Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-11-02
In the Dunes
BY HONORE WILLSIE
Copyright 1905, by Honore Willsie

Lake Michigan is covetous of her
eastern shore Year after year her
sands creep inland. Inch by inch, mile
by mile, now peach orchard is smoth-
cred, now Il mellow wheatfield IS
blotted out, and in their stead scrub
pines thrive and sand burs sprawl in
the sun Year by year the scrub
pines grow stouter and the sand burs
tangle thicker and thicker, and with
each year the desolation of the sand
dune country increases. Roads formed
one month are shifting dunes the next.
Inland lakes, once green and lovely,
slowly and mercilessly are choked un-
til only sand skirted pools remain.
And still the desoIation grows.
katherine and her Great Dane hud-
died together under the scrub pine
and watched the gray of the twilight
turn to purple.
"Wen. we're lost, Jacky," she said,
"tust plain lost The hunting lodge
ought to be over in that direction, but
it's not, and they have supper so late
they won't miss us for another hour.
How would 1t seem to spend the night
in the sand burs, do you suppose,
Jacky:"
Jacky whined and laid his great head
in the girls lap. She rubbed his ears
absentmindedly and started off over
the dunes. I'm not frightened" she
said. I'm just-just lonely. Well,
let's empty our shoes, Jacky, and start
on"
The low shoes once more securely
tied, Katherine picked up the bit Of
fish rod with which as a staff she had
strolled from camp early in the after
noon and struggled to the top of the
dune, the dog trudging beside her, with
now and again growl at the shadowy
pines. From the top of this heap Of
sand she saw another heap looming
through the dusk Down she waded,
now leaning on her bit Of bamboo, now
holding to Jacky's collar until from
the top of this she discovered a third
bur crowned dune. On the top of the
third dune she dropped down to rest,
while the dog crouched on her skirts,
with watchful ears prickcd forward
Suddenly he gave a little yelp and ran
Into the dusk.
"Jackyr called the girl. Then she
struggled after him through the heavy
sand.
Why she said, "it's another little
lake. Look out Jacky; don't drink too
much I'm not thirsty enough to drink
water l can't see. Why, how soft this
sand IS, -why-Tm In way
above my anKles"'
She foundered toward the dog as he
turned toward her with a whine, the
instructive desire in danger of the liv-
ing for the living
"Oh, Jacky, it's one of the quicksand
bars"
Trembling and painting, the dog
threw himself against her knees, while
his whines changed to sharp yelps. In
vain Katherine struggled to draw her
feet from the sand. 1t had closed
about each foot with the grip Of giant
hands that insistently, silently drew
her down. She stopped and felt
Jackys back. Already the qulvering
sands were half way up his legs. AS
she felt of him his yelping ceased. He
reached up and licked the face bending
over him. Then he crouched low, while
katherine felt his great muscles swell
and Stlfien. Then suddenly he hurled
himself forward with all the strength
Of his lean, magnificent body and In
three leaps had disappeared into the
dusk Katherine gave a low sob.
ooh, Jacby, how could you leave
meT" Again, 'summoning all her
strength, she strove to follow him.
But the struggle was worse than use
less. And now the calm that had pos
sessed her left her. Che stopped and
scooped at the sand about her ankles
with bare hands, digging frantically,
with low means not unlike Jacky's.
Handful after handful, then a pause,
while she stared out into the darkness
with shrieks for help. The sand had
crept above her knees. With broken
nails she stopped to listen. Yes, far
out across the dunes she heard a
mans shout and Jacky's excited bark,
and again she raised her own hoarse
cry. Then she heard the crackle Of
sand burs.
katherine, for heavens sake, where
are you?" His voice.
GO back, Hugh-go back! I'm In
the quicksandw
Silence from the shore, then: Stay
perfectly still. I'll be out there In
few minutes. I'm going to cut pine
boughs to walk on"
In utter thankfulness Katherine stood
silent Then surprise swept over her.
Hugh That was Hugh, whom she
had not seen or heard Of for a year,
not since she had tossed the ring-the
wedding rlng-back to him and said:
"Well, six months have shown US
what a fuddle we have made of mar
riage. Let's have sense enough to stop
now. We evidently don't care enough
to give in to each other"
Without a word Hugh had taken the
ring and left her And now to be
found this way, and by him. In 81
lence she watched the path he made
grow out toward her and In silence
heard Jacky's excited greetings to her
from the shore. Then, after what
seemed a lifetime Of battle with a
creeping sand, the man lifted her In
his arms and silently carried her to