Show H M I Hopes Hope's Seaside o-o o I Romance j 0 By RUBY EVANS EVANS I 4 tN Copyright H HOPE OPE thrust o one e toe Into the Water water water wa- wa ter withdrew it shivered cast casta a frightened ned glance behind her and then slipped down suddenly under the next great reat wave wa She forgot that she was Just spending two weeks alone at Noise Beach she forgot that she w was itch ach itching aching ing In every part of at her brain and her body from weariness Now for this tills afternoon she was part of at of the sea and the sky and the sand Oh she could swim And she wanted to swim s out out out to the tuft of at green reen Island that laughed under the sun But when she had gone gone half way and felt her breath come come harder she was frightened She turned over o very ery deliberately rand and floated She seemed to float noat for tor fora tora for fora a long long time she felt as though eons must have hn las passed her by hy when she opened her eyes slowly and saw V that she had drifted back to back to tho the hl e sand You plucky little thing 1 Hope Elope r What she saw sent a ti sudden wild flutter nutter through her heart He lIe was wasa a a with a brown skin and anda a n pair pail of eyes that Inu laughed hed at her herand and and admired her and mocked her all at a t once Ill race you ou to the the thed edge d e of at the surf he said stud studying her Now she was cons conscious claus of how she looked d in his eyes eres She glanced down hurriedly at her old black suit stilt she put up a timid hand to the knot of dingy black that kept her hair ball from fromI I wetting i. i Coming Corning Hope hesitated Then she swallowed swallowed swallowed lowed lowed nil all her prejudices all her ti ti- ti and gave him a shy smile It was she who took th the first breaker brenker break break- ver er ahead It was was' he who won the therace race but as they cm came e gasping gaspin back to to the beach once more he said slowly slow slow- ly 13 How jolly you'd you l look without all an those bulky things to to hinder hinder you ou from swimming Goodby she answered and fled ned nedi surreptitiously i up the beach to the house hou e on the edge of the sand where she site had her room and board Two days later she crept down to the jellow yellow sand He was was' r there r Y rIve Y ii I Ive e been waiting for you he said gravely for two days Then his e eyes es fell upon her satin fi figure He was laughing at nt her Hope llope could see It t and she sIle blushed hotly and made n a sudden run for the senDo sea sen Do yon you think he smiled catching up up to li her herIn In two strokes that you could swim to the sandbar When they reached the beach again he hn had l not asked her name she did not know his She said good-by good a n trifle breathlessly The next morning she went fearfully fearful fearful- Iy i ly down to the beach He ne Heas was as not there 1 She went slowly d down m to the sea All the sparkle hid had d l left ft the thees waves es Athe the breakers r roared are In n like white Ite sea horses their foamy manes blowIng blowIng blowing blow blow- Ing their breath a n salt salute She shivered as the cold water touched her body 4 f At supper her landlady joined her Heard that young youn Marlow's been seen 7 she asked You know Mar Mar- how flow who's who been heen housebreaking house h here here- re Him with the blue eyes and the brown bronn skin and the pleasant way wilh him I aint bad had light nor sight tot of him s Hope Hope lowered vered her tier face over her plate Her ller cheeks were blazing hot she lifted her fork foik with a hand that trembled Blue eyes Brown skin A pleasant way with him The ocean thundered like Ute drums In Inthe Inthe the wilderness She caught up her shabby little coat and went down to the beach Sunset still lingered In the sky but she was not looking at the sky sk but at a figure tall and strong and brown that came walking to her across the tine sand and She held out a n a hand with a beseeching beseeching be be- gesture 1 for she said looking you her leer throat was was v very ry dry she could scarcely make make the tine words come outGo out now uGo-now Go now Ill I'll put them off ofT Ill I'll send you ou money You You Youcan can begin again I know how hard bard It Is ls I work Im I'm m often desperate t too too too- oThe o- o The mocking light had left his I eyes something new and strange lighted them rf I r dont don't know v your Jour name he be said sa this his voice was almost husky Hope He came up closer to her and took tool both hath her hands In his is Weve only known each other five days Is it Less But Dut Ive I've found something new Hope Hone one No Im I'm not going coma to let you i I I I 0 pull away your hands Im I'm not going JOIng goIng go- go Ing to let you run away Im I'm not young oung Marlow as you think but Just Justan an nn ordinary man who's come away From all aU the sham and unreality of life back there there there-In In the city Her ITer r peeks heeks were Vere poppy red She could not lift her eyes Her breath came ame brokenly from her parted lipsI lips I suppose weve we've got to know each others other's names and what we do but that comes conies later Inter N Nothing n matters much now except that Ive I've found iJ Hope ope J Ive Ive I've Ive I've got to go she whis hered t But this time time Im I'm coming with j a She Site gave gave him a sudden exultant look 1 |