Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-01-12

with quick. half impatient gesture
ms she turned from the sea.
ut is late" she said Yes; II would
be odd II he were the one"
AS Jolly said week later, he was It
all right. And gradually Jolly's smile
deepened. and he went about with his
hands In his white duck pockets, wear
Ing a mystical look of wisdom beyond
mortal ken, for,his prophecy was com
ing true,
Dudley Graham was the strangers
name. jolly exalted In 1t. II couldn't
have been better. And when, after a
couple OF days, Dudley showed him
self possessed of an unlimited "wad"
to boot and n disposition to scatter 10
Jolly's admiration changed to respect,
and he hoped Dudley's choice would
fall on Dorothy, because for himself
he always had preferred blue eyes.
But Dudley apparently had no choice.
The cousins were the prettiest girls ut
the Lights; therefore he made love
to both of them with absolute Impair
hality. And he was an artist ut love
malking-no ordinary piazza incoming
or woodland strolls, but at daybreak.
when all the world lay In bridal veil
OF pearl and diamond, he would take
the girls out for a sail or send them
up great clusters Of forest flowers to
say good morning for him.
(Which one?' asked Jolly. and every
one at the Lights echoed the ques-
ton. Perhaps no one thought It often
er than the girls themselves. Gradual
ly they drew apart There was no
open quarrel, nothing to gossip over,
but all the old sweet comradeship was
broken, and except when Dudley was
with them they lived alone.
To Dorothy 1t was wonderful thing,
this strange new love, something not
to be breathed of. and yet her eyes
never met Graham's that she did not
feel vaguely sorry for Irene. And
Irene, winsome, gay hearted, was odd
ly quiet and restrained these days,
and, hearing Graham's voice In her
ears as they two bent over the dip
ping sail. she felt her heart ache for
poor Dorothy.
And then, as Jolly called it ever aft
er, there came the day of decision. 1t
was gray day, threatening. squally,
bringing with it a premature tang of
September chill. Graham was going
out in his yacht, the Lorelie. AS he
came down the steps Of the piazza
Dorothy Joined him, tall and slender,
In her raincoat and hatless.
Graham hesitated and glanced to
where Irene stood.
"Afraid?" he asked laughingly, and
she took the challenge, not because of
his words. but because of Dorothy and
her silence.
There's a storm coming" called
Jolly. "I'll get the life savers ready to
go out after you"
1t was only a Jest, and half an hour
later Jolly, in his big hearted, rough
way, would have given all he owned to
call it back. for out on the gray sea
the little white winged yacht swirled
and dipped as the storm swept down
on it. and when the darkness had lifted
there was cry from those watching
from the inn, and down at the little
white life saving station below the
lighthouse they were pushing out the
lifeboat
Keel up, the Lorelie drifted, but be.
fore the lifeboat reached 1t they found 4
figure swimming for shore, a hearty,
strong. athletic youngster, one Dudley
Graham, who had kept his presence Of
mind and resolved to save said Dud- d
ley Graham's sweet life at all hazards.
go ahead" called Tom Hardy, the
captain Of the crew to him. go ahead;
you're doing finely. Keep 1t up. We
wouldn't stop you for the world"
And they left him swimming for
shore and made straight for the over
turned yacht, where two girls held
each other above the peril Of the sea.
"Take Irene first,' said Dorothy.
dolly first" gasped Irene as Tom
lifted her into the boat.
The next morning Jolly sat on the
piazza smiling buoyantly to two figures
in the hammock.
''He went on the early boat" he said
blithely. Congratulations. But was
not he really lovely specimen? For
fair weather, mean. Wasn't he"-
"Jolly," interposed Dorothy, "even
the inevitable can be postponed. can't
It? We-Irene and I-have decided
that our inevitable man must be twins.