Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-01-26
CHAPTER |.

1900 the steamboat Tflnce arthur, from
Newhaven to Caen, had stopped at Ouis-
treham, where TIE channel passage ends
and the canal begins, and was just COM
mencing to get up steam again, prepare
tory to making fresh start.
There was the usual hustle on the land
ing stage; people who were not going up
the canal to Caen were disembarking;
others, on their way thither from Dives
Cabourg on one side, and Luc-s Mer
and its little fellow watering places on
the other, were coming on board and
mingling with the passengers from Eng
land, who had either stayed on deck all
night, or had turned out of their berths
on the arrival of the boat.
A tall, lean man, rather shabbily
dressed, and with tanned skin, close
cropped, fair hair, and long, ragged
moustache, had been one of the first to
come on board, carrying an equally
shabby valise in his hand, and now
lounged against the bulwarks watching
with lazy amusement the excited man
ner in which one of the later corners, a
girl of 10 or thereabouts, was hurrying
to and fro among the crowd on deck, fol-
lowed closely by little dog. She scru-
tinized each little group closely, as if
looking for some one, and anon futtered
back to the gangway, as though uncer-
tain whether to go on shore again or not
A bell began to ring violently and some
one with a big voice shouted-"An
ashore, please-all ashore!"
The girl had got hold of the captain,
whom she seemed to know, and was hold
ing him-much against his will-with her
eager questions.
HE is not here-Mr. Langley? Not
on re steamer, not at all? But I come
to meet him He wrote me"
English by face, French by dress, and
mongrel by language! Pretty eyes,
though" the tall man murmured to him
self. Then he uttered sharp eXclama-
ton and sprang forward-there was a
sound of tearing cloth-and only the
strength and muscle of a mans right arm
between an impetuous girl and a dark
strip of rapidly widening water
For the imprisoned steam had burst
forth from the funnel, and, with drum,
drum, drum from the screws that made
the planks pulsate, the boat was already
on the move; and the little dog mis-
taking his mistress hasty backward
movement as the captain waved her on
one side, had leaped on shore The girl
rushed swiftly forward to follow, but the
gangway was already removed and, but
for the tall mans strength and prompt
ness, she would have been in the water
next moment.
As it was, she stood upright and safe,
though still staggering little from the
shock. Her pretty blue eyes were full of
tears, and her face looked angry rather
than grateful, as she broke out in pitt
full cry, in answer to frantic barking
from the shore.
here she turned Indignantly to the man
''why did you? My poor dog!'
''Oh, why did I, indeed? Ny poor coat
sleeve!" he retorted, surveying with a
humorous look of despair the wreck of
that garment. "Why, because don't
think you would have liked to be either
drowned or tangled up in the screw for
the sake of your dog, who is all right, and
isn't worth the sacrifice, 1 assure you.
I'm not certain" he added, with another
rueful glance at his coat, chat he is even
worth my sleeve
"Oh, but monsieur, he is! He is !"
answered the girl eagerly Then, as she
the peril she had run, and the price which
her preserver had paid for rescuing her
from it, vivid color passed over her face.
But | am YER sorry for your sleeve,
she stammered humbly, "and 1 sank you,
1 sank you YER much. | did not see What
| vas doing. T"-her eyes Iilled again
II do not know What to do now"
About the dog? Well, mademoiselle,
as we are only moving at a snails pace,
and he can evidently keep pace with us
easily enough, he will have to run beside
us along the bank until we come to Caen
unless he is able to swim, or we stop
anywhere on the way"
Alas, he cannot swim at all, monsieur
but, yet, assuredly We stop at re next
lock gate, and he can come on board zen!
1t will not tire him to keep up as long as
zatl Mais'-her face, which had bright
ened at the thought, clouded again-"I
do not know if l ought not to go on
shore instead. l came on board expecting
to find some Won from England-my
glardian-and he is not here-and have
not ticket"
You were not going to Caen, then,
mademoiselle2
oh, but yes, only viz him, and it is he
VINO see about ticket and all Eat, not i,
never! l live III Caen, see you, and ven
he intend to come to see us he write,
You may meet me at 0istreham. Be in
good time, so zat | may see you ven re
boat arrives, and come on board ven !
move to you. Zen l viii hear all your
news as We go up re canal But today
wait; look in vain to see him do so
she waved her hand-''to see him at all
AT last | sink he must be below; / come
on board, search everyvere for him. Re
vessel begin to move and-you know!'
she added, with a doleful little shake OF
her charming head, round which the nut
brown hair rippled in close, thick waves
Irompette could come on board at Be-
nouville, we're We stop, but have no
ticket, and if re official who demands
them come round now"
Il understand! You have not the
money to pay for your farc?"