Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-08-27
CAST ON THE
WATERS
By MARIAN LEE


"Let it ring. You don't get me out
a night like this"
"But somebody wants to get across
the river"
"Then let them SWIM"
''Shall GOT"
you'll have to If you're 30 anxious
about it."
With the maudlin and ungraciOus
words Martin Dale turned over on the
couch on which he lay and the girl,
Alice. threw a waterproof cape over
her shoulders aud went out into the
darkness and storm.
It was a relief TO get away from the
liquor freighted air of the room where
she had sat porting over book in the
feeble lamp light Reading and roam
ing amid nature comprised the only
grateful breaks for Alice in an exist
ence almost uncomfortable. There was
not a possible girl companion within
miles and the rtcKety. half furnished
old ruin of building where Martin
Dale had drank 2nd dozed half his
life away had not a homelike feature.
LET an orphan and penniless. her fate
would have been the alnshouse had
not Dale, her half-uncle, adopted her.
Alice had become an expert in
handling the ferryboat 1t required
both strength and skill to operate the
great slotted wooden bar which pulled
the boat along the thick rope cable.
but she was able to exert both to
point of careful efficiency She tit and
set the lantern on the boat. 1t was
raining hard and blowing a gale, but
she was used to all kinds OF weather.
toll and discomfort.
Alice drove the scow ashore after
crossing the river TO find a man OF
about thirty pacing restiessly to and
fro aud who the moment the craft
came within reach s-mped aboard. He
carried basket quite roomy aud COW
cred with piece of waterproof close
~ tucked in all about the edges. He
placed this very carefully under the
half boarded space under the seat at
the stern. seemed very SOLICITORS
about it. but did not seat himself.
Hurry" he spoke, nervously strid-
ing over the wet boards, 81 shall pay
you we'll If you do"
Alice bent sturdily to her task. She
wondered who the handsome. we'll
dressed stranger could be, but her
mind was practically absorbed by her
duties, for never ia all her experience
had she faced a more severe task
than the present one. The breeze had
arisen TO hurricane and the current
at times swept the bulky, clumsy craft
to the extreme straining point of part
ing the cable.
"Snapi" Ii came as she had feared
The ancient knotted. mended rope had
been unable to withstand the present
fierce attack upon its rotted strands
With shiver and then a series OF dir
Tying whiris the scow swung out of all
control.
Hold to somethingr" she cried, her
self clinging to an upright at the side
of the craft. The lantern swung loose
and was engulfed, and down stream
the boat swung with those on board
completely at the mercy of wind and
water
Then there was a crack. The craft
had struck a rock, parted, foated on
a shattered wreck and Alice, hurled
into the waters, saw the passenger
struggling In midstream. She grasped
the basket as it fiOated near her and
reached the shore in safety. She set
nn
ing TO discern some further trace Of
the passenger. Then, excited and awed.
she hurried home. reused up Dale, and
he. Selling a lantern. FASTENED away.
his wrecked craft and the imperiled
passenger In his mind.
He never returned and his body was
later recovered at dam down the
river. And meantime Alice had made
startling discovery. In the basket
she found a babe less than year old
and under It a wallet containing a
large amount OF bank notes Con-
corning the child Alice told the entire
true story. The finding of the money
she did not relate, She adopted the
little refugee with new JOY in life,
using none OF the money except for its
needs, and operated new small boot
at the ferry alone.
Somehow TO Alice. Inexperienced as
she was. the faith grew In her mind
that some day developments concern
ing the missing passenger and her lit
tie protege would come to light, and
one day two months after that event
full night she returned from stroll
In the woods, the little one In her
arms, to confront a man seated wait
ing for her outside the ferry house.
He was pale Of face, attenuated Of
form and suggested a person just con.
valescent from a severe spell of i'll
ness. At once Alice recognized him
as the Inflated passenger of the ferry
boat the night Of the storm.
Robert Lisle recitea what Alice had
anticipated--a marvellous rescue from
drowning and weeks of sickness In a