Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-03-16


she cared for your
"Yes."
you might have known she didn't
Van A!lstyne is a richer man than you
lin money. It's wealth and power she
wants, and attention and admiration.
Love, She doesn't know what II
means. And you thought she had a
more
81 know it now" said vane. "when
It's too late"
"And you-can you care for her still2"
asked Marjorie after silence.
"Yes-at least | care for the ideal
thought her"
"What did you think herT'
Brave, courageous, noble hearted.
with soul as beautiful as her body,
comrade for man, to face with him
the storms of life, woman tender and
true, to fight for and dare for. | would
have tried to give her everything she
wanted. No man can love her as l
do-and now" Vane laughed bitterly
as an ending to his sentence.
"Why did you come out today in this
gale?" said Marjorie. rs your life
SO worthless to you that you would risk
it because a thoughtless woman has
wounded your"
MY life! What does it mattere I
don't care"
y thought you didn't" returned the
girl grayely. 81 knew you didn't. That's
why l came. l couldn't let you come
alone"
"And you came because you
thought
you would be reckless? Yes"
"And you were not afraidP
mo. Why should be? | knew you
would take care of De-if not OF your
self" The girl smiled at him con-
fidently. II am perfectly safe with
you," she added.
So Marjorie had risked her life for
him, so that in his desperate humor he
should not 60 alone. But how came
she. mere child, to understand? She,
at least, had heart TO make some man
happy. And here he was putting her
life at the mercy of the sea to crafty
bis selfish mood Of bitterness. Well, |
he must get her home at once-tben-
Van thought he did not much care
what happened afterward.
1t was blowing harder as Nane came
about and Stacked the sheet for the |
run to the far distant boathouse and
the hotel on the hill. They were go
ing before the wind now, the boat roll |
ing dangerously in the clutch of the
sea, the waves behind following with
hungry laws and threatening every
momep. to engulf them.
With braced body and strained mus
cles, every sense alert, Vane gripped
the tiller, striving to hold the boat
against the swirling buffets of the
waves, his one thought to get her sare
to land. Every moment the wind In
creased, every moment the bay became
more tumultuous. Would they make
it? he wondered
They We're nearly opposite the boat
house when there came sudden whirl
of wind from between the hills aheao.
Vane had but time to cry a warning
when the sail jibed, the boom came
swinging over with an angry snarl, the
boat was flung upon her beam ends.
and the next moment he found him
self entangled in cordage and bathing
for his life beneath the waves. With
desperate fingers he cleared himself
and came to the surface. And Mar
jorie-where was she? Good God!
Had she been struck by the boom and
made unconscious or killed, or had she,
too. been carried down by the sinking
boat?
For an agonized moment Vane couid
see no sign Of her, and then ne spied
her just coming to the surface. she
was going down again when he caught
her and started for the shore. IL was
long swim against tide that seemed
to drag him down as il with clutching
hands, but yane swore he would save
this girl who had risked her HE Tor
| him on lose her own. He cQ2iR ~ Reo: