Middletown transcript., 1921-02-19
The Lookout
. Bv JESSIE ETHEL SIIERWIN
20. 1920, western Newspaper Union.)

rare, dear, good fortune Of it ALL"
Alice Weston burst IN upon her IA
ther aflame with excitement and de-
light. She had hurried all the way
from the life saving station down at
Cape Gray, two miles distant, and had
run from the old lighthouse clear to
the little cottage where John Weston
sat reading book.
"Good for you, Bright Eyes," he en-
Unused, bestowing a glad glance upon
her. LET us hear all about it." {.
"You know, we heard how, during
the summer season, the cape life-sav-
ing crew have planned to put look
out signal station at the old light
house, so as to cover pleasure boats
and bathers In this direction. The
chief of the crew was awfully good
to me. He inquired all about both
Of u.s. told me what I would have to
do and by Monday the telephone and
the signals will be here for us, and
I am to begin my duties. Oh, papa
think of it, Sixty dollars month"
Alice's eyes sparkled and those of
her father filled with grateful tears.
For over five years life had gone hard
with those worthy and deserving
souls, for Mr.. Weston was too old to
, take parties out in his boat.
1--WE are to keep your boat ready
for use," Alice went on, "and they
will pay you ten dollars month for
what use it may have. They expect
us to find some one to be within call
of our station, ready to start out II
any accident occurs on this side Of the
cape. You see, in most cases what
comes under my notice phone to the
cape. but if there is a capsized boat
or an accident to a swimmer near us,
some one must be ready to start right
out to the rescue"
The next morning a bronzed, hardy
looking young man appeared at the
cottage. He had heard of the position
and had been directed to Mr.. Weston
by neighbor. At glance Alice dis
cerned that the applicant was no or
binary workman. He simply stated
that he had met with serious reverse
of fortune, had owned yacht opce,
knew all about water craft and would
be glad to secure the position offered.
The life saving service chief appeared
on the scene little latef, to look af-
ter some repairs in the tower that
was to be the daily home Of Alice,
and she introduced North, whose
services were at once arranged for.
Monday morning Alice reached the
tower to find its top circular. room
newly whitewashed, the phone in and
the place swept out and busted. A
pretty bouquet of wild flowers showed
in a tin cup. North had artived In
advance Of her.
"You worked all this magic" said
Alice, with grateful eyes.
"That ought to be part of my duty
every morning" declared North.
"See," and he pointed through the door
of an alcove. 1--WE arranged for
board. AS to the lodging, could any
thing be betterY and he Indicated
hammock swing across window open
ings where the sea breeze came in
fresh and bracing.
Incidentally Alice learned that
North had been left quite a fortune,
but had been defrauded out Of it by
schemers. He had come down to tha
cape to sail yacht for very wealthy
gentleman, but the latter had been
taken i'll.
"It left me stranded" he explained,
"but I'll be able to get along here on
what the position pays me for the
rest of the season."
He was courteous, well read, re-
fined in manner. During the first
month of service he had saved strug-
Cling and exhausted bather who had
ventured too far out in the surf, and
one stormy afternoon both he and
Alice took the oars and reached a cap
sized boat just in time to rescue two
young girls clinging to it. He had
gone to take report to headquarters
one day when storm signals were up,
and. returning, instead Of coming up
to the lookout, he hurried to the boat.
Bending the oars vigorously, North
drove forward diagonally in the direc-
tion Of the cape. Soon, Alice, her
eyes to the telescope, OWNED his pur-
pose. He was cutting across the track
of light craft holding one man. As
he reached It Alice uttered a sharp
scream. A puff of smoke and then
the faint echo of a pistol report told
her Of desperate encounter. The
boats were side by side. She saw
North, who had fallen, arise, shift his
oar, strike at the man who had fired
at him and spring beside him. The
shore boat floated away. The smaller
one, both men apparently helpless,
drifted unguided.
Alice sensed a tragedy. She acted
like the true daughter of the sea that
she was. In a few moments she was
garbed in a light bathing suit. She
was a superb swimmer, but fairly ex-
hausted as she clambered into the
drifting boat. Both Of it's occupants
lay senseless. She got them ashore,
called her father and within an hour
North was able to tell his story.
" heard in the town Of 4 great
jewel robbery at the hotel" he ex-
planned, "and noticed that suspicious
boat. 1t contained the stolen plunder."
The thief was taken in charge by
officers sent for. There came back q
phone message. "There is one thou
sand dollars reward waiting here for
somebody"
OF course the somebody" was Ger.
ard North on6 h}o first Investment