Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-03-30

vi ludt morning Sne IlQe which had
drawn away from 1t through the long
night had turned and was coming
back. The force Of the water spent
itself upon the barrier. Within the
lagoon it lay placid, rising gently inch
by inch in mighty overflow. A watcher,
had there been one. would have seen
at sunrise the still water of the la
COON broken by a ripple, keen eye
might have noticed at the base of the
cliff where it ran sheer down into the
blue, dark object moving beneath the
surface. The eye could scarcely have
become aware of its presence before
the waters parted. A little splash and
head rose dark crowned, white faced.
There was sidewise wave and shake
of the head and pair of eyes opened.
The blue Of the water was lightenedl
by flashes Of white arms. AS the
body rose higher under the impetus of
strokes, vigorous yet graceful, 1t
could be seen that 1t was that Of a
woman.
With ease and grace the figure
swan along the base Of the cliff until
1t was Joined by jutting spit Of sand
which widened and widened into
great strip of beach that ran around
/ the island. Upon this sand presently
the Swallowing Of the water gave the
swimmer q foothold. Progress ceased.
With eyes haggard, yet keenly alert,
the sea, the shore, the beach, the
cliffs. the trees were eagerly searched.
The long glances revealed nothing.
Then the head was turned and the ear
listened for sounds and heard nothing.
The look of apprehension faded into
one Of dull relief
Walking now, the woman In the
water made her way toward the sand.
Very white she cleaned in the full
warm light streaming from the risen
sun against the background of the
dark black rock. The water dripping
from her exquisitely graceful limbs,
she looked very nymph of the sea as
she stepped out at last above the high
tide line and stood poised as II for
flight upon the hard and solid shore.
Again she threw about her that quick,
apprehensive look. Again she paused
to listen. Reassured in that she heard
and saw nothing but the birds song,
the winds sigh, the waves splash, she
ran swiftly toward blacker opening
in the dark rock She cleaned winter
still in the entrance for moment
and then disappeared. She came forth
presently still unclothed, "a look Of
disappointment on her face.
She had many things to do, much
to occupy her mind, but the first duty
that lay to her hand and the first in
stinct which she followed was that
her nakedness should be covered.
Still warily watchful, still keenly
alert, still fearful apparently Of inter
ruption or observation, she ran across
the beach, her movement as free, as
graceful, as rapid as she had been
ATLANTA herself, and disappeared I'M
der the trees. The whirr Of birds dis
turbed might have marked her pass
age.
After some time sne appeared on
the top of the high bare hill that
crowned the island. She had impro-
.vised for herself a covering out Of
three or four great fern leaves, soft
and pliable, which she fastened with
palm flbers from shoulder to knee on
either side, her bare shoulders rising
from the rich greenness like white
ccrolla from its verdant calyx She
went more assuredly, now, party be-
cause Of the fact that she was clothed
and partly because her first rapid sur
vey of the horizon revealed the fact
that the ships were gone. She was
glad that this was SO, and yet when