Show the clutch of circumstances BY E WALTZ copyright 1901 by dally story pub co whan the wind swept the boat across the waters tossing it to and ro in a mocking and mad glee carter starr had only the one thought to pave his companion and himself the was a mad escapade on the part of both a daring defiance of the old quarrel between her uncle and adopted father belden storms and his awn family but when the fates threw them together tor a fortnight a sojourn at the hotel the two saw a humor in the situation that drove them nto tollies and pranks undreamed of before he knew that she was pretty and an heiress he knew that his own fortunes depended upon the caprice of his grandfather she admired him with a woman s admiration because he was forbidden to her by every tra dialon of the storms family introduced by accident and among strangers the two laughed into each other s eyes and defied fortune and tradition they met afterwards by those strange accidents that seem ar ranged for such cases in the early morning dip in the sea in the nooks ot the long porticos at night during the pauses of the dance and on an island party over the bay in the dance itself because it was sate enough bu this afternoon had been utterly with out precedent he bad strolled away tn his flannels tor a smoke and to read while the hotel people napped after luncheon and in the shade of a great rock he had chanced upon eloise storms awake alert saucy and mag betic an hour later they went out tor a sail over to idle rock that was the story only they had not counted on what might happen what did happen made them help less their boat disabled in a few mo ments at the mercy of a wild sea then was the dreadful darkness of the tossing waters and a blinding rain eloise s red parasol went to and fro toward the shore like a gay buoy at the first gust and after it went her pique cap and his own soft felt mere links in a chain of evidence in after hours it was hard to say which wai the paler face in the first realizations of the moment but eloise recovered herself with the courage of her race we shall be carried out to sea he looked at her with trembling lips I 1 should have known better than to have brought you she smiled bitterly and I 1 should not lave come we are even can we get through the storm he looked out to the infinite om ni potent sea his reckless moods tell from him the wind blew the girls brown hair about her shoulders he could not see her face he tried to keep a control of the rudder tor a long time but gave it up as useless out out into the darkness and tossing wa they went with the receding tide finally he crept along close to her and took her hands you have been very brave I 1 think we shall be carried to sea I 1 will tell aa that the boat may break up later it is an old one and leak ing here is a rope I 1 will tie it about you and myself as well as I 1 can and to the mast and deck piece believe me I 1 will do all I 1 can to save you she put her hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes forgive me for bouy fouy I 1 knew better than to dare fate so so did I 1 you must forgive me A man should be wise and a woman discreet dia creet what would my uncle and aunt say nowa he as knotting the rope about her we may never know now we cannot be separated it one drowns the other will it is just la it nota and it makes chances I 1 would not have it any other way who wants to go into the unknown alonea he rose up suddenly eloese the worst Is coming give me your hand no hold to me see she looked seaward and saw that which made her shriek and cling to him two hours later they lay somewhere on the sand still in a terrible darkness they were both stern and choleric and the storm raging about them that they were alive seemed a miracle when consciousness returned to him the sea was washing their bodies he had dragged her higher onto the sand and discovered that she was not dead now her head was pillowed on his shoulder and her face hidden on his breast where are wea I 1 do not know we must wait for light it may be an island it may be the shore she laughed bitterly it does not make much difference I 1 shall never go back 0 I 1 katow I 1 know you do not know the storms I 1 am forever disgrace in their eyes I 1 would rather be dead I 1 never go back get me away somewhere and let me disappear I 1 will work any thing anything rather than face my uncle her voice was scornful and dreary enough he smoothed her wind roughened hair do not think that I 1 do not know I 1 cannot see that my own case Is very different I 1 too have offended against the unwritten laws I 1 also must bear my punishment which will be my grandfather never forgives I 1 know that well after a long silence during which the wind seemed somewhat less ter he said in a low tone but I 1 will make it up to you how can youa I 1 can at least save you from the worst the worst she shuddered I 1 can make you my wife youa and I 1 was to make such a great marriage so was I 1 perhaps this is one we can call it so she wrung her hands I 1 cannot go back alone I 1 cannot but nothing could be worse than the return I 1 see no other way can you brave ita he smoothed her hair from her fore head we know the world and we see the situation we were saved together and are known to have been out on the aea by this time I 1 will take you back as my wife that will be the only thing now as I 1 see but marriage marriage 1 a sol dmn a sacred tie so it Is we will try to do our duty I 1 think death has purified our souls tonight so be comforted and we will see what the light brings us it may solve the problem of what to do next in the faint gray dawn he awoke from a troubled sleep they were on a long sandy beech clear across the bay were the buildings of the great hotel beyond and above them was a small village and the cross of a tiny stone church showed over the trees the way is found he said calmly come we will go yonder the news of their rescue went by telephone to the great hotel and the whole house excited by their digap bearance pe arance and survival waited on the till i and at tl e wharf for their f turn on the coast steamer the people at the village baa giten them some clothing but they presented a strange aphea ance as they stepped on shore at the gang plank stood a white haired old man and a red faced middle aged man they were both stern and choleric their great relief finding vent in hot anger the culprits came together carter stair held his head high and his lips were as set as his grandfather s own eloese was wan and clung to his arm there was a loud ahing of the passengers and a dash forward to shake hands walt he cried and I 1 II 11 give yon something to halloo for miss storms and myself have been very near death and have come back as we were saved together we were married this morning at st stephen s across the bay the old man s eyes at once met those of the red faced man s in a look ot intense relief he caught his grandson s arm and you did right you scamp he roared out you are always a gentleman and eloise felt her uncle s wet cheek against her own the proper thing he sobbed the proper thing and under the circumstances the only thing |