Catoctin clarion., 1916-06-01

back of her waist. Then masks were
donned, and a perfect whirl of pleas
ure followed.

lutTOuuCIlOuS hTo uOt COublueT0U o.
sential at that sort of Catskill hotel.
Freddy spun in tho giddy mazes Of
dance after dance. The struggling.
shrieking throng was having q high
and glorious time when some wag cut
the electric light wire.
Instantly terrific confusion followed.
Girls shouted that they were going to
faint, and tainted in the arms of the
men nearest them. Freddy, embrac.
ing an unknown creature, who lay like
a dead weight upon his shoulder, felt
Q regular devil. He thought of the
Square with . profound sense Of the
irony OF life.
Help! Make way for lady what's
fainted!" shouted the landlords stem.
torian voice through the darkness.
And somebody appeared, dimly
deserted shadow, supporting the figure
of girl, petite and slim. with black
mask covering what might have been
an uncommonly pretty face.
I'm the boy" shouted Freddy-hs
had learned that phrase the day be.
fore-and snatched the lady from her
escort. The escort, not owning her,
turned his attentions to the nearest
girl. And the struggling mass gradu.
ally made toward the doors.
The girl had really tainted Freddy
carried her, but when he reached the
entrance he felt q sudden disgust for
the crowd. He picked her up bodily In
his arms and made toward the lake.
some fifty PAGES distant. The moon
had not risen, 1t was almost pitch
dark, and he could see nothing but the
shadowy trees and in the distance the
level top of what must be the water.
The shouts behind him had died away,
and Freddy for the first time began
to be frightened.
Inconsistencies was profound, and
only the least catch of the breath re-
assured him that she was alive. He
decided that the proper thing to do
would be to dash water into her face.
He set her down at the margin of the
lake and plunged forward to scoop up
some water in one of the tin cans that
lay in numbers among the rushes.
He got his can, and, as he stopped
to fill 1t, the soft. marshy ground gave
under him, and he stumbled forward
into the water, falling fiat on his face.
A minute later a gurgling, pufing
figure, composed, according to appear.
ances, principally Of slime and mud,
arose from the bosom Of the lake, still
clutching the can Of water, and strug.
gled back up the ascent. For several
moments Freddy hunted disgustedly
for the girl, cursing himself for q
fool Why hadn't he been content to
stay quietly in his room?
He loathed himself just then, and,
in the reaction, thought of Cyrilla for
the first time in a week almost.
Then he came upon the girl, and,
forgetting his condition, he kneeled
down beside her and raised her head
on his arm, and dashed the tepid water
into her face.
She sighed, and suddenly opened her
eyes. At least, Freddy imagined SO,
for he could see only the black shadow
of the mask. He removed 1t from her
face.
Where am II" she whispered in ter.
ror.
Its all right, MISS" said Freddy
he had learned that mode Of address
too. Somebody cut the wire and you
tainted. Well have you back to your
place in half ill.,"
The girl was quite silent. Suddenly
the Don Juan mood came over Freddy
again. Deliberately he bent forward
and planted kiss upon the girls un.
resisting lips.
They were as cold as ice. Suddenly,
with dreadful sense Of horror. Fred.
dy leaned forward. In the light Of the
lanterns which had been swung from
the hotel porch, Freddy could see that
1t was Cyrilla!
And she knew him! She got up and
surveyed him. Her face was inscrut.
able.
You're rather muddy, Freddy" she
said quietly.
"Yes, dear. Fancy meeting you here.
knew 1t was you, as soon as"
Don't be untruthful, Freddy. You
kissed girl whom you didn't know
from Adam"
From Eve, you mean," said Freddy.
"Well, and will you tell me what
brought you here, Cyrilla? How do
l know what you've been doing?"
II wanted some fun" Cyrilla said
defiantly.
"Well, SO did l." said Freddy.
She took step forward. you
wanted fun. Freddy? Why. you're
the last person in the world who ever
looked like fun to me. II you knew
how wanted to break out"
my Lord" cried Freddy "Cyrilla,
you mean? never thought. But
who's kissed you, anyway"
Nobody but you," she answered.
They've tried to, all of them, but l
wouldn't let them. O, Freddy, you are
human, after all, then?"
He clasped her fiercely in his arms.
"You bet I ami" he shouted. why,
Cyrilla, this is the happiest day Of my
life, to find you out. And we'll make
our marriage dream Of happiness"
"And you-you won't kiss any other
strange girls, them" asked Cyrilla
How many, Freddy?"
Freddy held up one finger. "Only
you, DEAR" he answered. my, what q
peach you looked, too! Say. what do
you think of getting married here to-
morrow"
"And-and starting now?"
Right away. But not at this hotel.
A little place know where there