The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-07


Of the offers of marriage that followed
one another in rapid succession.
When these offers of marriage were
showered upon Evalina she declined
them without giving as a reason a pre-
vious attachment. Later, possibly as
one might hide behind gauze, she fire.
Quently wore as a decoration the sea
weed that her American lover had Civ
en- her. Sometimes 1t was tackled to
her skirt, sometimes she wore it in her
corsage, and again it would be inter
twined with her hair. In time she
came to be called the Seaweed Lady
Meanwhile Roscoe was studying as
a collegian, though his mind was with
his heart. and that was across the
ocean. He read with avidity Evalina's
letters and shuddered as he thought of
the differences between himself, an
undergraduate of college but few
years old, without fortune, compared
with some coroneted man with vast
estates. Evalna's letters were reas
surfing, but she was growing from
maidenhood to womanhood. and would
she not give way at last?
However. the period allotted for her
sojourn abroad was drawing to a close
She did not write her lover that she
was coming home for the reason that
she did not know If she would be per
mitted to return. Her parents We're
much chagrined at hearing that she
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son of duke and were debating
whether to send the funds for her pas
sage back to America or insist that she
remain longer.
1t was two years from the time of
Evalina's departure that storm such
as Newport had not experienced in
many years broke upon the coast. For
three days the giant waves struck
wildly upon the cliffs and rolled far
up into Narragansett bay. Then, on
the evening of the third day, the clouds
broke away in the west, and the sun
! set in golden splendor.
That night the moon was at the full.
AS the sun went down the queen OF
night rose. Edmond, desiring to view
the effect of the storm on the waves,
when night had fallen and the moon
was lighting the land and the water,
started for the beach. The path was
lonely, and there was terror In the
tumbling of the great waves on the
sands. The only likeness to the night
Of Edmond and Evalina's betrothal
was the full moon.
He had passed midway from the
town to the water when he saw before
him a figure that he knew to be a
woman by her garments fluttering in
the wind, which was still strong. She
seemed to be coming toward him, but
as he advanced drew no nearer to
him. He went on until he came to the
edge Of the beach and saw her still
distant from him, sometimes fitting
nearer, sometimes farther, and always
seeming to rock like bird resting on
the crest of q wave.
Whether It was the night, still dis.
turbed by the storm that had passed,
or something bewildering in this I'M
steady figure, Roscoe could never tell,
but an appalling premOnition stretch
ed a pail over him like the wings Of
some huge black bird. Something
within him seemed to say: "A great
misfortune has fallen upon you. The
wind and the waves are dirge. Be
strong or you will be crushed"
And now, having reached point
overlooking the water, the sands being
soaked, progress was slower. Scat
tered ragged clouds were flying above,
now and again dashing across the face
Of the moon and shutting off its light.
At these dark periods the fitting figure
was lost, but reappeared when the
cloud had passed and the full light Of
the moon was released.
Edmond had spent many an hour
when home from college on the spot
where he and Evalina had spoken
their betrothal, and he saw that the
figure was slowly moving toward 1t.
Yet It was the movement Of floating
object, driven by alternate advancing
and receding waters, yet borne by an
invisible tide toward given point.
But Notwithstanding this apparently
slow movement he gained but little on
the figure. At last it reached the very
spot where he and Evalina had plight
ed their troth. There 1t paused.
Fastening his steps so far as he could
the moon at the moment was over
cast-he advanced to join the figure.
When he was a few yards from it a
bright light burst from the moon and
revealed-Evallna, looking at him with
pale and melancholy visage.
He sprang toward her with out,
stretched arms, but at the moment an
other black cloud swept across the face
of the only available light and hid his
from her. When it had passed she had
vanished.
At his feet was strip of seaweed.
When morning came bOatman stalk
ing along over the soft sands saw a
man lying so still that he thought it
might be one cast in from wreck by
the storm. He found Edmond Roscoe.
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