The state herald., 1915-01-29

| ahotueT COOl SplabN.
The Watermelon decided from habit
to get better view of the lonely
swimmer before he let his own pres
ence become known. He slipped into
the bushes and slowly wriggled his
way to the little glade. The lake was
bigger than at first appeared. 1t
turned and twisted through the woods
and was finally lost from view around
small promontory The trees grew
nearly to the waters edge, a dense
protecting wall to one who wished
to sport In natures solitude. garbed
in natures simple clothing. The lake
was too far from the hotel to have
been annexed as one of the attrac-
tons of that hostelry. All this the
Watermelon noticed at n glance. He
also noticed that the man swimming
In the cool. brown depths, with long.
easy strokes, was alone and strang-
er. The Watermelon looked for the
clothes and found them on log, Prac-
tically at his feet
In everything but color they full
filled his dream of what raiment should
be like. Instead of the pale gray he
rather favored, the suit was brown,
a light brown, with tiny green stripe,
barely visible. intertwined with a
faint suggestion of red. forming har-
monious whole that was vastly pleas
ing to the Watermelon's esthetic
sense. In the matter OF socks, he
realized that the stranger had not
taken the best advantage OF his oppor-
tunity. Instead of being red or green
to lend character to the delicate sug-
gestlon of those colors found in the
suit. they were soft dun brown
There was tie OF the same shade
and silk negligee shirt OF white with
pale green stripes. The owner was
clearly a young man of rare taste.
unhampered by vexatious limitation
of his pocketbook.
He could be seen swimming slowly
and luxuriously In the little lake. per-
fecuy contented. unconscious that
some one besides the woodpeckers and
the squirrels were watching him.
When he disappeared. the Watermelon
quickly. carefully gathered up the
clothes and likewise disappeared.
The swimmer was big man and
the clothes as good fit as one could
look for under the circumstances.
They set of the Watermelon's long.
lean figure 10 perfection. and the hat.
a soft and expensive panama, lent
added distinction. The Watermelon
removed the three dollars and ten
cents and the keys from his own
pockets. and making bundle OF his
cast-of clothes. stuffed them out OF
sight in n hollow log. where later he
could return and find them. 1t was
Just as well TO leave the stranger a
practical captive In natures depths
until the beauty show was pulled on.
After that event, he would return,
and II the stranger was amenable to
reason. he could have his good clothes
back, but II he acted put out at all
for punishment he would have to nc.
cept the watermelon's glorious attire
Clean.shaven. well-clothed, there was
no longer any need for him TO go to
the hotel. unless he wished to dine
there. II the devotee OF nature, back
In the swimming pool. was stranger
In these parts and not guest at tho
hotel. the Watermelon felt that h,
could do this with pleasure and safety
II was after twelve. and his eyer.pres
ent desire to eat was becoming toe
pronounced to be comfortable. II
, would be hitting climax to highly
delightful morning to have dinner
surrounded by gentle folk again. fol
the Watermelon came OF n gen,l,
family. He had no fear. for som,
time nj least OF the owner OF tn,
, borrowed clothes making himself nn
necessarily conspicuous. But. on IN,
/ other hand, II he were guest at tn,
! hotel the clothes would probably b,
, recognized and murder be the sim
, plest solution Of their change OF own
. err. Still. reasoned the Watermelon
: with shrewd guess Mt the truth. 1
[ he were n guest. II was hardly iikel,
Z that he would be swimming alone II
. the Isolated pond. In the bathing sui
!. designed by nature.
The wood ended abruptly at n Eton,
a wall. Their. was road beyond m,
q wall. and beyond III. road. anothc
!. stone wall and more woods II wa
|. n narrow woodland road. n short Gu
|. TO the hotel It wound It's way out o
/, sight. up u hill. through the pines. I
. was srass-srown and shady and tn
|, trees me, overhead. swectbricr an,
J Wild roses grew along the stona wall,
o while gay It'll. flowers and delieat
ferns v.n,ured out into the road itsri,
) and with every passing broer. nodde,
, merrily from the ruts OF last winter
|, wood hauling. By tho side Of tn
|. road. like u slarins anachronlsm,
a variety thcater In Paradise. n vacuum
A cleaner among the ferns and daisirs
) stood huge red touring car wi,l
4 shining brass work and raised top N,
: one was anywhere In sight and tn
1 Watermelon climbed into the tonnos,
d and leaned comfortably back In tn