Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-08-25

In protest at its idleness, and from
beyond the headland's point, the sea-
guls wheeled and floated Molly's
cloak and slippers were lying at the
foot of rock, but Molly herself was
nowhere to be seen. Algernon peered
eagerly at the dim outlines Of the
slcop, growing clearer in the lifting
fog, but could not see on the swaying
deck the slim young figure In the
faded blue suit. with the tumbled wind.
blown hair, and sitting fear, cold,
benumbing, gripped his heart. The
waves, rolling high, looked cruel and
have on girl who loved them well
and in her love was fearless? Maybe
she was there on the deck and the fog
concealed her. Damn the fog! May
be--no, that other supposition could
not be. The fog hid her from his
sight; that was all, that must be all.
Hastily throwing aside his blanket,
he plunged in and swan out to the
sloop. driven by nameless fear
straight through each swell, head half
buried In the water. The way was
interminable, endless. Once he paused
a moment and glanced up toward the
sloop, but he was too low to see more
than its outlines. If she were there
she must be there she
was there he would not be-
able to see her unless he was leaning
against the railing. She was resting
In the shelter Of the cabin. She must
be. She had swum In this cove all
summer by herself and nothing had
happened Cramps? No, no, no. She
never had cramps, and if she did have
them, she would have been washed
ashore long before. Not II caught in
the undertow and swept out to sea-
But she didn't have cramps. She
didn't. Would he never get there!
He reached the sloop at last and clam
bered on board.
1t was empty, deserted, with its
bare masts and tightly fastened, nall
ed-up cabin. She wasn't there, yet
on the beach were her slippers and
cloak.
For a moment it seemed impossible
to grasp the fact that he alone stood
on the desk. Dull with despair, his
face white, he turned to scan the rocks
on either side Of the cove, remember
ing the day she had laughed at him
from their shelter But no Lorelei
hailed him now from their foam-cov-
cred crags. A sea-gull wheeled by
with it's hoarse cry and the bellbuoy
seemed to moan in anguish, but no
gay voice called to him out of the drift
ing fog, no slender figure, in clinging
dripping suit, waved to him from either
headland. Yet there were her slip
pers and cloak in forlorn little pile
on the beach, irrefutable witnesses
that she had gone in swimming. May
be she had seen Holmes and had wan
dered back into the woods to wait
until he left. But If she had S'a
would have snatched up her Slip
at least and put them on. She always
left them as near the waters edge as
she dared so she could get them as
soon as possible, for even the stones
and sticks on the beach hurt her feet.
Besides, Holmes would have waited
for his namesake, if he had come.
Nevertheless, Algernon once again
scanned the distant shore, eagerly
hopefully, miserably. But the small
pebble-strewn beach was as deserted
as the sloop. as the rocks and head.
lands, as the whole dreary monotonous
interminable sea.
The vacuum of despair settled on Al
gernon and he stood a moment, with
white drawn face, forgetful of every.
thing, the search that must be made
for the body, the relatives to be looked
up and notified, mindful only Of the
terrible CHASTITY emptiness Of the
sea. the heavens above and the earth
beneath, the unfathomable dreariness
of nothing.
ship ahoy!"
Algernon turned, knees shaking
with the sudden shock of hearing that
gay irresponsible girlish contralto hail
ing him from the farther side Of the
sloop. Motionless with the sudden
rush Of relief, he stared over the roof
of the tiny cabin at Molly, clinging
with one wet shapely arm flung over
the brass railing that ran the length
of the deck. Slowly the misery of the
moment before seemed to lift, his heart
began to beat again and the blood re-
turned to his white face, while his
clenched hands relaxed and his knees
seemed to give from under him. He
walked over to her coldly and grimly
drew her on deck.
where have you been?" he demand
ed sternly, angrily, in the rush Of over.
whelming joy.
II saw you coming" said she, smil-
ing at him through her wet hair, his
hands on her shoulders.