The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-07
LOST IN A
FOG
By THOMAS R. DEAN

Ii was summer, and was Oh tue
seashore. DESTROYS of getting away
from every one. ! started out Tor
walk on the beach. had gone sever
al miles perhaps Il could have walked
on the same stretch of sand for half
a dag without meeting an obstacle,
when ! saw q bank of cloud coming I'D
from the ocean. In few minutes !
was enveloped In 1t. The wind thaI
had brought it in died down to deaH
calm, and everything vas still.
thought had my bearings and
turning, started back toward my DO
tel. But ! was Off 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
had been walking into the ocean
turned and started again. as ! suppos-
ed, toward the dunes. but l must have
swerved, for l walked on and on for
some time on sand. Then 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.
It was like neither Of these; it was like
itself only. But ! wondered II being
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 a snowstorm.
Here am"
l was so startled mt 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 a melodious
tone to the voice that harmonized with
O chord in my own being. had plen-
ty Of time within a few seconds to feel
all these things before said:
"And here am l."
Sound does not Of itself give direc
ton, and knew not whence the
words l had heard came. But In an
other moment the fog directly before
me darkened. then resolved itself into
a girls figure. Seeing me. a stranger
to her. she stepped back. then stood
still.
Are you iostT' I asked.
Indeed ! am" was the reply. "A
girl friend and l were caught in the
fog. She stepped out ahead Of me
and we became separated. called
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 lifts"
I'm afraid my friend may have
walked into some quicksand or water
or something She was with me q
few minutes ago and has suddenly
disappeared"
Call her." suggested
"Helen. Helen" called my compan
ion.
She elected no response
I'VE may as well go on" I said;
doubtless we shall come out some
where. Don't worry about your friend
There are no quicksands on this beach"
We moved-in what direction We
knew not-and chatted as we proceed.
ed. There seemed a great change, a
great relief from the preceding isola.
ton to this companionship. certain
ly felt 1t, and the girl kept very close
to me. as II fearing she might lose me
as she had lost her friend.
what is that ?" she asked suddenly
"WhatY"
She pointed. but saw nothing. She
told me that she had seen something
dark moving beside us. but as soon as
she spoke 1t quickly faded
We went on for some time, but ali
was sand. The beach was broad, very
broad, and the ebb tide went out a
great distance. did not wonder that
we reached nothing different Then l
saw a dark spot moving near us. My
companion saw It. too, and. brighten.
ed, chung to me.
am not superstitious and had 1t not
been for my companion would have
sprung toward the spot to discover
whether II was human. But I found
that clinging Of fair girl 90 delight.
full that ! preferred to remain as I
was. l treasured my companion in a
whisper. putting my lips nearer than
necessary to her ear and feeling her
warm breath. kept my eyes on the
spot while she turned her face toward
me that she might not see II. l was
pushed as to what 1t could be. but I
believed II to be some animal. though
could hear no footsteps
1T must be a ghost!" I said In q
husky stage voice. whereupon my com.
panion chung to me the tighter. which
was the effect l intended to produce.
Suddenly the fog began to clear, and
with that rapidity with which foes
sometimes take themselves away, and
revealed the figure Of a girl walking
rapidly away from u.
why. it's Helenr' exclaimed my
companion. 81 believe she has been
near US all the while"
"Helen! she called.
The retreating girl stopped and turn,
ed. l could see that the surprise she
showed was feigned. She Joined us
with an amused smile on her face and
confessed that she had heard the
words Here I am" but, thinking to
bother her friend. had remained silent.
When she was about to reply she heard
my And here am l." She had kept ST.
lent to get bit Of fun out of II and