The Washington herald., 1914-10-16
DAILY SHORT STORY.
THAT ENDS WELL.
by SIDNEY HODGES COLE.

| NOop9TgnL lSA
There was u 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 q lever and
the Polyphemus II answered by tearing
| like streak through the water. They
swung around the bend and Peter half
rose to his feet to peer anxiously ahead.
Yes, there she was-the girl he was
looking for. Every afternoon for the last
| 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 as
wonderfully pretty girl. Peter had lost
his impressionable heart to her that very
| first day he had seen her there. But
he could find no mutual acquaintance to
Introduce him and he was due to go back
to the city day after tomorrow.
He liked her copper-colored hair, and
the smooth roundness Of her cheeks and
| the pretty sparkle of her eyes.
He was going to meet that girl some
how; he was going to meet her before
he went back, and he was going to hear
her voice. He knew intuitiyeIy 1t would
be a nice voice.
She was sitting in hammock, swaying
gently to and fro in the little shelter as
she kept her eyes on the page before her.
Peter let out the boat even more; the
CAhduEL EOdECo Cnuk-CnuK,
chug-chug, but the girl did not look up.
She was quite unaware of Peters pres
ence. Motor boats were as common on
the river as were water spiders. The roar
Of an exhaust meant nothing in par
ticular. 1t was no reason why one should
lift ones eyes from a fascinating page.
Perhaps Peter Bryant may be forgiven
for entertaining very desperate thoughts
those few brief minutes. Perhaps he did
- ~
he was doing. At any rate, with q sud-
den quick shift Of the wheel he sent the
Polyphemus II straight at that pier Also,
he slammed down q lever. As he stopped
the boats nose was headed straight for
the little shelter con the end of the pier
in which the girl loIled in the hammock.
Now Peter knew 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 ives
genuinely Mortified to fnd the pier not
a boats length away. Nor had the speed
lessehed to any appreciable extent Plain
ly there was going to be crash, and
q good one. Peter gave a warning yell.
At the same time he strove to put the
wheel down. The girl looked up and
jumped to her feet oh" she cried.
.'Ohp"
It ts probable she would have said
more. but there was no time for II. The
motorboat hit the himsy pier with q
terrific impact There was q mighty
swapping, a rending of timbers. The pier
shook, the shelter swayed precariously.
Peter, thrown violently against the en-
gine by the crash, saw the whole thing
tremble and CULVER and then upset before
his horrifed eyes. There was a splash,
gurgie, a little choked cry, a fash
of white. The girl was in the river
The motorboat being hopelessly tangled
in the wreckage. Peter tore on 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 swimming-coolly, strongly |
He was sputtering and blowing water |
from his mouth in his excitement Put
your hands on my shoulder" he In
structed.
The girl eyed him grimly. He thought |
once she was laughing at him. mo need" /
she said very calmly. Il can swim wen. /
It's only a few strokes to shore"
Suiting her action to the words, she
proceeded toward the bank. Peter wal i
lowed along In her wake. blowing like
a grampus and trying to think OF some
thing to say. He did manage 70 assist /
her onto the bank Then be scrambled /
out hlmself. oh. say" he began con-
lzitsly, and then could think os nothing