The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-11-12
MAIDA'S
SEIIPWRECKED
WOOER
Copyright BY W. 9. chapman.)
By H. M. ECBERT

whipped up the shingle in great ridges
all around the lighthouse rock. Then
she saw that it was man.
She held her breath in terror. Pres
emily she ventured to draw nearer.
II was young man, with dark hair
and pale face, the tan of the neck
ending in v where the open shirt
collar disclosed the white Of the skin
beneath.
For moment Mazda did not know
what to do. Then, moved by compass
sion, she knelt beside him and rest
ed his head upon her knees, while she
tried to revive him. chatting his hands
and dashing sea water upon his face.
All the while her heart beat furious
~. She had never seen man before,
except some occasional sea captain,
grizzled and bowed, who rowed out to
the lonely lighthouse, and the man
who brought oil and Aprovisions in his
motor boat.
Maida's mother had kept the light
house ever since Mazda was born. She
had lived there alone, tending the
4 light ceaselessly, worn and shriv-
eled. hard-leatured, taciturn old wom-
an, who seldom spoke.
She had bought books and taught
her daughter to read and write. often
Mazda had spoken of her desire to see
the world outside; but the very sug-
gestion aroused the mothers fury to
such degree that Mazda had come
at last to acquiesce in her lot as in
evitable.
The sea- captains. though they
looked at her pityingly, had been
afraid of the grim old woman, whose
loneliness had turned her brain.
They spoke to Mazda hurriedly. and
always watched to avoid the old light
house keepers anger.
The young man opened a pair OF
dazzlingly blue eyes on Mazda.
"Am dead and are you fairy?"
he asked.
mo" answered Mazda. This Is
inch rock.
He groaned. II remember he NUT
tered. Let me see If can stand.Y
She helped him to his feet and
stood beside him, watching him anx-
iously. No bones were broken. But
he was very weak, and the chopping
sea made any thought of putting out
impossible. 81
eff mother finds you she will kill
me-" said the girl.
'Why?" inquired the young man.
regarding her curiously.
"She hates men. She never means
me to marry or see man. Oh, don't
know what to do. sobbed Mazda.
"Isn't there some place where ! can
hide until an opportunity comes for
going away?" asked the young man.
eyes," answered Mazda. 1.-THE base
Of the tower. You can stay there and
! can bring you food. Mother leaves
me to carry up oil from the store
room. But you will go soon, won't
your"
"As soon as l can" answered the
young man, groaning. Il think" he
added, something Is broken after all
lin my side. 1t feels as II a rib had
gone"
Mazda got him to the base of the
tower and made him comfortable upon
some sacking. The young man
stretched himself out at ease. He
told her how he had been on the bark
that had gone ashore two miles away
the night before. He had been the
only survivor When the lifeboat
swamped. He had chung to it until
the waves washed him ashore Off Inch
rock. Then he had remembered
nothing.
Mazda listened In fascination as he
/, told her his story. He was the only
son Of rich importer, an Englishman
who had settled in the Canaries and
married Spanish lady. He, too. had
been tired OF his island. His father,
reluctant to lose his only child, had
at last granted him permission to sail
on a voyage TO Boston, to which port
he had consigned an importation.
He spoke of his own island home in
terms which aroused every dormant
desire in the girl to travel. His own
father had spent his youth in the Unit
ed States, and, strangely enough, not
far from the lighthouse-at Seabury.
on the Maine coast.
'sMaida! MAZDA! Where are you.
child?"
Mazda started in terror and ran up
the lighthouse stairs as her mother
summoned her.
'Where have you been. Maida?"
"On the shore, mother" faltered the
girl, and she lowered her eyes, unable
to meet her mothers piercing gaze.
aye, dreaming Of sweethearts, I'll
warrant. All my words to you for
nothing. Didn't / refuse a handsome
young fellow, and rich, who loved me
to distraction, because I had learned
all men were villains?"
YES. mother"
you'll stay with your old mother,
Maida?" The voice was pleading now,