Judsonia weekly advance., 1921-04-14

of the craft as completely as though
1t did not exist lowered the prov of
big tug boat And on it stood man.
For the fraction of minute these
two, the man and the girl, stood alone
in that rift in the fog before Millicent,
abruptly turning plunged into the wa
ter, just as the bow of the vessel
touched the raft, and made straight
for the shore. Yet they would have
known each other in eternity.
Even as Millicent disappeared the
man called to some one behind him,
There's girl on her" As he spoke
he jumped to the raft. But Millicent
was already well on her way ashore.
The fog lifted as quickly as it had
come and the man saw the slender
figure emerge from the water and
run up the beach. Millicent heard him
call out, "She's all right
AS the girl gained the lighthouses
the clerk called to her: Game near
to taking you along, didn't she? That's
one of the Graham Wreeking com
pany's tugs, come to take the raft
away. Forgot to tell you"
Millicent dressed drove her run
about home, dined and costumed her
self for the last dance of the season
at the clubhouse with a curious sense
Of elation. 1t was as though she saw
everything about her through a mist
and the only thing that stood out
al atrltr H. ~.
the bow of the boat. Every detail Of
his appearance was stamped indelibly
on her mind. He was an outdoor
man-for the sun had tanned his skin
and faded his khaki clothing to the
same tan. It had even bleached his
wavy hair in spots. His eyes We're
deep blue.
Afterward Millicent decided that
she must have spent those hours in
something resembling an hypnotic
state-a walking dream. 1t lasted I'M
til Gilbert Graham led her determined
ly out into the darkness of the club
veranda after the first dance, and de-
manded his answer. Out at sea the
fog was closing in and again the dis
tant siren took up it's mufIled note of
warning. Without realizing that she
had never yet formulated decision,
Millicents lips answered NO" to Gil
bert's plea. The man. she could love
would love the sea; would sense the
romance of work like that of the
wrecking company Gilberts father
owned; would revel in the physical
toll and risk of saving 5hips-human
lives perhaps! !"
81 see interrupted Gilbert. ct,
because | prefer to be treasurer Of
the concern rather than wear dirty
khaki and do rough-neck work with
the deckhands like"
Milicent shivered. Her elation fell
from her. 1t was that man on the
prov of the tugboat-not as he prob
ably was but as she had imagined him
to be-whom she had been describing
as the man she could love. OF course
she would never see him again
Gilbert observed the shiyer and in
terrupted himself to say You're cold
Let us go in"
At the lighted doorway stood man
in white flannels, looking in. He was
Drowned by the sun and his hair was
burned i;ghtieh in spots.
Hello, PAUL. When did you show
up?" Gilbert's tone was one of sur
prise, but it did not express much
pleasure.
Not until MiIlicent, piloted by q
strong brown hand on her arm, was
half way down the walk that led from
clubhouse to pier did she realize what
+ the Introduction had meant. OF
course, this was that brother of Gill
bert's who had charge of their New
England branch. She hadn't dreamed
they didn't look in the least alike
Half brothers, the man uncannily
made answer to her unspoken thought.
"You-you're the girl in the fog
"Yes,' answered Millicent. And
that sense of elation came again, null
tiplied. For some note of finality in
Paul Grahams voice assured her that
they would always be together in
world of their own, as for that long
moment they had been alone in the
rift in the fog