The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-06-27
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I'M MYSTERY NN,
GNNNtAM, GIT MANXH
&M HLoHASTINGS M,I4W9X
~ DFIAN HOOKER ]0

by 10 the only thoroughly frivolous In
stitution Of learning l ever saw. He
never spoke a word all Christmas
that added TO the party's fund OF In
formation. except to tell us OF new
and a more indigestible way TO make
Welsh rarebit."
Evidently Christmas was to be the
last and only time that we had met.
| thanked fate and my own discom-
future that | had let fall no word to
the Ainslies and we went OF TO our
tennis. We won our game rather
easily. Miss Tabor played shade
better than the average woman, COW
ering her court with forethoughtful
ease that did the work without vast
ing exertton. She seemed not ath-
letic, but to do outdoor things as
some other woman might move
through a ballroom. When We had
finished playing. Bob was a dripping
ruin and Mrs. Ainslie and vigor-
ously hot: but Miss Tabor. who had
done no less than her share, laid
aside her racquet as coolly as she
had taken II up.
All the way down to the beach she
kept the three OF us In such q shout
Vi laughter TINT btaioCi RCOPAO ohoA~~1
aside at US. made the change into
bathing-suit with abandoned haste.
yet found her waiting. The sea was
evidently q passion with her as II
was with me- Her eyes were shin
ing with excitement. her head thrown
little back. and all her slim body.
tender In every graceful line. was
vibrant with the thrill Of the salt air.
O.
might have done, and we turned UP
the beach. running lightly until the
voices Of the bathers died behind US.
Suddenly she stopped. do you
feel that way about 1t, too?" she
| asked.
What way? As II the first plunge
Of the year were q sort OF sacred
rite!"
YES" sho answered. There 10
something about it--you feel az II It
were such splendid thing that after
all your waiting for it-now. when
the water IL there before you. you
must walt little sacrifcial moment.
l didn't feel like going In Just at the
first among all those people. Do you
understand what I mean? suppose
it's because on the first day I have
always gone In alone early In the
morning"
! nodded, for that had been my Gus
tom also. Without word we turned
together and went slowly down into
the water. When II reached her
waist, she threw her hands above
her head and dived. swimming under
water with long easy strokes. |
looked after her q moment. then FOL
lowed. We came to the surface to-
gether, drawing our breath deep and
shaking the salt water from our eyes.
We swan slowly back to the more
crowded beach, mutually glorytng In
our pagan rite Of baptism.
We stretched out lazily In the hot
sand. leaning back against battered
and upturned dory. Lady had shaken
down her hair, which her bathing cap
had failed TO keep altogether dry;
and spread II ustrously dark upon
the clean. sun-bleached planking.
, Il think l understand you now a
, little better. Mr.. Crosby" she said.
"Why?" asked.
II suppose because OF the solemn
rite of the first plunge. II somehow
makes you clearer. II that In what
you mean by romance. why I can
agree with you"
had to be honest mo, that's not
all mean-only part. want things
to happen TO me. not merely sensa-
lions. I'm always foolishly expect
ing some tilt with fortune at the next
turn Of the road suppose you were
I right that nothing much has hap
pened to me, or I shouldn't hunt 80
for the physical uplift of the unex.
pected. I don't want to be merely
!. SELFISH want to help in the world.
not to harm. l know that sounds
crudely sentimental, but It's hard TO
say mean, for instance, that
don't want distress to prove myself
against. but I do want the shock OF
battle where distress exists"
Then people must seem to you
merely means TO an end"