The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-12
LOST IN A
FOG
By THOMAS r. DEAN

1t was summer. and was on the
seashore. DESTROYS of getting away
from every Que. started out for q
walk on the beach. had gone sever
al miles perhaps Il could have walked
on the same stretch Of sand for half
a day without meeting an 0bstacle)
when I saw bank Of cloud coming In
from the ocean. In few minutes ]
was enveloped in 1t. The wind that
had brought It In died down to q dead
calm. and everything was still.
thought l had my bearings and
turning. started back toward my ho-
tel. But was Oh my course. for
had not gone far before stepped on
the verge Of a shallow indentation in
the sand filed with water left by the
outgoing tide. 1t was evident that l
had been walking into the ocean.
turned and started again, as | suppos-
ed, toward the dunes. but must have
swerved. for ! walked on and on for
some time on sand. Then l stood STILL
It was a singular sensation. standing
there, all direction obliterated-some.
! thing like being in perfect darkness or
on the ocean out Of sight Of land. No.
1t was like neither of these; It was like
itself only. But l wondered II being
I suspended in space would resemble
the sensation experienced. Then sud
denly q voice came out Of the sur.
rounding vapor. 1t was a girls voice.
sounding as clear and distinct as II
| spoken in the stagnant atmosphere fol-
lowing q snOwstorm.
Here l am"
was so startled at the sudden break
Of the surrounding oblivion that 1t did
not occur to me to make a sound my
self. There was something In the
change from isolation to contiguity
that seemed like passing from nothing.
ness to life. Then, too, the density OF
the atmosphere impaired melodious
tone to the voice that harmonized with
q chord In my own being. ! had plen
ty of time within few seconds to fee
all these things before said:
"And here am l."
Sound does not Of itself give direc
ton, and l knew not whence the
words l had heard came. But In an
other moment the fog directly before
me darkened. then resolved itself into
girls figure. Seeing me. a stranger
to her, she stepped back, then stood
; still.
Are you lostT' asked.
Indeed ! am" was the reply. "A
: girl friend and I we're caught In thu
fog. She stepped out ahead Of mi
and we became separated. I callet
her."
II would be happy to guide you"
said, "but ! am unable to guide my
self. However. you had better permit
me to stand by you till the fog lift"
"I'm afraid my friend may hsv'
walked into some quicksand or waite
or something. She was with me
few minutes ago and has suddenl!
disappeared"
: "Call her." l suggested
Helen. Helen!' called my compan
ion.
She elected no response
I'VE may as well 60 on" said
doubtless we shall come out some
Q where. Don't worry about your friend
There are no quicksands on this beach.
We moved-in what direction "
knew not-and chatted as We proceed
y ed. There seemed great change,
y great relief from the preceding isola
g ton to this companionship. certain
. ly felt it. and the girl kept very clos
to me, as II fearing she might lose m
J. as she had lost her friend
. what is that?" she asked suddenly
"What?"
She pointed. but i saw nothing. Sh
told me that she had seen somethin
!. dark moving beside us. but as soon q
y y she spoke 1t quickly faded.
:. We went on for some time, but a
= was sand. The beach was broad. yer
broad, and the ebb tide went out
: great distance. l did not wonder ths
:. we reached nothing different Then
>. saw a dark spot moving near US. n
:. companion saw It. too, and. frighteI
ed. chung to me.
l am not superstitious and had 1t M
- been for my companion would hav
n sprung toward the spot to discov'
a whether It was human. But foun
Il that clinging Of fair girl 20 deligh
I. full that l preferred to remain a.
I. was. I treasured my companion In
4. whisper. putting my lips nearer tbs
=. necessary to her ear and feeling b
warm breath. kept my eyes on Il
. spot while she turned her face towal
n. me that she might not see It. vi
m pushed as to what It could be, but
" believed 1t to be some animal. thoul
to could hear no footsteps.
n ut must be ghostw I said In
m husky stage voice. whereupon my COZ
4, panion chung to me the tighter, Will
at was the effect l intended to produce.
III Suddenly the fog began to clear. al
70 with that rapidity with which TO
n. sometimes take themselves away, al
revealed the figure Of girl waikiki
rapidly away from US.
"Why. it's Helenr' exclaimed q
=, companion. II believe she has be-
near US all the while"
"Helen!" she called.
:. The retreating girl stopped and TUT
ed. l could see that the surprise q
=, showed was feigned. She Joined
with an amused smile on her face a
=. confessed that she had heard I
.. words Here l am" but, thinking
=. bother her friend. had remained silel
-. When she was about to reply she hea
my "And here am l." She had kept
lent to get a bit of fun out Of 1t a