The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-12-12
TheMaid sfArts:
By NJ. c. SANFORD.
By N. c. SANFORD.
COPYRIGHTED, pG. by c. n. Sutcliffe.

the empty streets Autumn swished her
rustling skirts with no one to heed her
passing-no one. at least. save solitary
man. who. having escaped at length
from the stern dictates Of 1.-The law"
had come to Surfside for few weeks
freedom. Leaning over the fence
which skirted the path around the
rocky coast. he gazed dreamily out to
sea, following the ragged outline OF
the shore and breathing in the salt OF
the ocean with the sweetness of the
earth beneath him.
Suddenly fresh cut in the weather
worn rail caught his eye. n. T.. w..
'04w Some one beside himself had
evidently sought out the shore late In
the season. "W.-'04?' he queried.
"Wellesleyy' He had it! For was not
a knife blade broken off half short in
the wood, an indisputable evidence OF
woman's work?
$50" he mused, 81 am not to be
alone with the natives and nature,
after all.'' He started to move on
Again he was arrested, this time by
small, bright object at his feet 1t
proved to be Wellesley class pin.
"Lost it while she was carving her
name with that dolls knife, s'pose,"
Van Dyke argued to himself, as was
his legal habit, fastening the pin mean
while to his vest beneath his own
Harvard pin.
Strolling on, he renewed his &C
ouaintance with one after another OF
the fayorite haunts of his boyhood-
swallows cave" the rock that boom
ed like a cannon at high tide and In
Vulnerable cozy retreats to be gained
by careful climbing over the chaos OF
bic powders on the cliffs. He wh1s-
tied like a boy as he went and sang
snatches of the college songs so fresh
In his heart. At last in utter aban-
donment, he curled up In the lee OF an
overhanging rock and, soothed by the
lull of the waves and the minor wall OF
the October wind, fell asleep.
He was awakened In curious man
ner. Opening his eyes, he found them
covered with soft transparent some
thing that wrinkled when he winked.
He raised his hand to remove 1t and
pazed in astonishment upon his sudden
ACQUISITION Of a woman's handker-
chief monogram was embroidered
In one corner. His logical mind deci-
phered it in fash with little expend-
iture Of eye strain.
exhibit C." he murmured, jump
Ing up eagerly. 'Now. here's hoping
for the Lady herself!'
But the most searching scrutiny OF
rocky nests" and inches failed to dis
cover her. Indeed, after several days
Of faithful explorations Van Dyke be-
gan to think his lady Of the mono
grams teasing myth.
Nevertheless he would have cont1n-
ued to hope for her realization II a
letter from his sister had not put a
cruel end to his romance.
"Dear Richard" it ran, Il have just
learned that Helen Tudor, college
friend Of mine, Is staying at Surfside
with her mother She's very clever
girl; has just, written remarkable
thesis on some learned subject and got
an A. NJ. degree You ought to like
her. She's your kind. Be sure to- look
her up. I've written her you're going
to. She's staying at the Sea Cliff"
That dished the whole thing. "His
kind" indeed! He abominated "blue-
stocking" So he fought shy Of the Sea
Cliff and ceased to look for n. T., W.,
'O4," in his daily rambles.
But with the proverbial irony accred-
tied to her Dame Fate as soon as she
perceived Richards back turned upon
her bobbed up in front Of him most
Unexpectedly, or, to be strictly accu-
rate, Richard to his own astonishment
bobbed up In front Of her.
With characteristic alacrity he had
taken a handspring over jutting rock
and landed in secluded niche below.
His sudden appearance so frightened
the young person curled up in it that
she dropped her book into a pool OF
water.
81 beg your pardon" Richard blurt-
ed out LET me get it for you" c'1ts
probably dry enough to be proof
against a wetting" was his mental
comment.) IT hope it isn't injured IA
tally" he added aloud, handing the
water soaked volume to its owner,
who, he was surprised to notice, was
a dimpled. rosy checked young woman
with mischievous eyes.
Goodness, l hope not" was her en-
phatic reply. 'I couldn't 60 to sleep
tonight If didn't find out how the
story ended"
ssFiction?" queried Richard cautious
".
eyes, Of course. What else does
one read on a yacation"
Now, here was an incongru1ty to
ponder over-he hadn't fancied that
"a. T., W., '04," would like fiction. But
he would not be misled. "On vaca-