The Detroit times., 1912-10-03
o4-Ne4u


disappearing In the leafy distance.
He heard splash and Jaw the shiny
white body OF man rise for one joy
ful moment from the. graen depths
ahead and then dive from sight with
another cool splash.
The Watermelon decided from habit
TO get a better view OF the lonely
swimmer before he let hfE own pres
ence become known. He slipped into
the bushes and slowly wrisgled his
way 10 the little-giade = TiIe lake was
bigger than at first appeared. IL
turned and twisted through, the woods
and was finally lost from view around
a small promontory. The trees grew
nearly to the waters edge, dense
protecting wall To one who wished 10
sport in natures solitude. garbed in
natures simple clothing. The lake
was too far from the hotel TO have
been annexed az one OF the attrac-
tions of that hostelry All this the
Watermelon noticed at a glance. He
also noticed that the man swimming
In the cool brown depths, with long
easy strokes, was alone and a
stranger. The Watermelon looked
for the clothes and found them on a
log. practically at his feet.
In everything but color. they full
filled his dream OF what raiment
should be like. Instead OF the pale
gray he rather favored, the suit was
brown. a light brown, with a tiny
green stripe. barely visible, inter
twined with faint suggestion OF red,
forming q harmonious whole that was
vastly pleasing to the Watermelon 8
aesth etic senses. In the matter OF
socks, he realized that the stranger
had not taken the best advantage OF
HIS opportunity. Instead OF being red
or green to lend character TO the dell
cate suggestion of those colors found
In the suit, they were soft dun
brown. There was tie OF the same
shade and a silk negligee shirt OF
white with pale green stripes. The
owner was clearly young man OF
rare taste, unhampered by vexa,
tious limitation OF his pocketbook.
He could be seen swimming slowly
and luxuriously In the little lake, per
fectly contented, unconscious that
some one besides the woodpeckers
and the squirrels was watching him.
The swimmers strokes had quick
ened and the Watermelon perceived
that he was swimming straight up
the lake with the probable Intention
of rounding the promontory and ex-
plorfng the farther lake When ne
disappeared. the Watermelon quickly.
carefully, gathered up the clothes and
likewise disappeared.
The swimmer was big man and
the clothes as good At as one could
look for under the circumstances.
They set of the Watermelon's long.
lean figure to perfection, and the hat.
soft and expensive Panama. lent
added distinction. The Watermelon
removed the three dollars and ten
cents and the keys from his own
pockets, and making a bundle or MS
CASTOR clothes, stuffed them out OF
sight In a hollow log. Shere later ne
could return and find them. II was
just as well to leave tne stranger a
practical captive In natures depths
until the beauty show was pulled on.
After that event, he would return. and
II the stranger was umenable to rea-
SON, he could have his good clothes
back, but II he acted put out at all.
for punishment he would have to ac-
cept the Watermelon's glorious at
tire. tt
Clean-shaven, well-clothed, there
was no longer any need for him to 20
to the hotel. unless he wished to dine
there. If the devotee OF nature, back
In the swimming pool, was q, stranger
In these parts and not guest at the
hotel, the Watermelon felt that he
could do this with pleasure and safe
ty. II was after twelve. and his ever
present desire To eat was becoming
too pronounced to be comfortable. IL
would be a fitting climax TO a highly
delightful morning TO have dinner,
surrounded by gentle folk again, for
the Watermelon came OF gentle
family He had no fear, for some
time at last, OF the owner OF the bor-
rowed clothes making himself unnec-
essarily conspicuous. But, on the
other hand, II he were q guest at the
hotel, the clothes would probably be
recognized and murder be the sim,
plest solution OF their change OF own
ers. Still. reasoned the Watermelon,
with n shrewd guess at the truth, II
he were a guest, II was hardly likely
that he would be swimming alone In
the isolated pond. I'm the bathing suit
designed by nature. The clothes
hardly indicated a young man OF a
serious turn OF mind, who would seek
the wooded solitudes In preference
TO the vivacious society Of his kind
70 be found In big hotel.
The wood ended abruptly at a stone
wall. There was road beyond the
wall, and beyond the road, another
stone wall and more woods. II was
narrow woodland road, a short cut
TO the hotel. II wound its way ont
OF sight, up a hill. through the pines,
II was grass-grown and shady and
the trees met overhead. Sweetbrier
and wild roses grew along the stone
walls, while gay little flowers and
delicate ferns yentured out into the
road itself. and with every passing
breeze nodded merrily from the ruts
OF last winters wood hauling. BY
the side OF the road, like glaring
anachronlsm, a variety theater In
Paradise. a vacuum cleaner among
the ferns and daisles. stood a huge
red touring car with shining brass
work and raised top, No one was
anywhere In sight and the Water.
melon climbed into the tonneau and
leaned comfortably back in the
roomy depths.