The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-12
BY ALAN HINSDALE

see NE as WIS " SEE ueI iei ia1e
was that of a saint-fair complexion.
hair and eyes. There was but one
blemish-a small red birthmark, shap.
ed like a rose leaf, on her neck. 1t
was rather an mperfection than a
blemish.
where are we?" | asked.
II don't know" she replied.
II hear the sound of waves"
'"Then we must be on the seashOre."
"And birds singing"
'.rhat would indicate that the beach
is lined by woods"
wherever we are, we were evident
ly sent for each other"
1T would seem So" She lowered
her eyes.
"You were certainly sent to be with
me. What would become of me alone
in this dense mist without the power
to find my way out Of 1t? With you
I shall be happy even here. You are
very lovely"
You do not say beautiful"
But you are beautiful"
mo; can't be that"
"Why?"
Because of this" She put finger
on the birthmark.
DO you know" l said after brief
pause, that l like you so well as you
are that l would not have even that
changed?'
Suddenly the mist was gone. 1t did
not melt away; it vanished. We were
standing upon beautiful bay. For
miles on either hand the beach curved
in a semicircle. Back of us the shore
rose till it mingled with mountains.
The waters Of the bay were Of different
colors. Near us, where 1t was shallow,
it was pale green, beyond a deep
blue and beyond that silver. On this
silver an island rested. rising from its
base to a height ON which the sun
shone golden. We stood looking out at
the view. was entranced, and, turn
ing my eyes upon my companion. l saw
that she was equally wrapt.
II feel" l said, that l must go out
on the bosom Of that sea-"
There is boat" she replied, "chain-
ed to stake"
Lowering my eyes to the verge, I
saw. a skin rising and falling with the
'languid swells.
The next scene Of which / was cog
nizant or at least remember now was
pulling along under great cliffs that
formed the island.
There is cave" said my companion.
with waterway for an entrance"
Turning the boat. pulled for the
cave. The rocky roof over the water
way just grazed our heads as we made
the entrance. Inside we found our
selves within a cavern, its roof hung
with stalactites. The light coming
from the entrance tinged the vaulted
roof with ever changing colors. Now
1t was a blood red, now a pale blue,
now sea green, now white
1T Is from the changing Of the wa
ters outside" said. "A changing sky
changes the bay. and the changing bay
changes the hues in here
ut is all change" she said sadly.
II wish something in the world were
fixed"
l dropped my oars and, seating my.
self beside her, took her in my arms.
II wish this would never change" ]
said. "for l have found my love" ]
kissed her. She put her arms about
me. and 1t seemed to me that / had
thrown of something that had trou
bled me, some great evil that had over
hung me, and / had passed to con.
valescence of perfect happiness.
Alas, while supremely happy in this
companionship, felt my love slipping
through my arms and saw her float
ing over the surface of the water
toward the mouth of the cavern. Al
that moment both the water and its
rocky dome were a pale blue. They
tinged her garments with the same
hue. She looked back at me with ar
expression of indescribable melancholy
! called to her not to leave me. but
she fioated on, passed out through the
mouth of the cavern and was gone
i seized the oars to follow and, dash
ing under the low arch that separated
me from the outside, in another mo
ment was under the greater vault Of
the heavens.
All was serene as when we entered
the cavern. but my love had vanished.
Then came a sensation Of being toss
ed to and fro. up and down, as though
were on a stormy sea. 1t was mere
ly consciousness Of feeling. Thers
was no communication with the out
side world. There were voices In the
air. What they said did not know
There were also sounds Of invisible
people passing and the occasional open.
ing and closing of a door,