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Show The Siren. nr WH.1.IAM iiLosa Author of General John Jones, etc, (Copyright, lfl, by Dally Rtory 1'ub Co ) When the fog crept toward tho land from out In the lake they did not notice no-tice It, at first, so absorbed were they she In what he was saying, he In his own passion Their little boat bad long been drifting aimlessly, for he had shipped hla oars and from the center aeat leaned forward eagerly, peering keenly Into her face aa ho spoke. As for her, one could not be sure whether her manner of Indifference was born of coldness or whether tha rigidity of her feature! waa a men mask, concealing emotion racing fleet through alt tho courses of her young blood, but of which her femininity would not permit betrayal. She leaned back In teeming languor among the down cushions his forethought fore-thought had provided for her comfort and tavo that her whlto and lltsomo fingers played unceasingly with tho red and white atrlped cords which moved the toy tiller of the Uttlo boat, she did not move Only when now and again she raised tho downcast lashes which curtained her dark eyes did this Impatient flocclllatlon coase. Then the nervous picking of her madonna fingers fin-gers would grow still and her deep glance would reit full and unflinchingly unflinching-ly upon tho face of tho man beforo her. Then was in this glance, so proud and high and free, something which subtly. Indescribably thrilled him. Nor could his own enduro It long, for when sho raited her eyes, his fell, abashed and at tboto times tho fantastic shadow of an inscrutablo smile fled across her lips and vanished instantly. So near together wcro they that ba coulu bavo stretched forth his foot and touched the shoe whose shining patent pat-ent leather tip escaped tho hem of her blue flannel skirt Once, Indeed, he had leaned far forward and put out hla banda appeallngly as It to grasp WW Mr own. Hut she had drawn back swiftly, releasing tho tiller ropes, and folded her arma across her breast with a firm a . forbidding dalliance. He had drawn back sullenly, and now for a moment had grown silent It was then tho fog had crept upon them so tUalthlly neither had perceived per-ceived Its coming till Its chill shroud wrapped tbem. The woman shivered, lightly, and drew her wrap more closely close-ly about her ahoulders with a quick feminine geature. Her look waa bent Snatched up the oars and hurled tbem far out upon the disappearing shore, half a mite away, where the plera and summer-time pagodas, the diving tower, the big hotel, of Manhattan beach, deserted de-serted now that November had laid Its rude clutch on autumn, told In their echoless alienee of tho waning year. Now the mournful yolco of the hooded hood-ed siren, perched aloft where the mouth of the sluggish Calumet yawned sleepily to the vaporous lake, sounding sound-ing to the fog-bound sailor, ross through tho mist in minor. "Hoot Hool" It sstd. "Hoooo, Hoo-oo-oo" A tinge of melancholy menace dwelt In the ttetm monotone. One thought of Loralel and nlddsa shoals, of dark and streaming hair and yes which looked but saw not The , V ytmng man started guiltily siren raised Its vole. Already PJ thickening fog half concealed front Ml eyes the lithe figure of tho girl huddle! In her wrap and cushions HiH"" to her again and spoko huskily. 'Fallce!" he said, appeallngly. Her voice seemed cold to nlm MJ answered, but a keener analyst utt he might have discovered a treenor n It that was not glacial "What Is It George" she . with teeming ttesdlnest "AiaJJ J thought we bad left all that beWU us, far away, and were going no to be good friends and comrade! cait you take my word for It that therou finality In what I have told you" "No, I can't." he cried out, itartui to hla feet so fiercely the little) crift rocked dangerously "Nor will I 7. With me It shall be today or new. And with you, too," he conclude, ominously. The girl looked at him from Q clouded depths of her rare eyes win something which might have beei a scornful tenderness. ' Forget It, Oeorge," sho said, lot unkindly. "You bavo had my no, ijd you must tako It for your answer "Fallcel" ho cried again, and took a step toward her She raised both hands as If to "ird his coming and straightened her Utk against the stern of the shrouded tat Wlih an Impetuous gesturs be young man drew back and, itoojui snstched up the oars and hurled ttia far out Into the wall of fog "There " ho hoarrely shouted atler ns If In desperate deflanro of htr yx malty. "Since you wish It to, we will Indeed end it all, but togetitr, not apart" Ho sank back moodily Into btstttt and clasping his hands moodily about his kmes stared nt bcr gloonlly through the fog Fallce had started up with a little cry aa ho threw tho oars away. Shi knew too woll what that meant. Tbey had become a helpless derelict, njlni on the silent, glsssy water, uubli Then she throw her round urtni about his bent neck I even to creep to safety pwtrd the shrouded volco of the moulting siren. Hut she ton sank Jn her 'kjidjWj' still. The fog grew denie'No'w' n swift rush of wind rlppledthe water and ttlrred the tiny craft nneatlly. Tho lake grew volceful baenth Its sombro mantlo of dull grnjand with a paddling tonguo licked hagrlly tht seams of tha oarless boij Every mlnuto the siren sounded to ho gloom Its Iterant "Hoot Hoot" Thi Ranting call seemed now farther any. The girl bent her head but retained un-tongued, un-tongued, Oeorge rose unsteadily na stood on trembling legs In the rocUng boat A third time ho spoko her niai There was tho light of a love-born Ironzy In his blue eyes and ho drew bis fine figure upward as one who hs (formed a great resolve ) "Fallce," ho said "You sajroit lore mo. You say ou cannot tarry because be-cause I have no ambitions Ya'cbarge mo with Indolence You ereilaughed and said It la untrue the flat sloth Is extinct Well, we will end It Come." , Ha held out his hand Injuriously. This time tho girl looked ID- Hit manner made bis purpose dor. The wind had risen higher itlll and now whittled shrilly about tbem. Tho boat was drifting l"ull:e looked straight beforo her through til breeze-swept breeze-swept alleys of tho fog and sttoss ber face onco more flitted that unlnter-prctablo unlnter-prctablo shudow of a smile, swiftly evanescent. She held out bit hand to Oeorgo and put her foot iron the gunwalo aa he did hla. "Comet" ho cried again aid they leaped together, hand In bail The linos of his mouth had groti grim and straight, but tho girl, win looked behind him, hardly could cosaal tender tearful laughter. As tbey splashed furiously Lto tho rippled lake tho breeze swept Us light boat away and Instantly Its keel grated upon the beach A moment, as they sprang, ho had, repentant tought to stay tho girl, but It was u lata They entered the water together and then, stood erect It reached her waist With a passionate gesture ho drew her to his arms, there In the econitssilng water and kissed her fondly, ill unresisting un-resisting Then she threw her round arms about his bent neck and hurst Into hysterical sobbing Interleaved with ribald laughter. He looked at her ruefully. Then be, too, laughed, but his laugh waa lonest and like tha lark's matin sons. ' Come," he said, and unclasplu htr clinging caress and taking her la his strong arms ho sturdily waded op the shelving beach to shore. "Let us run, Fallce," ho cried ally. "Let us run to tho parson" She felt for bis hand once mors and let bcrs nestle there, "It was becauso I loved you to," tht said, answering a question which so voice bad asktd. "Hool Hool" cried the tlren, Jauntily, Jaun-tily, as they ran away together, elatp-tng elatp-tng handi. |
