Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-09-22

e
Idown stream, and the house was out Of
sight.
/ Helen took advantage of the cleaning.
land when her attention was not claimed
lby -teering cried softly unseen. They
Twill say she declared presently, that
tt,wenerh has car me out
/ Il am afraid we must admit the fact y
I her brother answered mercilessIv.
I Al the same, Helen declared with
/ spirit, II IS I whom Meredith oves-a
twoman always knows" she said. triumph
| creeping into her voice Then she began
To laugh. Il must laugh she explained
lwith tears in her eyes. Think Of Gwen
eth As Meredith's wife; she won't under
stand him in the least. She will think
him cross when ne is only enthusiastic
ami vulgar when ne is witty; she never
Lyon know, saw Joke IN her life; and the
sHlell of tobacco il abomination to her !"
/ Her voice had trailed into a sob.
/ Toms endurance had run out II
may he said, with suppressed wrath
lack imagination, and { am not a wom
an, but even did I suffer from both in
/ tinnities, I'm hanged if I'd care tink-
Ier's curse for man who had behaved in
such a manner. But he concluded
loftilY, Il do not understand women"
From the woods through which the
stream ran came now the soughinc Of
wind in the tree tops. and tiny waveIets
began to stir the surfare of the river.
There viii be rain,' Tom said. and
yop have no coat. We had better turn
there is barely time to get back for din
ner"
The swords. simple in themselves,
brought fresh agony to Helen. Life was
to he lived, dinner to be eaten, though
Meredith was lost to her Despair
|clutehed her heart, death with its OBJ
iVion seemed kind she looked down into
the darkening waters.
BE careful how you steer cried Tom,
.as he turned the boat-"the lights
queer"
Carefulness and Helen We're at that
moment antipodaI-a watery grave allur-
ing from a world empty of Meredith
Gathering gloom, the narrowness of the
stream did the rest-a moment later the
boat ran into the opposite bank with an
ominous grating sound. Tom swore nor
.ribly. Helen put her fingers to her ears.
Save yourself dear" she cried: don
mind me-G prefer to die
Catch that oar and don't be an idiot :"
yelled Tom. Something white gIided by
swiftly and was lost in the darkness.
Il was useless to 20 on with one oar
and the stream against them Having
exhausted his imprecatOry vocabulary
Tom discovered the water to be shallow
enough, and in sullen di-pleasure assist
Ell his sister to the bank above Further
investigation proved that the best plan
would be to tow the boat home
we shall be horribly late for dinner"
Tom grumbled. as they at hast set forth
Helen was feeling disappointed al find
ing herself still alive. The misadventure
had ended tamely in mud and discom-
fort.
Some one from the landing stage
hailed them as they approached 1t was
Meredith, and Heen's heart leaped at
the sound
Are You right" he cried. and there
was a queer ring in his voice Thank
God YOU are back! | was horribly afraid
that something had happened"
Thank you" Helen said, trying hard
to appear dignIfied and not to shiver.
lam qufte all right. Where is-Gwen-
cthg'
Your cousin, said Meredith. making
no attempt to release the hand that
Helen was striving to free from his
grasp, went to her room some time
ago"
But Thought" Helen began
Meredith laughed, it must be confessed
little awkwardly. 1T didn't come off. )"
he said Il gave her a lesson in botany
instead"
Then" Helens lDs tried to frame
the question, but only little inarticuIate
cry broke from her. as in the darkness
she felt Meredith draw her close to his
heart
Dearest" he whispered, 1T was
wrong Of me- but did l quite deserve to
be given the worst hour in my life? Is
teasing to be your monopoly
Then his voice rang out sharply
through the night to Tom in the boat
4 say. old chap. have YOU a light?
am afraid Helen has tainted"
But out of the darkness came Helen's
voice. feeble, but tinged with bliss; It's
all right. Tom" She said. he didn't do
TIT was just a mistake"
Other sounds of bliss came to Tom as,
feeling no little relieved, but distinctly
out Of it. he STROBE up the garden be-
tween the sunHowers, brushing the cob
webs from his face
What a silly BUSINESS he told him
self, realizing for the first time that he
was desperately hungry and wet to the
skin and. hang it all! | have quite
spoiled that oak panel Clifford Mills
in The Pail Mall Gazette.
IDLE JoTTINGs.
Don't take things for granted un}ess II