The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1907-05-31
Our Daily Short Story

Wilburton party. Cutler had been there
also, but Muriel had sat next to Ten
nant, and he had fancied that last in
slant on the stairs that she had meant
more than mere Irritation when she
had said she hoped he would be a
member of the summer colony at Glen
ora.
He had taken her at her word. and
gone to Glenora. and what Miss Arden
had begun on the roof garden, she fin
ished at Glenora. But Tenant was
slow. slow to fall in love, slow to be-
lieve that he had the ghost of chance
with girl like Murlel Arden, slower
yet to risk that chance in one last
throw. And while he had waited. sure
a himself, but doubtful of Muriel,
Cutler had come down with his launch
his motor-car. his coach. and all the
other accessories of half dozen mil
lion or SO, and Muriel had seemed to
waver.
The night air was still and heavy
Suddenly a sweep of cool keen wind
blew in freshly from the bay. 1t caught
the frail lanterns and tossed them
like leaves to and fro.The bamboo cur
tains at the long French windows
rustled and swung inward, and out on
the lawn. the palms and willows bent
before 1t with a 1.-the, swift obeisance
Tenant damned his hat low over his
eyes, ana SldTteu on run IOr the pier.
The rain splashed in his face, and a
glare of dazzling light shot across the
northwest heavens. He ran faster. If
he could make the boathouse before
the storm broke, he could take the
steamer. just as the thunder burst in
a low report from the gray edged black
clouds. he passed Cutters boathouse,
and as the next fare of quick light
ming came. he saw that it was empty.
hA - fro lee 81.
The pier was deserted except for a
sleepy boy at the baggage shed. Ten
nant called for a boat, for anything
that could ride through the black. roll
ling waves that licked along the pill
ing by the dock. There was no time to
get back to the hotel, or to give the
alarm for the life savers. Muriel was
out there, out in the storm, and the
peril of the night alone and he must
go to her.
Shaking the boy, gripping him until
he squealed with pain, Tenant wrung
from him somehow that the only boat
to be had was Cutters electric motor
boat, a small, low affair that only car
ried one. and that in fair weather.
You Amt going out on Michigan
with her, are your asked the boy.
Tennant smiled grimly, and sprang in
to the boat as the next wave lifted it
up. 1t was a mere silver of thing,
built on the lines of racing shell. He
had owned one of his own the prev
ious summer and understood the me-
chanism. With the wind cutting sharp
ly across his face, he whipped clearly
out into the bay. Somewhere he would
find her, he told himself. bending low,
over the little pilot wheel, and holding
his breath as the boat took the water
fairly. Cutters boat He laughed to
himself. There was certain fitness
about the proceeding that pleased him
Muriel had headed the Mike" due
west straight out through the narrow
channel from Lake Glenora into Lake
Michigan. Two arms of land and rock
stretched out to meet the Michigan, On
one. Rock Point, stood the big summer
resort hotel. The other was a long
barren waste of rocks that seemed
endless when the lake was calm. One