Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1912-07-19


toward the unknown. However, her
warning against designing girls and
her intimating that the unknown prob
ably had sent me the lock Of her hair
because she admired me neutralized
each other.
One afternoon l reached Alton from
the city at the time the tide was fa-
vorable for bathing, and as soon as l
could get into my bathing suit went
down to join the crowd in the water.
The wind was OF the ocean and the
surf high AS | approached the beach
saw commotion among those stand
ing about, most of them peering out
on the water. There | saw that the
interest was centered upon some one
beyond the ropes. The bathing mas
ter instead of plunging in was trying
to get a boat through the breakers
but without success.
| ran as fast as | could to the verge
and. bounding over the crests of the
first few waves. went under the next
and then, with hand over hand
stroke. by which could swim the fast
est, made for the person who needed
assistance. l soon saw that 1t was a
woman, and as drew near by the red
fish tint on her head knew that IL was
Miss YardIey. On reaching her held
her up until the bathing master came
with the boat, and he pulled us to
shore.
She was quite exhausted, but not 50
much SO as to forget to ask me to
pick up her bathing cap. which had
fallen off. She took It from me and
put 1t on. though could not see why,
because her hair was soaked.
On account of this incident natu.
rally found favor with Miss Yardley.
though l think had | not been there
she still would have been saved. One
thing did not fancy. feared this In
timacy would cause my unknown to
avoid giving me any clew to her iden-
tity. I was satisfied with Miss Yard
ley's companionship, but 1 did not like
the idea Of giving up my romance.
And between romance and reality ro-
nance will win every time. From
words I let drop to my known charm
er she inferred that my mind was on
her unknown rival Instead Of endeav-
oring to Danish her from my mind
Miss Yardley Joined me in observing
the girls whose hair fulfilled the condi-
ton that would prove her the owner of
the lock. Were we perambulating the
board walk or on the beach or the piaz-
"a Of her hotel, she would on the ap-
proach Of a blond girl ask me IL her
hair was not the shade of the lock
had received. Most of them were quite
like it. but their number spoiled the
clew.
| While romance is more effective than
reality flesh and blood are more effec-
| tive than fancy. l was constantly
with my known and never with my un
known. The consequence was that the
former had great advantage. At any
rate, as the end of August drew neal
my constant dawdling of evenings with
Miss Yardley tended to obliterate my
unknown from my mind. One night
the night before Miss Yardley was to
leave for home-sitting on a protrud-
ing rock, the waves rolling in beside
US. strains of music and laughter com
ing from the hotel back OF us, l forgot
the girl with the lock Of blond hair and
asked her rival to be my wife.
We parted the next day. engaged,
she to go to her home in one city, to
another. The autumn season was al
ways busy one to me, and there was
no probability Of my seeing her again
till midwinter. We arranged. howev
er, that l should join her for the holi-
days Meanwhile we were TO CORE
spond.
The ink spilled during that interval
was enormous. My fiancee often asked
me II had heard anything about my
unknown and If did not still cherish
tender thoughts Of her. | replied that
the only thing that remained of that
romance was the lock Of hair. Upon
this my love wrote me to save 1t for
her. She had fancy to keep it. |
promised that would bring it to her
when | Joined her in December
All waits have an end, and the time
came wien | threw aside the cares of
business and took a train to rejoln
Miss Yardley. When saw her on
the evening of my arrival in her draw
ing room met with the surprise Of
my life | saw the same girl l had
parted with few months before al
the seashore, all except the hair. Hers
was no longer red, but blond.
Instead Of advancing to clasp her In
my arms stood gaping at her, while
she remained. head bent, blushing, but
with an amused smile on her lips. AS
| | looked light was breaking in on my
duh brain.
"You are my unknown" exclaimed
There was no reply. In another mo
ment had folded her in my arms.
Her confession came lT<er. The mo-
ment she first saw me she realized in
stinctively that she wished me. and
me alone. To start romance she had
sent me lock Of her hair; but. fright
ened at what she had done. she dyed
her own. The introduction I had re
ceived was at her own request When
we had got her into the boat at the
time she came near drowning her first
thought was that the salt water might
remove the dye, and she had snatehed
her bathing cap from me to prevent
my seeing the real color Of her hair.
But dye is not so easily removed. For
over three months her hair had been
growing to its natural color. though
its ends still retained some Of the red.
'well." I said after listening TO this
confession. "the devices OF women are
wonder to us men,