The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-12-03
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,
IN THE UNDERToW
BY LOUISE MERRIFIELD.


point of view, Bella. He's really a
wonderful boy, perfectly wonderful.
He's saved eight lives this summer
at the beach,
"A professional life saver could
have done as well. I don't like all
these college boys who sweep down
on place like Tonowa and gobble |
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 help
Celia 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 I 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 If
were real summer girl myself I'd
feel different, but I'm not
II never saw teacher in my life
with 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?'
1.-THE undertow is heavy this morn
ing. 1t caught even Tod CLOSING
a while ago, and we pulled him out"
"He wasnt-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 a young teacher of social sci
ence at a western college, and they
had found great deal in common to
talk over, but some spirit of con-
trariness led her OF.
"He seems to have found his way
in life. I like the worker rather than
the dilottante."
It was a typical feminine bit of
spite. She knew we'll that while Tod
had been sitting around the hotel
piazza for month reading books and
ma gaines, Marden had been pacing
Y hot beach day after day doing real
work.
J. Just how it all happened she could
: never quite remember afterward. De
l., liberately she had made her way out
y to the second life raft, past all lines, to
q 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 and
kicking in the surf with a lot Of other
children, when there came a high
= pitched scream.
/, Suddenly Isabelle saw something
+. just a swirl of tangled yellow hair
and the flash of an upturned face
borne outward by tho sea, and she
), slipped from the raft after it. Oh, bu
a she was glad she was strong! She
had never feared the water, and nov
she felt she could battle with it, ant
make it give her back what she loved
1t was coming toward her, and sh
went under to find it with reaching
arms.
4, mot my neck, boy" she gasped
If as they gained the surface, the fright
- ened boy clinging about her desperate
- ly. I'll hold you all right. Oh, lie
" &c, Georgie!"
N She tried to reach and unclasp hi
IL 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 af1oat wit
nt the other, but it grew harder ever
minute, and a great WEAKNESS wa
e, stealing over her.
RI It was Marden who reached he
first. Behind him were a few other
of the strongest swimmers, and bac
~ on the beach they were launchln
a boat, but Marden was the one VIII
rt held her with George fast in ne
arms, and turned to beat his way bac
to shore with his double burden.
SO That night she sat out on the We
anda at Celia's cottage. Indoors st
I'd could hear Celia singing softly owe
oe her drowsy boy. She had hardly Il
him out of her arms since Marde
had given him back to her Isabel
ou caught the crush of gravel on tt
walk as he came through the bres
Use in the hedge toward her, and close
ar her eyes with a smile of content.
1t seemed the most natural THU
in the world that he should come
1il- her so, without one word, and reac
ing down, hold her fast in his arr
of as he had done when death had nes
" claimed her. She leaned her he
back on his shoulder with sigh
relief until Dots voice reused h
Standing in the light from the ha
for in her little pink pajamas,
lay watched them seriously.