The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1905-08-09
In the Dunes
By H0N0RE WILLSIE
Copyright, 1908, by Honore Willsie

eastern shore. Year after year her
sands creep inland. Inch by inch, mile
by mile. now peach orchard is smoth-
cred now mellow wheattied is
blotted out, and In their stead scrub
pines thrive and sand burs sprawl In
| the sun. Year hy year the scrub
pines grow stouter and the sand burs
| tangle thicker and thicker. and with
each year the desolntion of the sand
dune country increases. Roads formed
one month are shifting dunes the next.
Inland lakes, once green and lovely,
slowly and mcrclcssly are ehokcd I'M
| til only sand skirtcd pools remain.
And still the dcsolation grows.
katherine and her Great Dane hud-
died together under the scrub pine
and watched the gray of the twilight
turn to purple
We'll. we're lost, Jacky," she said.
lust 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,
JackyI"
Jueky whincd and laid his great head
In the girls lap. She rubbed his ears
absentmindcdly and started off over
the dunes. I'm not frightened" she
said. I'm just-just lonely. Well,
let's empty our shoes. Jaeky. and start
on"
The low shoes once more securely
ind /, n MT hi ~
fisil rod with which rs n STAFF she had
strolled from camp early In the after
noon and struggled To the top of the
dune, the dog trudglng beside her. with
now and again IL growl ut 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 hi of bamboo, now
holding TO Jacky's collar. until from
the top of this she discovered third
bur crowned dune ON the top of the
third dune she dropped down to rest,
While the dog crouchcd on her skirts,
with watehful ears rrieked forward.
Suddenly he gave n little yelp and ran
into the dusk
'Jackyi" called the girl Then she
struggled after him through the heavy
sand
'Why." she said, ITS another little
lake! Look out. Jaclty; don't drink too
much I'm not thirsty enough to drink
water l can't see Why. how soft this
sand Is, Jacky it why I'm In way
above my ankles"
She tloundered toward the dog as he
turned toward her with whine, the
instructive desire IN danger of the liV-
Ing for the living
"0h. lucky, it's one of the qulcksand
barsr
Trembling and painting, the dog
threw himself against her knees, while
his whincs 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
Jaeky's back. Already the quivering
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 stitfen. 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 II low sob.
ooh, Jacky, how could you leave
me|' Again, summoning all her
strength. she stroye to follow him.
ha Of m, rUI
less. And now the calm that had pos
sessed her left her She stopped and
scooped at the sand about her ankles
with bare hands. digging frantleally.
with low means not unlike Jacky's
Handful after handful, then n pause
while she stared out into the darkness
with shricks for help. The sand had
crept above her knees. With broken
nails she stopped to listen. Yes. far
out across the dunes she heard n
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 your His voice,
"Go back, Hugh go back. I'm In
the quicksandr'
Silence from the shore, them "Stay
perfectly still. I'll be out there In n
few minutes. I'm going to cut pine
boughs to walk on"
In utter thankfuncss katherine stood
silent. Then surprise swept over her.
1Iughl That was Hugh whom she
had not seen or heard Of for n year.
not since she had tossed the rlng-the
wedding ring back to him and said:
"Well, six months have shown us
what 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 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 lifetime Of battle with n
creeping sand, the man lifted her In
his arms and silently carried her to
the shore. She lay quietly, while the
dog fawned about her and the man,
broad shouldered figure In the summer
darkness, brushed the sand from her
skirts and emptied her sodden shoes.
What am | to do with you, Rather
tnei" he asked
II got lost from camp" she an.
swered. 81 don't know Show me the
way back and I'll 90 when I'm rested
l don't want that coward Jacky,
though"
IL was driving out to Camp Mlnitka.
l didn't know you were there. John
asked me-to effect reconciliation,
suppose. 1t Is like him. Jacky was
running about among the burs, whin-
Ing. Then he saw me and literally
dragged me ont of the blackboard and
down here. / shall drive you back to