The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-16

| The Evening Story
That Ends wen.
(By Sidney Hodges Cole.)
There was q golden glow ON the
river. Behind the hills to the west
the sun had gone DOWN touching the
cloud edges with crimson and ocher.
| Peter Bryant threw down . lever
and the Polyphemus II. answered by
tearing like q streak through the wat
er. They swung around the bend and
Peter half rose to his feet to peer anx-
tously ahead.
Yes. there she was-the girl he
was looking for. Every afternoon for
the past two weeks he had seen her
there in the shelter at the very end
of the little pier running out into the
/ river. She was q wonderfully pretty
girl Peter had lost his impressions
able heart to her that very first day
he had seen here there. But he could
find no mutual acquaintance to intro
| duce him and he was due to go back
to the city day after tomorrow.
i He liked her unprecedented hair.
and the smooth roundness Of her
cheeks and the pretty sparkle of her
eyes.
He was going to meet that girl
somehow: he was going to meet her
before he went back. and he was go
| ing to hear her voice. He knew in
tuitively 1t would be q nice voice.
| She was sitting In hammock.
swaying gently to and fro in the little
shelter as she kept her eyes on the
boat even more: the exhaust roard
it's strident chug-chug, chug-chug,
but the girl did not look up. She was
quite unaware of Peters presence.
Motor boats were as common on the
river as were water spiders. The roar
| Of an exhaust meant nothing in par
ticular It was no reason why one
should lift ones eyes from fascinat-
ing page.
given for entertaining very desperate
thoughts those few brief minutes.
Perhaps he did not stop to count the
chances OF what he was doing. At
any rate, with a sudden quick shift OF
the wheel he sent the Polyphemus II.
straight at that pier. Also. he slam
med down a lever. AS he stopped the
| boats nose was headed straight for
the little shelter on the end Of the pier
in which the girl lolled in the ham,
mock.
Now, Peter know well enough that
the boat was going at q good clip.
| What he did not estimate correctly
was the distance to the pier. As he
looked up after pushing down that
lever he was genuinely horrif1ed to
| find the pier not a boats length away.
Nor had the speed lessened to any
appreciable extent. Plainly there was
going to be q crash. and good one.
Peter gave a warning yell. At the
same time he strove to- put the wheel
ysdown. The girl looked UP and
jumped to her feet. "oh!" she cried.
"Oh!"
It IL probable she would have said
more. but there was no time for it.
| The motorboat hit the fiimsy pier
with a terrific impact. There was q
mighty swapping q rendtng OF tim
bers. The pier shook, the shelter
swayed precariously.
Peter. thrown violently against the
engine by the crash, saw the whole
thing tremble and CULVER and then
upset before his Mortified eyes. There
! was splash, a gurgle. a little choked
cry, flash OF white. The girl was
in the river.
tangled in the wreckage, Peter tore
! or his coat, kicked on his shoes and
went overheard. A few swift strokes
and he had the girls arm in his grip.
! He did not notice that she was SWIM
ming-coolly. strongly.
He was sputtering ana blowing
/ water from his mouth in his excite
ment. PUT your hands ON my shout
ders." he instructed.
The girl eyed him grimly. He
thought once she was laughing at
him. mo need" she said very calm
ly. IT can swim well. It's only
few strokes to shore"
i Suiting her action to the words. she
proceeded toward the bank. Peter
wallowed along in her wake, blowing
like a grampus and trying to think
of something to say. He did manage
to assist her onto the bank. Then ne
i~--n-h1n6 ont htynaalf ooh I 00Vs -
he began contritely, and then could
think Of nothing else to say.
The girl looked at him steadily.
She seemed quite at her ease. There
was still that hint Of merriment in
her eyes, although her mouth was
firm. the lips even q little COM
pressed.
well, you've done it. haven't you?
said she, waving an arm toward the
wrecked pier.
"Thunder!" said Peter contritely
as he looked thither. 'T should say
had. But I don't care about that It's
splitting you into the river I'm think
"Oh, that's of. NO very great con-
sequence. said she. But that pier
certainly IL q mess"
IT shall have 1t fixed. Of course '
. said Peter, all but tongue-tied now he
realized he was actually talking to
her.
How did you happen to run to
, it ?" said she.
"Rudder wire parted on me-" Peter
explained glibly.
4 She looked at him .kneely. Then
without q word she led the way back
to the wreck.
Peters heart sank as he saw her
|. walk out precariously on what was
left Of the pier and drop into the
, motorboat She bent down. examin-