The Press., 1911-08-09

anorner cold parn.~
 'I escaped that" said the girl. 'Be- sides, Oliver. dear. the ice is quite firm, isn't it2"
 "Not over wonder. Oh, I forgot. El- sic, dear; you know the place between the four poplarsF
 "Yes; that deep hole"
 'It's thin there chucked a stone in yesterday and it went in kerplunk. It isn't growing any colder either. Be sides, who wants to skate in there anyhowT ....-.....
 'T would" said the girl daringly- ''that is, if thought I would fall in. Perhaps the shock of the icy water would restore my sight" She turned her soft appealing eyes toward the two Olivers. .....
 Don't you dare try, Elsie!" cried the boy. "You might catch pneumonia and die. and what would dad and I do thenT
 "But I am so helpless" half sobbed the girl, putting her hands before her sightless eyes.
 All at once, without warning, the ice upon which they stood separated into one cake which capsized them into the fey waters of the dark pool.
 It was Oliver Ray who bore the brunt of the rescue. Elise lost con sciousness at once, and her brother gave her into Rays stronger grasp while he tried to fight for life. In the end 1t was Ray who saved them both. Afterward he never could tell how 1t happened that he lay panting on the surface with the unconscious form of the girl beside him, while young Oliver puffed and blowed and sobbed over his sister.
 Then Oliver Ray brought forth the emergency flask that he always car ried on these surveying trips and trickled a few drops between the pale lips. After that 1t was only a short while before they carried her home on a litter improvised from Rays heavy overcoat. It was short walk through the woods to the edge of the extensive lawns that surrounded the Lewis es- tate, and before long the three half frozen victims were being blanketed and put to bed with hot water bags and many fiery internal doses.
 It was three weeks before either one of the trio stirred from bed. Ray had taken a severe cold. and so had young Oliver Lewis, but Elsie had once more fallen a victim to the dreaded rheuma- tism, and no coercion of the white capped nurse who presided over the sickrooms in the motherless house hold would permit the girl to receive a visit from either of the other convales- cents. Then at last came the day when Oliver Ray was to take farewell and rejoin his party of surveyors.
 MT. Lewis, who had become. warmly attached to the young man, invited him into the library to say farewell to Elsie, who was now sitting up. At her feet sat young Oliver, brimming over with the joy of renewed health.
 "Here is your rescuer, Elsie," said her father. "NTr. Ray is leaving us now, and perhaps you better tell him the good news"
 Elsie turned her head very slowly to- ward Oliver Ray, and her large dark eyes met his with a different expres- sion in their melting depths. Slowly they wandered over his face, at first wonderingIy and then gladly, and at last, as if conscious that she was be- traying her pleasure in his exceeding good looks, she blushed and turned her head away, but her hand remained in his.
 "She can seep uttered Oliver incred- ulously, and MT. Lewis chuckled as- sent, and his son turned an ecstatic handspring on the rug, crying: "It was the shock of the icy water: The doctor says he can cure rheumatism all right, but he's forbidden sis to skate any more."
 q don't care," smiled Elsie radi- antly. q shall always love that pool. If 1t had not taken away my sight would not have known the blessedness of its restoration"
 "And if God had not sent Mir. Ray to the pond might now be childless," said MT. Lewis with emotion.
 Oliver Ray went away with a dizzy light in his eyes and a recollection of the happiest three weeks he had ever spent. Today had been its crown of joy. He walked through the woods past the pool, which had melted now and lay dark under the afternoon sky. AS he stood here looking down into its green depths thinking of the blessed that had sent him to the skating place that wintry day there came also to him the thought of how the pool would look in June, when the fringed its borders and when the love notes of the wood thrush broke the exquisite silence.
 There was another in the picture plsie with lovelight in her eyes for H1fro