Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-11-10

> shaking out her dress, carelessly, JUS
as you please; come, Ethel"
Don't" pleaded Daisy, clinging tc
! her.
Miss Guenther shook her head al
Belle
I'VE will wait here"
And the mermen will carry you of
1.-TWO little beauties like you!"
-. Daisy passed her thin hand softly
over Miss Guenthers face.
rs she a beauty, Nea?"
Yes" said Nea, gravely, in spite OF
Miss Guenther's quick flush.
. Belle laughed and kissed her hand to
Ethel, as she bounded down the rock;
Harding stalked after her.
"Come!" said Belle.
! Il will return in time to stop the
mermen," said Erne, with a long, re-
luctant look.
Daisy sat thinking of it, as their
steps receded from the beach. 1t puz-
zled her awhile, then she struck a new
track
| DO SOu lONS 4NSo, hloo HuSlllllCl
/ Not as you do, Daisy"
Not at all?" persisted Daisy.
Little inquisitive, lay your head
against me and hear the tide come in,' y
said Miss Guenther
The sun dipped down to the west;
the roar of the surf at the base of the
ledge began to grow louder and louder
Daisy's head fell into Miss Guenther's s
| lap, she was very quiet for long time.
Ethel put back the dropping curls, at
last, and found she was fast asleep
Little frail Daisy, it required but little
foresight to see how soon it would be
withered.
| Miss Guenther was content to watch
the CULTS and clouds for awhile in
dreamy silence, holding the sleeper;
then a gradually increasing uneasiness
came over her. She began to wonder
where they had gone for the sea-moss-
es, and how soon they would return
She threw her shawl around Daisy and
held her closer to her, listening for
footsteps, but nothing could be heard
but the tide.
How lonely the shore had grown
The sun set in a lurid bank of scarlet
wake Daisy and go home. They had
been perched on that rock for more
than an hour.
Miss Guenther rose up, with the blind
child clinging to her, not more than
half awake.
MY God." she cried out suddenly.
l A quivering black line of water had
crawled up to the rim of the rock where
they stood The path in the sand by
which they had come-the rough as
cent they had climbed, were gone
Over her rose the harsh boulder; at
her feet and on each side the water
Missed and gurgled hungrily-they
were cut off by the tide!
1t was not for herself that the sharp
pang of fear smote her; it was for
Daisy-poor, helpless Daisy, who knew
nothing but that she was very tired
and very frightened because Nea had
not come back.
Come home!" she said, pulling Miss
Guenther's dress. Ethel caught her to
her with a great cry.
1T is wet here-I feel the water, y"
said the child.
The spray struck heavy in her curls
and dashed upon Miss Guenther, as
she stood shielding her, white to the
lips, and her large eyes upturned fol
some avenue of escape. There was q
little shelf in the rock just above her
Quick as thought she lifted the child
to it. Aid might possibly come-at
least. it was all she could do.
The water crept up and up. Ethel
was dizzy, blinded. Daisys little
frightened voice calling to her was lost
in the roar Of the surf. Quick crowd
ing thoughts, coming as they come tc
; the diving, broke upon her like the
waves. Oh, life was sweet, and she sc
beautiful and young!
A shout rang down from the rock
above her. She looked up with eyes
that saw all things dizzily. Daisy mac
ldisappeared, and over that rocky shell
the face Of Erne Halstead looked down
pale as marble-he was hanging to the
ledge further up, with his foot in
fssure, clinging to the rock and bend
ing to her his hand.
Quick! he cried, in voice ike
thunder
She sprang upon the shelf. His arm
closed around her close as death. she
felt herself drawn up, slowly, surely.
For life-for more than life! Yes
she clung to him, and the strong arms
bore her up like iron. They stood or
the firm earth. she looking up blankly
: into his pale, handsome face, ano
Harding running off toward the note
: with Daisy-safe, Then Erne Hal
stead caught her desperately to his
heart.
Ethel. darling. darling! Did yor
want to die?"
"Oh. no" she said, tearfully.
Lay your hands in mine-here, anc
yOur head on my heart!' he crled
with his passionate face aglow.
The cold. white hands crept into his
the sumptuous head nestled down t'
his breast-one long, deep kiss, anc
they stood confessed under the rec
evening star just lighted in the twi'
light.
Presently the stage drove up to the
hotel and disgorged a few passengers
One was sitting on the piazza with MS
chair tipped back. smoking carelessly
as Miss Guenther and Halstead came
UP the steps. They paused momen
i'm the shadow of the poplars. hel
hand on his arm, her bewildering race
= upraised to his-happy. careless lovers
A dry cough tloated across the piazza
Ethel turned.
4 pair of dark subtle eyes shone like
Goals of fire behind the lighted cigaI
and seemed burning into her very hear
: as he rose up. She caught Halstead:
arm convulsively.
: How are you. Halstead?"