Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-23

to Somerton as he had tramped the last
weary mile. He thrust the letters and
shabby case into his pocket and turned
on to the main road.
Somehow, in my heart feel sure II
will be all right" The words echoed
through his mind rather piteously.
Well, whoever Anne" was. the
dreaded meeting with John Smith
would never take place now, for John
Smith lay dead in the silent wood, with
the tall bracken bending above him.
Odd how deserted the road was. II
stretched before the Fortune Hunter
dusty and empty as he qulckcncd his
tired steps. anxious now to be rid of
the responsibility of his discovery. But
in half mile he had failed to meet one
pedestrian, though the road had curled
about until It had brought him parallel
with the river flowing silently by,
batbed in the late evening light.
Some distance ahead the figure Of
girl in punt was clearly silhouettcd
against the sky, and the Fortune
Hunter gave little growl Of 50 tisfac-
ton as he realized that he could not
now be far from Il village.
He watched the girl with q curious
sense of satisfaction; she and the quiet
river scene were so typically English,
ana he felt all at once how good 1t was
TO DC home again--if one could cali
country home wherein a man had
helther friends nor money.
Inc girl wore white frock with
snort sleeves. ami the rays of the sink
ing sun glittered on her hair, turning It
10 gold, AS her slim body moved with
SLOW grace, propelling the little punt
upstream.
Ihere was some one with hcr--a man
or a boy. The Fortune Hunter could
rot DC sure which, for the figure was
stooplng over the side of the punt,
watching something in the water; and
across the silently flowing river the
man on the roadway could hear their
Voices distinctly through the still eve
hing.
II you only sit still, Tommy. You
cah reaoh them-do, please And
tnch came shrill scream and stifled
cry, as the punt seemed to lurch
Violently,
Ihe girl swaycd dangerously, only re-
covering herself with a tremendous
snor, but the, other figure tumbled
heauiong lhto the water, without ap-
Parentiy making the least attempt to
save ltselt' w
>, Serve him right thought the
Fortune Hunter grimly, and stood still
But the seconds passed, and beyond
sort or swirl where the boy had dis
appeared there was no sign.
Inc girl was on her knees in the
punt now; screaming help.essly, and al!
at once the Fortune Hunter seemed to
reaiize tnat the matter was serious and
that the boy was In danger of drowning.
lie ran along the road till he was
almost ABREAST OF the drifting punt,
then ne kicked OF bis shoes, flung his
jacket aside ana plunged into the river.
The girl saw him and stretched ago
nlzed hands to him. 'Oh. save. him
sn;n,,,o save MN! lie can't swm-he's
'':PBt'. fRs Fortune Hunter was a powerful
swimmer and the distance was nothing
to MIN, but when he reached the boy
ina OF about seventeenth was not
such an easy matter to bring him to
shore. |
But nc managed 1t at last. and
clampered out with the weed in his hair
The girl had regained her self control
ana brought the punt to the bank, bu:
'he was very pale and her voice shook
~ she knelt down beside the exhausted
poy. , ~,
oh, Tommy! Oh, are you all right:
oh. Tommy was so terrified ~
She tried TO put her arms round the
her almost roughly.
smut up: he choked. Leave me |
alone; 1t was your fault you ought TO
nave balanced the beasstly boat better
lie looked miserable enough object
as ne sat there In the long grass, shiv-
eering and shaking, and the Fortune !
funter relt wave OF contempt as he
picked up the coat he had flung aside
and calmly proceeded to put 1t on over
MS wet shirt. w
Inc girl gave a little cry OF horror.
-, 1oure not gong! You can 90
IKE that! You II take your death OF
cold. Oh. please! We live quite close
You , must come IN and get dry
Inc fortune Hunter laughed. .. :,
doht take cold easily MS
concerned face, ana, realizing It's at
trnctioh, nc added more graciously:
lou re very klnd-at any rate.
wiz heap you holhe "ith your
orother!
les; nm sure we can never thank
you. You saved ms IRE. Oh, Tommy
Vhat should we nave done II nobody
lad come along!
Inc poy iaushed narshly. ,,,,
should have drowned. that's all;
he ofgan 10 MOIST nlmseit up from the
;rass with dihculty. and the Fortune
iunter put strong arm around him,
and lifted MIN to ms rect. , ~
Lean on me, he said, II can
AIRY you II you IKE. but
Ihank you' / can walk, was the
lngracious response. But he was glad
IT a helping hand before they had gone
,cry far, and presently, without q word.