Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-09-28

unJ1i ne nad met her. And she had conhded to him that she had only been out of strict boarding school for 8 Few weeks, and her mother was just be- ginning to let her receive company-so she had met hardly any young men as yet
 Absorbed in this interesting game of hearts, neither of them had noticed how dark It was getting. They had left the DoathOuse about seven o'clock, shortly after sunset of beautiful May even- ing According to schedule. the full moon should be up at seven-thirty, and that was what Mr. Wilbur had been fg- uring on. Of course. he noticed it was dark down under the shadow of the hill, but the hill itself kept him from seeing the ugly, black,elouds that had been creeping up from the south. He had dropped his oar and his left arm had stolen around her waist, while
 his right hand had imprisoned the two white ones which still held the oar, and
 he was pleading his prettiest for just one little hss.'' Suddenly there came clang of thunder that seemed to split the very heavens, and at the same time the cloud which had stolen upon them under cover of the hill rose above and over them like great black pail.
 As they glanced up to the hill Sadie screamed and covered her face with her hands as she covered closer beside him.
 My God! What Is that?'' burst from Wflbur's lips, as his eyes gazed in hor- TOT at the hilltop. He might well ask it. From the lower part of the cloud was a
 black, writhing column, that as it rushed over the hill was taking the mighty trees from their roots as man would pluck handful of clover It how cred above them like an eagle over 8 lark. Even in that awful moment Mart Wilbur did not lose his presence of mind. He caught Sadie in his arms as if she were baby and laid her down in the stern of the boat springing back to his oars just as the awful thing above them seemed to swoop forward with a roar like hundred trip hammers. Tn an instant the surface of the water, which had been so calm, was boiling like cauldron, and waves that seemed as large as any he had ever encountered
 on Lake Erie tossed their boat about like feather. The air was filled with debris, branches of trees and shrubbery from the hill above, while black mist seemed to fill the space all about them. Then came the rain-a pouring flood 1 that drenched them to the skin in a moment.
 Sadie had raised herself from the bot
 tom of the boat up onto the stern seat. All the fear seemed to have left her now. Was 1t her own natural courage-or was 1. 1t her confidence in him? she asked her. self. How cool and brave'she was. Yet only that afternoon he had written his friend quite the reverse opinion of her. Why, she was girl to make any man love her.
 And he! Could this be the young man l whom she had told Ella was only an i eastern ''dude''-fit for a summers S filtration? Why he was as cool and collected as if this was summer breeze instead of cyclone-and how he 1 could handle boat.
 1 Only for few minutes the terrible
 uproar lasted Even the rain ceased
 but darkness was setting fast over the river as the noise died away. Wilbur 1 dropped his oars again and held out his
 hands to her.
 1 She had lost her hat i'm the storm but. 1 gathering her wet skirts about her, she raised herself forward as he drew her to the seat beside him. Neither spoke
 for minuteonly their eyes met-as ] he drew her closer to him. There was
 no need to plead for the kiss now-she
 gave it without asking, and gave her
 heart with it, as they rowed slowly back
 to the dismantled boathouse together.