Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-10-02
shall we stay here together7"

shall we stay here together7"
I'D rather you tried for It," sh
said bravely, seeing as well as he tina
there was not a moment to lose.
You can watch my coat and shoes
till l come back" His voice ran,
cheerfully. I'm in splendid practice
swan a couple of miles only the da,
before yesterday" He did not ad,
that Captain Davy had followed witt
a dory. Keep up your heart, girlp
he cried, with touch OF his old gay
ETY..
| "And you She would have cheer
ed him on, but words failed her.
I'm remember that it's for YOU Tn
swimming. The biggest breakers II
the world won't make me forge
| that" -
He waved her goodby as II he wer,
OH for pleasure jaunt, and sh,
watched him as he struck out square
ly. making every stroke count.
The long swing of the seas rolled
between them. widening the space un
I'll her straining eyes could discover
him no longer. The water Tapped and
Surgied about the rock on which she
stood. rising ever higher. There was
something hungry in the way the lit
tie waves crept up. reaching greedIly
She tried TO think OF other things. tc
watch for a sail. From far away
came the sound Of surf breaking slow.
ly against the reefs and now and
again the mournful. lonely note of the
bell buoy.
Slowly the water rose. 1t touched
her ankles, her knees. The lift of
each oncoming wave nearly took her
or her feet. At that new panic seized
her. IL she were swept from the rock,
what then? Gropingly and numb with
cold she reached for the long growths
OF seaweed with which the rock was
covered. Heightened out they came
almost to her shoulders. She twisted
her hands In them and waited.
There came the moment when the
water reached her shoulders. and each
new. wave made her shut her eyes and
breathe gaspingly. She had long since
given up hope OF rescue. There re-
NAMED but one thought-that what
ever came she must stay where they
would find her.
After all, drowning was not so hard
AFTER the first deep strangling breath
she felt herself slipping into uncon-
sciousness. Snatches OF past events.
trivial and vivid. shone before her for
moment: then ell merged into the
blackness that closed her round.
When she opened her eyes she met
the anxious gaze of Ashton bending
over her. She wondered dimIy II he
belonged to the old life. and then his
voice. perturhed and human, came 10
her as from great distance.
"a moment more" he was saying.
land we would have been too late"
Then with start 1t all came back
to her-all that had occurred. She
raised her head. Captain Davy was
sitting In the stern OF the rescuing
boat looking both triumphant and con-
cerned.
Guess your aunt will be pretty glad
to have you back" he beamed. "And
so VIII that senator they say you're en-
gagged to-"
"But I'm not engeged to him." she
protested family. She appealed to Ash
ton Tell him." she commanded.
Tell him
THAT It isn't so and never will be-"
"Katherine,"
You say that as X you thought I
was overwrought and speaking wildly.
But I'm not. 1 never was surer of
myself In my life than am this min
ute. Oh. Bobbie. can't you see that In
that hour alone out there 1 learned
everything. the heights. the depths,
the things that don't count and the
things that doY'
And then as she saw the amazed de-
light In his eyes deepen to the rapture
OF certainty she held out both her
hands to him. For once a Willard
has changed her mind" she whispered.
And Captain Davy. scanning the ho-
rizon with tactful scrutiny, heaved a
sympathetic sigh.
Looks as II we were in for a spell
OF fair weather ahead" he muttered
Winds turned, clouds are lIftin'. and
ais wellr'