The Washington herald., 1914-10-25

i don't know, sighed Helen mis-
erably. There seems to be something
about me that"
''There isl" interrupted Latimer
''I've noticed it. You don't have to tell
me about it. / know that the Helen
Page habit is damned difficult habit
to breakP
1t cannot be said that he made any
violent effort to break it. At least, not
one that was obvious to Fair Harbor
or to Helen.
One of their favorite drives was
through the pine woods to the point on
which stood the lighthouse, and on one
of these excursions they explored a
forgotten wood road and came out
upon cliff. The cliff overlooked the
sea, and below it was a tumble of rocks
with which the waves played hide and
seek, On many afternoons and morn
ings they returned to this place, and,
while Latimer read to her, Helen would
sit with her back to tree and toss pine
cones into the water. Sometimes the
poets whose works he read made love
so eharmingly that Latimer was, most
grateful to them for rendering such
excellent first aid to the wounded, and
into his voice he would throw all that
feeling and music that from juries and
mass meetings had dragged tears and
cheers and votes.
But when his voice became so ap-
pealing that it no longer was possible
for any woman to resist it, Helen
would exclaim excitedly: PLEASE ex-
cuse me for interrupting, but there is
a large spider" and the spell was
gone.
One day she exclaimed: "OhP and
Latimer patiently lowered the oxford
Book of Verse" and asked: What
is it, now!"
I'm so sory," Helen said, "but I
can't help watching that Chapman boy;
he's only got one reef in, and the next
time he jibes he'll cspsize, and he can't
swim, and he'll drown. I told his
mother only yesterday"
81 haven't the least interest in the
Chapman boy" said Latimer, "or in
what you told his mother, or whether
he browns or not! I'm a drowning
man myselfP
Helen shook her head firmly and re-
provingly. Men get over that kind of
drowning" she said.
Not this kind of man doesntT
said Latimer. And don't tell me-" he
cried Indignantly, that that's another
thing they all say"
"If one could only be surel" sighed
Helen. 'If one could only be sure
that you-that the right man would
keep on caring after you marry him the
way he says he cares before you marry
him. If you could know that, it would
help you lot in making up your mind +"
There is only one way to find that
out" said Latimerl that is to marry
him. 1 mean, of course" he corrected
hastily, TO marry me"
One day, when on their way to the
cliff at the end of the wood road, the
man who makes the Nantucket sailor
and peddles him passed through the vii
lage; and Latimer bought the sailor
man and carried him to their hiding
place. There he fastened him to the
lowest limb of one of the ancient pine
trees that helped to screen their hid
ing place from the world. The limb
reached out free of the other branches,
and the wind caught the sailorman
fairly and spun him like dancing der
wish. Then it tired of him, and went
of to try to drown the Chapman boy,
leaving the sailorman motionless with
his arms outstretched, balancing in
each hand a tiny oar and smiling hap
PLY.
'He has a friendly smile" said
Helen; Il think he likes US"
"He is on guard" Latimer explained.
q put him there to warn US if any one
approaches, and when we are not here,
he is to frighten away trespassers. Do
you understand" he demanded of the
sailorman. Your duty is to protect !
this beautiful lady. So long as 1 love
her you must guard this place. 1t is a.
life sentence. You are always on
watch. You never sleep. You are her
slave. She says you have a friendly |
smile. She wrongs you. 1t is be-
seeching, abject, worshiping smile. l
am sure when look at her mine is
equally idiotic. In fact, we are in many !
ways alike. I also am her slave. 1
also am devoted only to her service.
And never sleep, at least not since
met her"
From her throne among the pine
needles Helen looked up at the sailor
man and frowned.
"It is not happy smile" she OBJ
jected For one thing, saiIorman has
a sweetheart in every port"
wait and see," said Latimer.
"And," continued the girl with some
"if there is anything on earth
that changes its mind as often as a
that Is less certain less