The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-03-31

Ter waters near the shore. Carson
looked down to see whether the
form he loved was smothered I'M
der the torn fabric or floating
free, but never halted for the
drowning or the living. He let
out fifty yards of line he had
made fast to the painter to give
slack of line he had made fast
to the painter to give slack fol
the Roc's fall; and then with
frenzied eagerness he dragged the
whole huge mass ashore, and as
the Virginia alighted on the beach,
her skipper leaping out, began
a fierce onslaught on the wreck
age. seeking in it's chaotic mass
for her whose drenched form he
dreaded to see.
CHAPTER XIX.
Finale.
The unities doubtless .equire
that Theodore Carson be given
the credit of diving under the
wreck of the Roc and reseuine
his lady-love. The facts are that
he met at the waters edge a huge
Swede in overalls carrying Vir-
ginia and towing Mr.. Shayne by a
line, much to the discontinue
of that gentleman, who had a
tendency to turn over with his
nose in the sand. Craighead,
seeing a CLINT CT red in the water,
rescued red mantilla, while Mrs.
Shayne was floated ashore by Will
lett. The first engineer swan in
with some automatic instrument
from the engine-room in his teeth,
swearing at the second engineer
for dropping it's mate. The gath
ering was one of pale, trembling
unlnjured people. The Roc had
been nursed down close to the
water by Carson, and as she col
lapsed, her envelope blew aside
and turned over, swinging her
people clear-a marvellous escape.
Theodore carried Virginia to a
seaside cottage just in process of
being put in order for its owners.
Tell me, dearest" he kept
whispering, that you are safe
safe!"
Virginia, wet, draggled, her
strong little form resembling a
rough-cast statue of someone
quite irresistibly shapely, silently
hung about his neck, limp, weak
in the knees from excitement, but
really not much more so than
Theodore. 1t did not occur to
her, however, to ask him to let
her walk; and somehow she had
forgotten how angry she was.
Life had suddenly expanded to a
long vista of scenes in which,
whenever there was danger. he
was present to succor and to
comfort. She closed her eyes
and chung about his neck, sprin-
king the way with brine from
her dress, and restraining an i'm
pulse to hug him spasmodically;
and once in the comfortable
room, she did allow her arms to
tighten a bit as he laid her
down.
He kissed Eer softly, gently,
lingeringly, and as of right; and
was astounded that she remained
quite quieseent under the outrage.
A lady cannot always have pres
ence of mind; SO he took a mean
advantage of his position, and in
stead of getting back into her
good graces gradually, he made
his appearance all at once in the
citadel, as he had done on the
parade-ground of the fort, with
no pass in either case. He asked
no hackneyed questions.
you love mel" said he. I'm
not going to let you leave me
again! Darling!"
With no rundown to stimu-
late reaction after her plunge,
and lying there in her wet clothes,
Virginia glowed crimson; but she
held her anger in check. In fact,
as the servant came in with dry
clothing, she squeezed his hand
in gratitude, and forgot to bal
ance her books by frowning. Car
son went out radiant, meeting
Craighead with the red mantilla
on his arm.
you all do know this MANTLE"
said he, "but not the soul of
paltry in things great. Ethically,
this is a lost damosel snatched
from a Waterv prara as shn wont