Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-08-11
CHAPTER V Continued.
Copyright. The Dob5s- ,icrr:.l Company.


breakfast. He made his way through
the woods to small beach he hat
noticed the day before, some way from
the house. 1t was concealed from
the Todd's regular bathing beach by
a high promontory. while on the land
ward side the trees, which grew dowr
nearly to the sand, farther increased
the privacy The water was calm II
the little cove and the waves Slid VI
the beach with pleasant purring rip
pie. The bell-buoy moaned restlessly
and the morning breeze was full OF the
freshness and freedom Of the sea. Be
yond the point of land, Algernon could
see his sloop, which his mother had
had sent up for him, riding at anchor
trim and shipshape.
He had planned to go swimming as
he used to when he was youngster
and he and chosen few had turned
back somersaults, played frog and
made the pot boil in the cool clear
depths of the old swimming hole, but
when he mentioned his intention to
Thomas and the two grcoms, they were
horrifed.
"You don't want to do that" said
Thomas earnestly. Sometimes the
misses herself goes out early, either In
the motor-boat, or to swim, and she
keeps to that little cove because the
water Is quiet there and she's bit
scared at getting out where It's rough
when she's alone
So Algernon had been persuaded to
borrow the second groom's bathing
suit, a striking affair in yellow and
pale pink. Wrapped in horse blank
ct, he had made his way to the beach.
As he emerged from the woods, he
thanked his stars that he had followed
the advice of the admiring three. At
the waters edge, her back to the
shore, the waves gently washing
around her slim stockinged feet, stood
a girl. She wore faded blue bathing
suit, and her hair hung down her back
in a thick dark braid. tied at the end
with . bit of ribbon. With her hands
on her hips, she stood, light and grace
full, her head bent slightly forward as
if she would please her ears for mo-
ment with the seductive song OF the
sea before she yielded herself to its
soft embrace.
Algernon hesitated. He felt that the
groom'ss bathing suit did not exactl!
enhance his beauty 1t had been too
big around the neck, and the groom
had obligingly run a drawing string
through it and drawn it up. The re-
suit was satisfactory as far as it went,
but Algernon felt that he had worn
things that had become him more. He
did not care to look like fool to the
long-limbed graceful girl at the waters
edge. While he stood undecided
whether to withdraw or not she, as If
aware that she was no longer alone,
turned and saw him. She started and
drew back step, farther up the beach
and away from him, amusement strug-
Cling with the annoyance she felt at
having her solitude broken in upon by
her chauffeur. A!sernon drew the
blanket more firmly around him and
bowed. unconscious of the appearance
he made in his sudden rush of embar-
rassment at what he knew she felt.
Algernon had never before looked
upon himself as any ones inferior So
cially, and had never been so looked
upon, and the experience was new and
a bit humiliating especially when the
other was young and pretty, with
laughing eyes the deep. deep blue OF
the sea. and saucy mouth that dimp-
led with the irrepressible mirth Of the
irresponsible.
Il beg your pardon" said he. II did
not know that there was any one here.
shall CO."
The girl flushed, and Algernon grew
visibly more embarrassed and every
moment a bit more naughty. His
head was up and in the toga-like folds
of the horse blanket he looked like
Roman emperor condemning captive
to death, rather than newly engaged
chauffeur of no references. The girl
kept her eyes vigorously turned from
his bare legs visible beneath the blank
ct, seen In one all-embracing glance,
and lending emphasis to the hauteur
of his expression and voice. But for
all his incongruous attire and the
position he held in her household, the
long lank youth appealed to her,
aroused in her an absurd desire to
know him better There in the sweet
ness Of the early morning. on the lone
ly little beach, with the sea-gulls
wheeling overhead and the waves
laughing at ones feet, social barriers
seemed an anachronism, the foolish
rules of some childish game, and she
longed to tell him not to go, but he
held the blanket with firmness which
suggested that one or the other Of
them would have to retire.
please stay said she, controlling
her desire to laugh joyously. II shall
co."
Algernon read her surmise, blushed
and heroically let the blanket fall to
the ground.
''Shall We both stay?" he asked.
Cup there" with nod toward the
roof Of the great house, Eve are mis-
tress and man, but down here, we're
just people"
The hot blood that had leaped into
the girls cheeks as the blanket fell
slowly sank again and she nodded
gaily. He was chauffeur. but what.
after all, was she but housekeeper?
But what would he think? He would
probably presume on the freedom she
gave him. She had nodded instinc-
ticely, but now she hesitated. She felt
that she ought to leave, but she wanted
to stay and have her swim. She was