The Somerset reporter., 1907-08-01
The Nike was gone from It's

'ihpt3 ue NtAls 6hH gone tFDb iIs
place
The pier was deserted except for
sleepy boy at the baggage shed. Ten
nant called for boat for anything
that could ride through the black.
rolling waves that licked along the
pillng by the dock There was no time
To get back to the hotel or to give the
alarm for the life savers Murlel 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
rled one, and that in fair weather.
You amt going out on Michigan
with her. are youG" asked the boy.
Tenant smiled grimly and sprang into
the boat as the next wave lifted IL up.
Ii was a mere silver of a thing, built
on the lines OF a racing shell. He had
swned one of his own the previous
summer and understood the mechan-
Ism. With the wind cutting sharply
across his face he whipped cleanly 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 little boat took the
water fairly Cutters boat. He
laughed to himself. There was a Ger
tain fitness about the proceeding that
pleased him.
Muriel had headed the Mike due
west, straight out through the narrow
channel from little Lake Glenora into
Lake Michigan. Two arms of land
and rock stretched out to meet Michi-
gan. 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 by one, overlapping each
other, they lay from the beach far out
Into the bay like some gigantic neck
lace. The windstorm would catch the
little launch before she could possibly
reach the open channel, Tenant rea-
soned, and blow 1t over on the reef.
Lock out for the Chicago boat"
shouted the deck boy after him. "She's
coming down the lake now"
Tenant hardly heard him. The
storm had broken In full force, and
the tiny shell of boat shivered and
trembled like q frightened animal as
he turned 1t into the channel. Straight
for the reef he headed, but the waves
were SO high he could not even catch
a glimpse of the chain of rocks, and
suddenly a path of clear white light
swung leisurely across the sky and
flashed directly on the reef. 1t was
the searchlight on the White City.
Two things 1t showed Tenant In that
single wave of light. Just ahead of
him was Cutters boat, riding the
waves like gull, dipping with every
lurching swell and showing the next
instant on the topmost crest. And 1t
was directly In the course of the White
City. And cllnging to the little pilot
wheel, striving to guide the launch
back safely, was Muriel her long dark
hair loose and whipped by the wind
across her face. Just for an instant
he saw her, then the great arc of light
had swept back to the far end of the
little lake and all was blackness ahead.
Blindly Tenant drove the little mo-
tor boat forward, and suddenly side
by side 1t crashed into the launch For
one instant the two touched, but In
that instant Tenant had made the
leap safely. Before he could recover
his balance the motor boat had vanish
ed like leaf In the storm. and he was
in the launch.
give me the Wheel" he said hoarse
ly And as the White City swung by
the Mike rose on her swell, wave
swept and battered, but secure, with
strong hand on her little brass tipped
pilot wheel.
"Phil, Phil, listen to met Down be
side him In the boat knelt Muriel. white
to her lips. but happy, happy In spite
of the fact that they two had faced
death together but an instant before.
did we smash his old boat?'
absolutely" Tenants arms tight
ened about her. The pilot wheel was
very much In the way.
~ knew that you would come" she
went on. 81 saw you on the pier but
! thought you would come right away
that was why went out alone"
And light dawned slowly on Tenant.
1t was his first lesson In the cOntradic-
lions of Muriel.
"And l was going back on that boat
tonight" he said.
Muriel laughed and pushed her wet
hair back from her face.
Mr. Cutler took that boat, Phil"
she said.