Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-24
Evening Stars
Daily Story
THE UNDERToW
LOUISE MERRIFIELD.

KeWSpaper
Syndicato.)
II think you're very narrow in your
point OF view, Bella He's really a
wonderful boy; perfectly wonderful.
He's saved eight lives this summer at
the BEACH
"A professional lifesaver could have
done as well. 1 don't like all these
college boys who sweep down on a
place like Tonowa. and gobble up the
best positions for the season" Isabelle
tied red and black silk cap over her
cIose braids firmly. 1t was warm in
the pine dressing-room of the bath
house. She had stopped in from her
own next door to help Celia with the
two Riddles. and, as usual these last
days at the resort, Celia had handed
out some sisterly admonition regard
Ing her treatment of Ralph Marden.
They don't do it for fun, Belle.
lheyre working their way through,
and 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 mandolins and
guitars to the moon after dark. No,
thanks. Perhaps If l were real
summer girl myself I'd feel different.
but I'm not"
never saw teacher in my life
with a throb of real sentiment in
! hef Celia fastened the last button
on George, jr.'s suit, and opened the
door. Hes so manly and good look
! ing and hes tried every way he could
TO make you like him. He finished
college this year, one of the boys told
me, and is going to take a couple OF
| years at Columbia Law"
Yes, and he'll probably end up with
selling automobiles or real estate"
Isabelle locked the door after them
| and they strolled down to the beach
George and Dot had scudded ahead
like windblown leaves, and We're
splashing in the fringe of white surf
1t was a splendid day. The first
| breath of autumn seemed to nave
fallen over the land. The sky ard
sea had taken on deeper hue, and
all the rocks and hills were catching
a tawny shade from sun dried grasses
| and sumac.
Along the shore line the last rush
of visitors dotted water and beach
Isabelle stood for minute on the
sand.
/
! Miss Chadwick
The voice came from just behind
her. Isabelle didn't even turn her
| head.
"Why not?"
1.-THE undertow is heavy this morn
ing. 1t caught even Tod Gissing
awhile ago. and we pulled him out"
He wasn't-it wasn't serious?'
She looked back at him now, her
dark blue eyes filled with quick con-
Germ. Marden met them stolidly.
mo- he's all right. You like Tod.
don't your
Isabelle flushed slightly. It WASN'T
that she liked Tod at all He was
simply a young teacher of social
they had found a great deal in COM
mon to talk over, but some spirit
of contrariness led her on.
He seems to have found his way
in life. I like the worker rather than
the dllettente."
1t was a typically feminine bit OF
spite. She knew well that while Tod
had been sitting around the hotel
piazZaS for a month reading books
and magazines, Marden had been
pacing a. hot beach day after day.
doing real work, yet because one had
a yearly salary, and the other still
chose to study. she could take sides
Ralph smiled down. at her.
Don't try the undertow." he said
again, and she went down to join
Celia.
Just how it all happened she could
never quite remember afterward,
Deliberately she had made her way
out to the second life raft, past all
lines, to show him she was not afraid.
She was the best swimmer on the
beach besides himself, and this day
81 1..1I ....rr ft.rw =. ftxa
Celia was clinging to the life rope
chatting with some of the women
from the hotel. George and Dot had
rambled along the beach, squealing
and kicking In the surf with a lot Of
other children, when there came o
high pitched scream, and Georgie's
yellow curls vanished under a big
wave.
All her life Isabelle remembered
Celia's cry that followed, and how
she turned to Ralph Marden as he
came on run down the beach. There
was not sign of the child in the
heavy rolling surf. The undertow had
caught him and swept him under.
The life guard waded in and dived
| less than minute afterward, Some
| of the other men followed him. Lit
| tle Dot stood with the water breaking
over her bare toes, holding out both
arms to the water, and sobbing
/ plteOuSly lOf the DIG DrOllleT poy II
! had taken away from her
And suddenly Isabelle saw some
! thing, Just a swirl of tangled yellow
| hair, and the flash of an upturned
face borne outward by the sea, and
| she slipped from the raft after IT,
Oh, but she was glad she was strongl
She had never feared the water and
now she felt she could battle with 1t,
and make it give her back what she
! loved. 1t was coming toward her,
and she went under to find 1t with
reaching arms.
mot my neck, boy" she gasped, as
| they gained the surface, the fright
ened boy clinging about her desper
ately "I'll hold you all right. Oh,
let 60 Georgiel'
she tried to reach and unclasp his
| grip but he was half unconscious,
| and she felt her strength going from
her as they were swept out past the
| life raft, out into the deeper sea.
seemed to mingle strangely with the
rush of many waters in her ears She
| held the limp little body TO her with
one arm and tried to keep afioat with
the other but it grew harder every
minute, and a great WEAKNESS was
stealing over her, feeling that it was
not worth while to struggle that it
was easier to slip down into the cool
green depths that wanted her.
1t was Marden who reached her
first. Behind him were a few others
of the strongest swimmers, and back
boat, but Marden was the one who
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