New Britain herald., 1916-08-31
What Happened When Harry Under wood Tried to Carry Out His Threat

wood Tried to Carry Out His Threat.
 As Dicky splashed away, laughing at Harry Underwood's concern over Jim's slowness in preparing the dinner I felt an unreasoning terror at being left alone with Mr. Underwood.
 The malicious flash that had come into his brilliant black eyes when I splashed the water in his face, and then his threat to "kiss me under water before the day was over" were 1lvidly fresh.
 I looked around frantically to see if any one was near. I would have welcomed the companionship of pr Petit Grace Draper, even of Katie or Jim, but there was no one near. Grace Draper, Dr. Petit and Alfred Durkee were swimming together. l could hear the men applaud1ng the girl as she swam under water or on the surface with equal ease.
 For Grace Draper was a remark ably skilful swimmer. Born and raised in the coast town of Marvin. she had fairly lived in the water every summer of her childhood. She was as much at home upon it or under it as an ordinary person would be dry land.
 looked toward the shore. Dicky was rapidly making his way to the sand piles, where the recreant Jim was listening open-mouthed to Eatie's chatter. For a moment l had a rash notion of calling out to Dicky, begging him to come back to take me away from this man at my side.
 Then I dismissed the idea as child ish. I was not prepared to tell Dlcky that I was afraid of his best friend. Surely I ought to be able to manage the situation by myself.
 NO help anywhere, Is there?" said MT. Underwood, laughing boisterously.
 I knew that he had read alright my frantic search of the horizon and flushed painfully at the knowledge.
 Come on,' he adjured, Tets have another swim? I'll show you a new stunt, one where you won't have to to any work at all. Come on." He grasped me by the hand and walked swiftly with me toward the ! deeper water. When we were breast ! high in the water he said quickly : roughly:
 i Now keep quiet, don't struggle
 and I'll give you a rush through the i water worth having"
 Tn an instant his left arm had en-
 circled my body like a powerful rine
 Of steel, and he had thrown himself forward into the water, carrying me with him as if I had been a child. What Harry Did. =@.- I was enough of a swimmer myself s:s Harry Underwood well knew, to i know the danger of struggling against him while in the water, so I kept per i fectly quiet. If had not disliked the
 man so intensely, and felt such a l vague terror of him, I would really ! have enjoyed the swift rush through l the water, but ever before me was the l threat he had made to kiss me under water'
 1 Once when Dicky and I were at one 1 of the bathing resorts we had found 1 ourselves practically the only ones on l the beach. We had gone out as far as the ropes extended, and as two , foolish children might do, we had 1 held on to the ropes, dueked our heads under the surf and solemnly l kissed each other. It was an experi- ence I had never forgotten. To re- l peat it with any other man, especially Harry Underwood, would seem like i sacrilege.
 After while my companion swan with me into shallower water, and setting me on my feet at a spot where the waves came almost to my chin, but only to his chest, said, mockingly: Now prepare, my lady, for that kiss I promised you"
 l felt myself growing actually weak with terror. I do not know what the man saw in my face, but something must have shocked him, for his own face lost its mocking expression and took on one far different.
 He grabbed me by the arm and hurried me toward the sha1lower water, saying roughly: You little idiot, don't faint away on my hands. Who'd ever have thought you would take it this way? Don't worry; that startled fawn expression in your eyes has done the trick. You won't be kissed today, at least by yours truly''
 Thank you," I said faintly. Please don't be angry, but mayn't we go ashore?"
 "Certainly,' he assented, with a touch of formality, and we hurried up to the sand.
 "Cold Madge?" asked Lillian as we came up to where she was sitting with Mrs. Durkee.
 "A little," I returned, shivering slightly.
 Let's pack ourselves over with the warm sand" suggested Miss Draper, - -r...-...@E....-,---