Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1904-11-11
apparently at no one in particular,
that was not exactly parliamentary.
Meantime TIE. nccnnant of the ca

Meantime the occupant OF the ca
noe, quite unconscious OF the proz-
INIT, Of her would be lover, da@died
slowly on.
However, on this particular day
as she alternately padded and drift
ed in a wholly spasmodic and II
responsible style, her thoughts were
not with hila, but very far afeld
indeed. A rardan had gone in be-
fore her, and the locllman was al
ready swinging the gates to, but,
| seeing her quicken her stroke, paus-
ed a moment, leaving space for her
canoe to enter. Then he waddled
placidly to the upper gate and be-
gan to work his sluicas, while Mar
gerry held absentmindcdly 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. He
was there, in straw hat and flannsls,
standing on the opposite side and
beaming at her with the utmost at
liability. She bowed coldly. Some
how she vaguely resented his benz
so high above her head.
All the sluices were open now,
the water from above pouring with
thunderous sound into the hollow
space and making a turmoil in the
lock like the fixing of an extremely
muddy brand of soda water. For d
moment Margery's canoe danced
like a straw, then-what was be
shouting at her for like that? She
glanced at him, half offended, hal!
puzzled, saw his face turn frighten-
ed, his hand point wildly, then turn
ed to swiftly realize her danger, lor
the PROV of her canoe was jammCd
beneath projecting beam halfway
up the lock side. Already the stern
was fitting up at dangerous angle.
and, even as, with a 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
and whirled it over like feather.
Margerv felt herself swept hel p
lessly down by the rush of it, and
then followed what seemed an IN
terminable time, in which the water
swayed and buffeted and tossed her
as it would, till suddenly there was
a strong arm around her, and her
head rose above the waters agar
without effort of her own. He Wa
there holding her up and swimmir-
with the other hand. Certainly h
was putting a little. He was feeling
for something, the chain she had lei
go of, and in another moment he
had graspod it. The lock keeper VIC
there by now, and, the water bein"
up to the top, they stood momeh,
aftcrward dripping on the bank.
'Fcel all right?" he inquired la
conically.
ooh, quite, thank you," she az
mitted, with unaccustomed meek
ness.
"Umph. You're a nice youn-
woman to 60 about protecting your
SELF" His tone was distinctly ma
licious. "What do you think now"
81 think" she said, and the de-
mureness of her voice was belied BY
the mischievous sparkle in her eyes,
81 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 un
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 a minute before.
The lockman stared, then grinned
alphabetically.
cts all right" Beresford assured
him cheerfully. ''The lady is-my
wife"
ooh, how dare you?" she gasped
endeavoring to move away and fail
ing ANONYMOUSLY. GLOW dare you
:ell such lieI"
dts not lie" he rejoined cool
ly; ''it's merely an anticipation"
'But," she protested, Il never
said," with a sudden access of dig
nity--'I haven't made up my mind"
mo, my dear child"-he was still
imperturbable-"but you're such
long time about it that I've made
!