fade back impotently.
Suddenly Jane ran into the room.
"Oh! Miss Helen" she cried, Mrs.
Dean has just sent word will you
please go over right away-Mr. Har-
ry and the French lady are out some
where in a canoe-God help 'em, and
"Good Heavens!" cried Helen, turn
ing pale. Give me my golf cape and
don't let my father know if you can
help it, Jane"
Away she hurried, to beat her way
along the shore path, where the wind
surely blew from every point at once.
Eunice met her at the door.
''Oh, Helen" she sobbed. I'm so
glad you've come. Poor Mr.. Dean, it
nearly breaks my heart to see him.
He is out there in the wet, pacing
up and down. What shall we do?"
81 don't suppose there is much we
a debut watt" answered Helen.
"Where is your husband?"
"Charles is down on the wharf with
the men and just as soon as there is
a lull they are going to send out
every boat in the village, but nothing
could leave now. Think of that little,
frail canoe! They say their only
chance is that Harry may have seen
it coming and landed on one of the
islands. But if they did they will
have to spend the night there-that
horrid woman! This will settle it, of
course"
Helen did her best as comforter,
and deciding that her place was with
Eunice, wrote a note to her father
and stopped all night at the Deans,
a night of agonized length.
1t passed somehow, and gradually
the wind lessened to a musical,
swinging murmur; the rain stopped;
the fog folded itself neatly up and
was whisked off, and the sun rose
fairly.
Then came the good news. A shot
the signal agreed on, rang over the
water, and a white flag streamed
from Jake Parker's sloop as she
careered into the harbor.
With joyful excitement all Gran
berry Cove fastened down to the
wharf to welcome the sufferers and
escort them home in a triumphal pro
cession. Mademoiselle Colette, very
weak and faint, but highly enjoying
herself as the center of a sensation
was carried to the house in a pic
turesque limp attitude, Harry fol
lowing, his fathers arm owe his
shoulder.
Things have somewhat quietet
down and Mademoiselle Colette being
safely ensconced in bed, where, tt
every ones relief, the doctor rec
commended her remaining for the
present, Eunice called Helen into The
library. Harry, warmed and fed ant
petted, "a smoking his pipe will
lazy content by the open fire, his ia
Their and brother watching him.
"Now, my boy" said Mr.. Dean, "tel
us all about it,"
"There isn't much to tell, sir,
smiled Harry, with a comfortable
stretch.
But they would not let him off, 81
he told of his seeing the squall com
ing, and, realizing that they woult
be swamped if he tried to reach home
how he made for Seal island and will
great difficulty beached his ticklisl
craft. Then how they tried to maxi
some signal which would be seel
from the mainland, but the rain mad
it impossible to light a fire, and tn
fog and darkness soon shut them il
completely.
when I saw" he continued "tha
| it was no use, and that we would hav'
to stop the night there, l did the bes
l could for Mademoiselle Colette witt
my sweater and a screen of boughs
but it was pretty bad. She was aw
fully plucky."
Harry" said Mr.. Dean gravely
ibid you ask her to marry you?"
eyes, sir, I did," he said simply. /"
| didn't see what else / could do"
"Then you r engaged" cam
Eunice with a sort of groan.
certainly not" answered Harr,
cheerfully. "Mademoiselle Colett
thanked me for what she was please,
| to call the honor I had paid her, bu
said that as she had been happil,
married for five years to Monsieu
Paul Smoloff, first violin in an orches
ira in Vienna, she really couldn't &C
cept.
His hearers we're too amazed to d
anything but gasp, and Harry con
| tinued in a tone which showed hin
to be entirely heart free:
"She said she kept her maidel
name because the public knew her a
Mademoiselle Colette Platon, an,
that she was over here this yea
without her husband for profession
al reasons She added that she wa
quite sure that my kind and munif
cent father knew of her marriage
but I guess you didn't. Dad, did you?
Mr.. Dean laughed with a sort O