The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-11-23
IN THE UMDERTow
BY LOUISE MERRlF,ELD.

~ oeHd. mes really q
wonderful boy. perfectly wonderful
hes saved eight lives this summer
at the beach"
"A professional life saver could
nave done as well. don't like all
tnese college boys who sweep down
On q place like Tonowa and eobble
up the best positions for the season /"
isabelle tied a red and black silk
cap over her close braids firmly. It
was warm in the pine dressing room
OF the bath house. She had stepped
IN from her own next door to helm
oelia with the two kiddies, and as
usual these last days at the resort
celia had handed out some sisterly
admonition regarding her treatment
OF Ralph Marden.
They don't do 1t for fun. Belle
They're working their way through.
and think it's dandy Of them, and
George thinks it is, too"
of course, if George says SO, you'd
agree" laughed Isabelle. You dear
old easy-going thing. They work
hard, don't they. A few hours a
day waiting on the table, or here ON
the beach flirting with every pretty
girl in sight. and twanging mando-
Inns and guitars to the moon after
dark. No. thanks. Perhaps II I
were real summer girl myself I'd
feel different, but I'm not"
I never saw a teacher in my life
with a throb Of real sentiment in
her" Celia said.
Along the shore line the last rush
OF visitors dotted water and beach.
Isabelle stood for a minute on the
sand.
You're not going far out, are you,
Miss Chadwick"
The voice came from just behind
her
why not?'
THE undertow is heavy this morn
ing. 1t caught even Tod CLOSING
a while ago, and we pulled him out"
He wasn't-it wasn't serious?" She
looked back at him now, her dark blue
eyes filled with quick concern. Mar
den met them stolidly.
mo. he's all right. You like Tod,
don't you?"
Isabelle flushed slightly. 1t wasn't
that she liked Tod at all. He was
simply young teacher Of social sci.
onco o< q yoc%orn oolIouo opd thou
had found a great deal in common to
talk over, but some spirit Of con
trariness led her on.
He seems to have found his way
in life. like the worker rather than
the dilettante"
It was typical feminine bit Of
spite. She knew we'll that while Tod
had been sitting around the hote
piazza for month reading books and
magazines, Marden had been pacing
a hot beach day after day doing rea
work.
Just how it all happened she coult
never quite remember afterward De
liberately she had made her way ou
to the second life raft, past all lines. t.
show him she was not afraid.
Celia was clinging to the life rope
chatting with some Of the women from
the hotel. George and Dot had ram
bled along the beach, squealing ant
kicking in the surf with a lot Of othel
children, when there came a higl
pitched scream.
Suddenly Isabelle saw something
Just a swirl of tangled yellow hair
and the flash Of an upturned fac
borne outward by the sea, and sh
slipped from the raft after it. Oh bu
she was glad she was strong! Sh'
had never feared the water, and nov
she felt she could battle with 1t, ant
make it give her back what she loved
It was coming toward her, and sh
went under to find it with reaching
arms.
mot my neck, boy" she gasped
as they gained the surface, the fright
ened boy clinging about her desperate
~. "Fll hold you all right. Oh, lie
60. Georgie!"
She tried to reach and unclasp nj
grip, but he was half unconscious
and she felt her strength going. Sh
held the limp little body to her wit
one arm and tried to keep afoat wit
the other, but 1t grew harder ever
minute, and a great WEAKNESS wa
stealing over her.
It was Marden who reached he
first Behind him we're q few other
of the strongest swimmers, and bac
on the beach they were launchin
a boat, but Marden was the one VIII
held her with Georgia fast in he
arms, and turned to beat his way bac
to shore with his double burden.
That night she sat out on the vel
anda at Celia's cottage. Indoors sh
could hear Celia singing softly owe
her drowsy boy. She had hardly lie
him out of her arms since Marde
had given him back to her. Isabel
caught the crush Of gravel on IN
walk as he came through the brea