Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1910-03-19

pleasant.
With her was a young woman as
nurse, or perhaps, rs the child was
ten or twelve. she was govcrnrSs.
But instead of avoiding them at the
station, as he was inclined, he lifted
the little girl into the waiting bus and
then took Il place beside them. The
whole thing was Il great joke, but
some Of the component parts were
likely to be very earnest.
Burke, the manager, accepted him as
a matter of course, in practical, bust
nesslike way, but even he for the first
day or two seemed little surprised at
the facility with which Phil dropped
into the owners chair.
Perhaps, after all, there had been
some intimation of country rearing.
For the first week Phil was conscious
of strong desire to avoid the child,
who had now advanced to the famil-
iarity Of "Gracie," but this very con-
sciOuSness made him seek her out of
tener than he otherwise would. 1t was
n joke. but he was personating his
BY that time the nurse. or governess,
was unconsciously occupying a good
deal of his interest He began to seek
out Oracle, to entertain her, as he sup
posed, but it was her companion he
looked at with whom he talked.
Miss Marian" as Oracle called her
was remarkable young woman
f,,I -, ;-I,n
cultured-everything that Philip Cud
ahay thought a young woman should
be and carrying all the accomplish,
ments with an ease that was notice.
able even in the big hotel full OF
people.
The guests themselves seemed tC
realize it, for they treated her as one
Of them, and many even sought her
company.
Had it been any other nurse or gov.
erness Philip would have noticed and
wondered. But with Marian it seemed
a matter of course. He would have
wondered had it been otherwise.
And so 1t happened that Miss Marian
became uppermost in the amateur ho-
tel keepers mind. He thought about
her so much that had he not had an
admirable manager in Burke the hotel
would have been soon deserted by It's
boarders
His attentions were OStenSibly de-
voted to Oracle. but really to the gov
erness. He invited them both to drive
with him afternoons. to so boating
indeed, to share with him those pleas
ures usually enjoyed by people in sum-
mer who have nothing to do.
One afternoon he was pulling the
two along in one of the light boats
used on a lake near the hotel, with his
back to the bow, where he could not
see what was coming.
Suddenly there was a crash. A man
rowing in the same relative position
had fouled him. At first it did not
appear that much damage had been
done, and the man who had caused the
trouble pulled away. But Phirs boat
had sprung leak. Handkerchie
were thrust into the aperture, but the
water, though checked, was not stop
ped.
The oarsman pulled for the shore,
but the water gained so rapidly that
it was impossible to reach it. The boat
sank some fifty feet away, leaving all
three in the water.
Phil was the only swimmer in the
lot. Selling an oar. he gave it to the
child; then, taking the governess by the
arm, he swan ashore with her, she
all the while protesting that he should
leave her and save Oracle.
AS soon as he got Miss Marion into
shallow water he returned to her
charge, who was clinging to the oar
and crying vigorously for help. 1t was
an easy matter to assist her to the
shore.
You should have been ashamed of
YOURSELF said the governess, ito de-
vote yourself to me and leave that
poor little thing out in the lake"
quOth Phil.
Yes; you did that"
'"The oar would not have supported
you. And If had saved the child,
leaving you to take care Of yourself,
you would have drowned. And then
what would have done"
He spoke the last words i'll a low
tone, tone that would tell any woman
that there was something more to come
The same evening after they had got
off their dripping clothing cablegram
came from Blackwell. Ransom paid.
Got wife. Start for home at once.
How is my girl? Gable me at Naples"
Marian was on the veranda by her
self, with Oracle playing at a little dis
tance. Phil went directly to her.
Miss Marian" he began abruptly,
"rve come to ask you to be my wife.
| love you and think you have grown
to like me a little. It's abrupt, l
know, but l may not remain here
long"
Why" she exclaimed, rising in
some confusion and CONSERVATION, 81
thought you were to have charge OF
the hotel all summer"
THE owners about to return. | have
Just received cablegram from Ma
pies"
Didn't he send any message to me?"
"N-no," in some surprise. He asked
about Oracle"
"Gracie? Father doesn't know her"
"Father!''
Her eyes opened little. Then she
comprehended, and smiled.
"Ycs. Didn't you know l was Miss
Blackwell? Oracle is an unpromising
child in my mission class, picked up