The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1905-07-08

the Dank:
Arthur, Arthur, where are you?
Take me out! Something dreadfurs
happened
Here a crashing peal of thunder
drowned the words.
BE brave, darling" roared Mainly;
you must stay where you are; the
cabins half full of water, and there's
more coming in.
'It's worse here,'' pleaded the
voice; 'everything's upside down, and
there's hole coming in the roof
and, oh! know | shall be struck by
lightning and killed, it walled.
Don't be absurd" shouted Mainly.
sit tight and shut your eyes; I'm
going for help.
Where to, Arthur" asked the
choking voice.
ITO the Vanity"
mo, no. Mrs. Mainly's voice be-
came suddenly determined. "Td rath-
er die; come back, Arthur, come
back!"
But the lightning showed Mainly
pulling with frantic strokes for the
opposite shore. In his haste, how
ever, he miscalculated the distance,
and, a second later, drove the dingy
into the side of the Vanity with an
impact that shot him from his seat,
and brought Laismere on deck, under
the impression that they had been run
down.
Now, then, what the devils all
this?" bawled Laismere, in a bullying
voice.
Its me-" feebly responded Mainly,
picking himself up from the bottom
of the dingy.
What are you muttering about?"
roared Laismere, and what do you
mean by running ue down at this time
of night, whoever you are?"
"I'm the Puck, and | haven't run
you down. shouted Mainly, recovering
his breath.
81 don't care who you are; what do
you mean by it," retorted the owner
of the Vanity.
Just then fash of lightning re-
vealed Mainly's anxious face to Lais-
mere. Instantly his keen wits
jumped to the situation, and its Pc
tentialities arranged themselves be-
fore him. Bending to the men at his
side he spoke word or two, and they
disappeared down the forward hatch.
Then he turned and faced Mainly
as well as the circumstances permit
ted.
Now, then, SIR he began, in a
hard voice, perhaps you will explain
what you mean by running me down? p
MY dear SIR protested Mainly. in
as conciIiatory a tone as the strain on
his lungs would permit, Il say | did
not run you down. Let me explain;
there's not a moment to lose; were
over there, you know, in a desperate
state, flooded out, and my wife-Mrs.
Mainly"
Here a clap of thunder Immediate
ly overhead rendered him inaudible,
and he waved his hand toward the
heavens with an explanatory gesture.
Laismere advanced to the gunwale
of the Vanity.
Look here he commenced, brutal
ly, "let US put the thing in a nutshell.
An hour ago you wouldn't have wiped
your boots on the cushions in my
wifes cabin; now you want me to
take your wife into that cabin because
you haven't got dry one of your
own. An hour ago"
- Id -
terrible fact that the tent which held
Mrs. Mainly had collapsed, and a
wriggling mass of canvas filled its
place. Laismere regarded the spec
tacle with serenity, While Mainly, in
his agony, danced in the bottom OF
the dingy until it rocked wildly.
"An hour ago" proceeded Lais-
mere, as calmly as if he was recalling
triyialities, you hated the very signt
of us, and now you'll condeseend to
put up with our company until the
storms over. And he added, with a
snap of his jaws, good night to
you"
Every moment was becoming more
agonizing to Mainly. He was SILVER
ing with cold, and the limelight of the
heavens played horribly upon the
writing tomb of his wife.
"For Gods sake, say you'll take hel
in" he pleaded.
Laismere came to the side of the
wherry once more and peered down
at Mainly,
your wife's kind regards to Mrs
Laismere-eh? Is that it?" he sug-
gested. grimly.
Before Mainly could reply there
arose a wild shrek, and both men
turning, saw white figure slipping
down the opposite bank toward tbs
water,
"Look!' screamed Mainly, and in
the same breath he shouted: "Marga-
ret. for Gods sake don't move-I'm
coming to your
A few minutes later the cabin
lights of the Vanity beamed rosily
once more, and the figure of Mrs
Laismere, sleepy but happy, in the
blanket-wrapped company of Mrs
Mainly could be seen within. Ada
+ Gently Laismere was ratifying things
with whisky and cigars. They were
the paraphernalia of his open sesame
l-Lady's Pictorial
/