Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-17

gan 10 work MS Slulces, Wnlle Mar
gerry held absentmindedly on to the
chain that hung down the Shiny
weed covered wall. At the first
swirl of the incoming water she lift
ed her eyes, and very material fact
obtruded itself on her dreams. LID
was there, in straw hat and flannels
standing on the opposite side and
beaming at her with the utmost at.
liability. She bowed cOldly. Some
how she vaguely resented his being
so high above her head.
All the sluices we're open now,
the water from above pouring with
a thunderous sound into the hollow
space and making a turmoil in the
lock like the fizzing Of an extremely
muddy brand of soda water. For d
moment Margery's canoe danced
like a straw, then--what was he
shouting at her for like that? She
glanced at him, half offended, half
puzzled, saw his face turn frighten-
ed, his hand point wildly, then turn.
ed to swiftly realize her danger, for
the prov Of her canoe was jammed
beneath a projecting beam halfway
up the lock side. Already the stern
was fitting up at a dangerous angle,
and, even as, with little gasp, she
thrust her paddle against the wall,
she knew it was too late. She heard
the lock keeper shouting as he ran
down from the gate, then another
heave of the water took the canoe
aud whirled it over like feather.
Margery felt herself swept help
lsssly down by the rush of it, and
then followed what seemed all in
terminable time, in which The water
swayed and buffetcd and tossed her
as it would, till suddenly there was
a strong arm around her, and her
head rose above the waters again
without effort Of her own. lie was
there holding her up and swimming
with the. other hand. Certainly he
was putting little. He was feeling
for something, the chain she had let
go Of, and in another moment he
had grasped it, The lock keeper was
there by now, and, the water being
up to the top, they stood a moment
afterward dripping on slc bank.
'Tecl all right!' he inquired la
conically.
"Oh, quite, thank you" she ad-
mitted, with unaccustomed meek
ness.
"Umph. You're a nice young
woman to go about protecting your
SELF" His tone was distinctly ma
licious. "What do you think now?"
81 think" she said, and the de-
nureness of her voice was belied by
the mischievous sparkle in her eyes,
"I think it's just as well this time
that you didn't happen to be your
father--and sixty-fve."
Even to the dullest and most I'M
versed in the feminine mind kind Of
man intuitions occasionally come.
And one came to Frank Beresford
then, with the result that he bent
and kissed her with a calm air of
proprietorship that took her breath
away quite as effectively as the wa
ter had done minute before.
The lockman stared, then grinned
alphabetically.
ats all right" Beresford assured
him cheerfully. ''The lady is-my
wife"
"Oh, how dare you?" she gasped,
endeavoring to move away and fail
ing ANONYMOUSLY. GLOW dare you
tell such lie:"
Tvs not lie," he rejolned cool
ly; OTIS merely an anticipation"
'But,' she protested, Il never
said," with a sudden access of dig
haven't made up my mind"
"No, my dear child"-he was still
imperturbable-''but you're such a
long time about it that I've made
it up for You. shall always be
glad to save YOU trouble. Now,
come along and see about getting
1ry."-Pictorial Magazine.