Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-01-29
IN THE UMOERTOW
BY LOUISE MERRIFIELn


He's saved eight lives this summer
It the beach"
A professional life saver could
have done as well. don't like all
these college boys who sweep down
On a place like Tonowa and gobble
up the best positions for the season"
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 sisterIy
admonition regarding her treatment
OF Ralph Marden.
They don't do It 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 q
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 II I
were q real summer girl myself I'd
feel different, but I'm not"
II never saw a 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?"
THE undertow is heavy this morn.
ing. It caught even Tod CLOSING
9 while 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 concern. Mar
den met them stolidly.
NO, hC . ga AtSht. AOh AihC AOuS
don't you?"
Isabelle flushed slightly. 1t wasn't
that she liked Tod at all. He was
simply young teacher Of social sci
ence at a western college, and they
had found a great deal in common to
talk over, but some spirit of con.
trariness led her on.
"He seems to have found his way
in life. like the worker rather than
the dilettante."
1t was a typical feminine bit OF
spite. She knew well that while Tod
had been sitting around the hotel
piazza for a month reading books and
magazines, Marden had been pacing
hot beach day after day doing real
work.
Just how 1t all happened she could
never quite remember afterward. De
liberately she had made her way out
10 the second life raft, past all lines, tC
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 lot of other
children, when there came 3 higt
pitched scream.
Suddenly Isabelle saw something
just a swirl of tangled yellow hair
and the flash of an npturned fact
borne outward by the sea, and she
slipped from the raft after it. Oh, hui
she was glad she was strong! She
had never feared the water, and nov
she felt she could battle with it, ant
make 1t give her back what she loved
It was coming toward her, and sht
went under to find it with reaching
arms.
Not my neck, boy" she gasped
as they gained the surface, the fright
ened boy clinging about her desperate
ly. I'll hold you all right. Oh, LEI
go, Georgie!"
She tried to reach and unclasp nil
grip, but he was half unconscious
and she felt her strength going, Sh,
held the limp little body to her will
one arm and tried to keep afloat witt
the other, but it grew harder ever!
minute, and a great WEAKNESS wal
stealing over her.
1t was Marden who reached he
first. Behind him were a few Others
| of the strongest swimmers, and bacl
on the beach they were launching
a boat, but Marden was the one wht
held her with George fast In he
arms, and turned to beat his way bacl
to shore with his double burden.
That night she sat out on the yer
anda at Celia's cottage. Indoors sht
could hear Celia singing softly eve
her drowsy boy. She had hardly le
| him out Of her arms since MardeI
had given him back to her. isabelle
caught the crush Of gravel on thu
walk as he came through the breal
in. the hedge toward her, and closes
her eyes with q smile OF content.
Il seemed the most natural thin
In the world that he should come {,
her SO, without one word. and reach
ing down, hold her fast in his arm
as he had done when death had near
~ claimed her. She leaned her hea,
back on his shoulder with q sigh o
relief until Dots voice reused hel
Standing in the light from the hall
in her little pink pa1amas, sh
watched them seriously.
Does she belong all TO you now?
she asked softly. cause you tool
her away from the water?"