The Meeker herald., 1914-07-04

Jack helped me into Deserted row-
boat which iay On the sands and seat
ID himself before me.
This b good. to be alone With you.
Man." b. was beginning when man
who had passed US rctraced bis stet,s.
.Jack Meads." he cried. Ignoring my
presence. what luck! The boys from
the once are out here tstlay. and We
are trying to make up baseb III Rios.
All We lack IL a good pitcher. and wo
know your fame In that line. it's ge.
ing to be q short game. Come on over
and Join o."
Jack looked neldward. and his eyes
shone. you wouldn't mind. would
you. Nan!' be asked eagerly.
''Csrtainly; do not mind" nu'
swered cffusively. but ! prefer NOT 10
walk over to the neld."
He hurried away without one back
ward glance. 1t was another hnr'l'iat-
ing moment. Following nm Idle int
pulse. lifted the solitary oar wbi"h
lay in the boat and polcd myself out
into the water. Perhaps when Allison
came back be might sss me. BE uss"
strongly to object II vsntured to no
alone. I must have drifted out pretty
far. for the automobile looked like /,
speck in the road. while the basebai.
deId was just q green blur. With Il
splash my one oar slipped from my
grasp and quickly noated just beyond
reach. It would have becIi useless TO
call for assistance, for no one appeared
upon the beach. was really becon,-
Ing frightened whsn q canoe came
gliding toward me. its occupant stood
up and waved bis arms wildly.
Aunt Man, hs cried. Aunt Nam
IL was Bobbie. could scarcely believe
my eyes.
.savs me. Aunt Napr' be entrsated
~ never thought when I climbed into
the canoe that 1t would noat away"
There was a soft thud ~ the boats
came alongside. l had confused "
sion Of my nephew's white face and
outrsaching arms. aud then We wses
both struggling in the water. Blindly
I caught at the upturned boz: a. Bob.
Bile chung to me in desperation. And
surely it was hours afterward that
some ope snatched him roughly from
my grasp; then two strong arms also
lifted me to safety. don't know just
what had been expecting. but 1t was
rather disappointing to rec a weather
beaten face looking anxiOusly Into my
own. while gru6 voice muttered some.
thing about "lunatics sailin' about In
boats without no oars" And when our
rescuer's boat reached the shore there
stood Jim and Mollie. who regarded
my wet and shrinking self with stern.
accusing case. Jim carried his whim-
pering son back to the shelter of the
treea, while Moilie fingered only long
enough to say:
"lf you did not care about riskins
your own life. Nan. you might at least
have ieft Bobbie safe on land"
stood still in bewilderment. Then
prolonged vail in DOTS shrill trahie
attracted my attention. and FASTENED
10 tts direction
"Oh. Aunt Man." she gursIed. "you
do look 20 funny! Your halr il all
sleek. like the SEALS at the ZOO"
The thought Of my own ridiculous
appearance had not occurred to me.
Now looked fearfuily down the road
to where the stalled auto could still be
seen.
"Dot." 1 faltersd. where's Mr. Arm.
strongT"
Ny young niece OWNED by anxiety.
Don't you worry" she said. "He b
hammering away under ia car"
"And Allison. Dot-where IL her
HE won't see you." she answered
comfortinsly. HE Il back in the
woods getting 1owers for Aunt Nell"
Then Dottis turned to her own griev-
ances. "Daddie kindled hre to make
some coffee" she confided. land when
they went away put some corn in to
cook and burned my hand. But It's
better now. because ! tore the front
out Of my dress and bandaged It up.
This nice thin cloth tears easy" she
added. with satisfaction.
Like Dot. returned to my own trou.
bles. What shall DOR deiiberated
aloud.
"3o and sit in the sand and get dry"
my nisce wisely suggested, and l fol.
lowed her advice. Little lavender
streams were trickling from every part
Of my new frock. and the woman who
sold It bad assured me that the color
would not run. She might have traced
me now by the violet drops along the
sand. l sank down miserabiy. How
could 60 home In this plight?
Nell's ringing iangh aroused me.
'Oh. Man." she cried. what in the
world have you been doingf You loOk
dke purple poster girl"
One horrined glance showed me Al.
hson's tall figure. This was truly ths
last straw. buried nay face In my
wet purple arms and wept- Then Al
lison turned to Nell.
dot ID alone" he said "Had 700
not better zee that she dossn't get into