Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-05-26
CHAPTER Iv.-continued.


-
~ don't see it." he murmured husk-
gy afraid that she might remove her
hand. II can't see any fish, Milla."
She leaned farther out over the
bank. "Why, there, goosiel I" she wills
Dered. Fright there"
~ can't see It,"
She leaned still further, bending
down TO point. "Why, right tn"
At this moment she removed her
hand from his shoulder, though unwill-
ingly. She elutched at him, in fact,
but without avail. She bad been too
amlable.
A loud shrek was uttered by Threats
ADLER to vocalize, Just then, than Milla's,
for In her great surprise she said moth
ing whatever-the shrek came from
the other girls as Milla left the crest of
N the oyertanging bank and almost hor-
!zontally disappeared into the brown
water. There was a tumultuous splash,
and then of NIilla Rust and her we'll
known beautifulness there was moth
ing visible in the superficial world, nor
vanishment was total.
"SaYe her!"
Several girls afterward admitted
having used this expression, and little
Miss Fioy Williams, the youngest and
smallest member of the class, was
unable to deny that she had said, "Oh,
God!" Nothing could have been more
natural onJ tho v,,o+tar raad v,o+ have
been brought before her with such in
@istence and frequency, during the two
remaining years of her undergraduate
career.
Ramsey was one Of those who heard
this exclamation, later so famous. and
perhaps 1t was what reused him to
heroism. He dived from the bank,
headlong, and the strange thought in
his mind was Il guess this1l show
Dora Yocuml" He should have been
thinking Of Milla, of course, at such
q time, particularly after the little
enchantment just laid upon him by
Alla's touch and Millas curIs; and
ne knew well enough that Miss Yocum
was not among the spectators. She
was half mile away. as 1t happened.
gathering botanical specimens" with
one OF the teachers-which was her
idea of what to do at a picnicl
Ramsey struck the water hard, and
IN the same instant struck something
else harder. Wesley Benders bundle
OF books had given him no such shock
as he received now, and IL the creek
bottom had not been of mud, Just
there, the top of his young head might
nave declined the strain. Half stunned,
choking, spluttering he somehow floun-
oered to his feet; and when he could
get his eyes little cleared of water
ne found himself wavering face to face
with a blurred vision of Milla Rust.
she had risen up out Of the pool and
stood knee deep, like lovely drenched
agure In a fountain.
upon the bank above them, Willis
Farker was jumping up and down,
Sesdculating and shouting fiercely.
Now / guess you're satisfied our
Ashin' Is spoiltl Why'n't you listen
meT told you 1t wasn't more'n three
Foot deepl l and Heinie waded all
over this creek gettin' our bait. You're
pretty sighti"
VI Milla he spoke unwittingly the
literal truth. Even with her hair thus
Wild and sodden, Milla rose from i'm
mersion blushing and prettier than
ever; and she was prettiest Of all
when she stretched out her hand help
iessly to Ramsey and he led her up
out OF the waters. They had plenty of
assistance to scramble to the top of
he bank, and there Milla was sur
rounded and borne away with a great
NIacketing and tumult. Ramsey sat
upon the grass in the sun, rubbed HIS
mead. and experimental with his necl
10 see If 1t would "work." The sun
sumo was strong and hot; In half an
Hour ne and his clothes were dry-or
q least dry enough" as he said, and
except for some soreness of head and
IecA' aud the general crumpledness Of
ms apparel, he seemed to be In all
avs much as usual, when shouts and
hlsuings summoned all the party to
luncheon at the rendezvous. The
snange that made him different was
Invisible.
4etNsomething must have been seen.
everyone appeared to take 1t for