The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-11-04

off her bathing cap and extracted the
small parcel secured within. In tive
minutes the shiny, scaly costume it con-
tanned had been slipped over her bath
ing dress. When she had unloosened her
golden shower of hair, Gem looked the
very presenument of the fabulous mer-
maid as she sat in the faint moonlight.
| Combing her hair, the girl began to
! sing. But not many minutes had passed
before she realized the first flaw in her
plan. She began to grow chilly, and al
! though there were several boats in the
bay, her silyery voice was not strong
enough to carry in their direction
At last it seemed to the shivering girl
that one boat was lacking nearer to the
rock
81 must attract attention for one mo-
ment, at any price!" she reflected and
suiting the action to the thought, she
uttered piercing shrek.
i She waited for several seconus. and
! then, seeing with glee that the boat was
really heading her way, she began again
to sing.
| Presently voice that seemed vaguely
| familiar hailed her out of the darkness.
"AlI right Hold on, and I'll be there
| in moment!" it shouted.
| The words were barely uttered when
there was 3 scraping and grinding, fol-
lowed by dreadful ripping sound, and
the bottom of the boat was suddenly
stove in on the submerged reef.
The man disappeared with the frag-
ments into the boiling wash of waters
| to reappear minute later, a dark.
dripping mass. As the wave threw him
against the rock, he managed to pull
himself up into safety. Thus Gem saw
his face for the first time. 1t was Tom
Elton.
Both started at each other in astonish-
ment. Then Gem recovered her voice.
"How dare you'll" she stormed.
| Elton, in his turn, looked with be-
wilderment at her spangled costume.
Il don't ask peoples permission to
save their lives!' he said sulllily. Il
heard some one scream, saw something
white, and came on. l forgot these
! sunken rocks"
isn't it enough that you, a gentle
man busking for the fun, should ruin
my show, without trying to spoil my
advertisement ?"
Elton passed his hand over mis- brow.
$50 that's how the land lies % he said
softly. Miss Wheeler, you're under a
wrong impression. Pm no moneyed man
of leisure; I'm a poor beggar of an out
ofwork clerk, and / should be ON the
streets if | hadn't started this Job. But
| would have gone away swear it
if I'd the faintest suspicion / was in
juring you! Will you believe me, and
shake hands ?"
His voice was SO genuine that Gem
impulsively put out her hand.
They had barely completed their COM
pact before they were startled by flash
from the shore. Something seemed to
cleave the water with terrible velocity.
What is it?" shrieked Gem. "Are we
in danger?"
Every serious danger said Elton
gravely, realizing that it was useless to
disguise the truth. you've chosen a
dangerous spot. They're practicing from
the fort, and they're taking the glim-
mer of your dress for their mark
A second shot plowed the water
Can you swim back the way you
came ?" shouted Elton.
Gem looked behind her, and shook her
head, with a shudder The tide had
risen rapidly
Then she realized that Elton had taken
off his cloak. and had wrapped it round
her, hiding her cleaning scales.
There's one chance" he said. Til
shout. That may fetch them"
Gem dimly remembered that, in the
bills, her rival had been starred as the
Human Foghorn, but the puff did not
prepare her for the tremendous volume
of sound that issued from his lungs.
stop firing! Stop iring!" he bel
lowed.
The OILY answer was third shot
that sent up fountain of water so near
to the shrinking couple that Gem tainted
from shock and fright.
When she opened her eyes she realized
that Elton had made good his boast, for
he and she were safe in boat, pulled
by friendly hands.
Both the Pierrettes and the Toreadors
reaped a grand advertisement from their
adventure, but they shared it together,
for they amalgamated their forces And
the wedding of Tom Elton to Gem
Wheeler, which took place later, was
one of the events of the Saltsea season.
London Answers.
---------.-=