Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 245, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1910 — Archer’s Engagement [ARTICLE]

Archer’s Engagement

By CLARISSA MACKIE

Bert Desmond’s hand came dpwn on Archer’s shoulder with a resounding slap. “Congratulate you, old man,” he exclaimed, heartily. "Thanks,” said the other, with an amused smile; “but what’s all this row about, anyway?” “Your engagement, of course! Blake has told me. She’s the—” ‘‘Blake’s a silly old chatterbox. I’m not going to marry anybody—you might congratulate me on that fact,” interrupted Archer. “Funny, isn’t it,” mused Desmond, perplexedly. “Blake told me plain as could be that Archer was engaged to marry—" Archer interrupted this time with a laugh. "Oh, it must have beey my cousin, Tom Archer! Go and congratulate him, Bert —you can’t make a mistake; he’s always engaged to somebody. Going down to the club house? No? Very well, so long.” Bob Archer went grinning on his way down to the yacht club while Desmond pursued a solitary walk along the board walk that led to the big hotel. A girl seated in an automobile near by looked toward the shop before which she was waiting with a bored air. Through the folds of the white veil that swathed her face the color in her cheeks burned like a stainfc Her hands were firmly clinch ed in her lap and her whole attitude betrayed restrained impatience. Helen Dale had heard every word of the conversation between the two men. She knew that she was the girl who had been reported engaged to Tom Archer, but to hear her name ( linked with Bob Archer’s had brought her such a pang of exquisite pain that she stood self-revealed on the instant. So that was the reason she could not fall in love with the dozen men who had succumbed to her beauty and charm! She had claimed for herself coldness, aloofness, indifference to all men—and it was merely because she had given her heart, unasked, into the keeping of Bob Archer. It was well known that Bob Archer did not care for women. Yachting, tennis and golf and his office satisfied all his cravings. He lived at a club and his vacations were spent in the open, wherever -there was good healthy outdoor sport. Helen’s tastes were the same, but Archer’s companions were mostly men and she had met him seldom, then when he had made one of his infrequent appearances in the ballroom. - And Helen had fallen in love with him, unsought, undesired. A very agony of shame came upon her, but through Jt glowed a fierce joy that he had declared- himself a confirmed bachelor. If he did not care for her there was nobody else. Then it was that Helen Dale’s flirtation with Tom Archer came to an abrupt end. A few days afterward Helen was swimming far out beyond the float that marked the limit of safe bathing. She was an expert swimmer and rejoiced in the cold salt water, the warmth of the sun on her uplifted face and the soft resistance of the waves against her strength. Slender, graceful and muscular, she made a pretty sight, her white arms gleaming like marble against the blue sea, her crown of bronze-tinted hair shining in the sunlight. Her eyes were fixed on a distant buoy she had marked for a turning point. She did not see a man’s form dive downward from a handsome yacht nearby, nor see his long strokes toward the same goal she was striving for. Helen was almost upon him when her attention was attracted by a low shout of distress, his brown arm shot upward and he sank before her eyes. It was not until Helen had reached the spot and grasped him firmly by his thick hair that she recognized Eob Archer. In that moment of suspense she forgot her tenderness for him, everything save the fact that he was a human being and that his life was in danger. The cramp that had seized him had left him only half conscious. His eyes were closed and he did not struggle. Before she could cry for assistance she had been observed from the yacht and a boat was hastily lowered and came to her rescue. She was entirely exhausted with the hard pull. Archer was a heavy man and he had been a dead weight In the one hand -she could spare Inside the launch she fainted and only revived when a distracted sailor dashed stinging salt water in her face and eyes. Then she sat up and looked anxiously at the Inanimate form In the bottom of the boat N “Is he—?" she asked, fearfully. “I think he’ll be all right, miss,” said the coxswain reassuringly. “He

must have been took with a cramp, for ordinarily Mr. Archer is a fine swimmer." Tears of thankfulness forced themselves to Helen’s eyes and she made no reply. Once on board the yacht she declined the captain’s urgent offers of hospitality. She did accept one of Archer’s heavy ulsters and slipped it on. When she was assured that he was recovering and would soon be up and around, she asked to be taken ashore. The next morning she left the hotel with her mother and returned to hes home in the city. Helen Dale knew that Bob Archer must seek her out and express his gratitude for what she had done; that she might not meet him again she had fle<L Bob Archer awoke to a rather unpleasant realization the morning after the rescue. He who had always been independent of women was indebted to one for his life. He blushed to recollect that a girl had come to his rescue and he cursed his own weakness in succumbing to a mere cramp. But he set forth to the hotel, immaculate in white duck from top to toe, In his heart grateful to the plucky girl who had saved his life. He recalled Helen Dale as one of many other girls whom he had avoided as mere butterflies. When he inquired for Miss Dale at the office the clerk informed him of her departure. There was no doubt in his mind that she had gone to escape Ms thanks. Well, she was the right sort-some girls would have been glad of the opportunity to play the heroine. New York was not far distant, and in the evening of the same day, a he presented himself at the Dale house. So unexpected was his coming that Helen was taken 'by surprise. She came down to find him In conversation with her mother. “I resolved you should not escape,’* he said, holding her hand in a warm friendly clasp. “I wonder if you know just how plucky ycm were yesterday!" “It was mere chance,” evaded Helen, coloring. “Any one else-would have done it. It was easy, too, for your boat came quickly to the rescue.” "Nevertheless, if it had not been for you I would havq lost my life,” insister Archer. , He remained for the evenlpg, and was surprised at his own pleasure in the occasidn. A day or two afterward he came again and took them for a spin in his new motor car. Then he came again and again. He did not return to Seaside, but his yacht received sailing orders and proceeded to the city, where she lay at his disposal. When the first crisp autumn winds were blowing Bob Archer awoke to the fact that he could not live happily without Helen Dale for his wife. What an ideal companion she would make—their tastes were similar and their love of the out-of-doors amounted almost to a mania. A honeymoon spent on his yacht— He clapped on his hat and made his way to the Dale house. Helen was alone in the library, when he arrived, and he sat beside her in the dim flrelit room and told his story. But in spite of the great Joy in her eyes she shook her head. “I know how you feel, Mr. Archer. It is natural that you should mistake gratitude for love, and that you should offer me the life I saved, but —” Something In the flicker of emotion that crossed her face brought him close beside her. “Helen, look at me!” he commanded, taking her hands in his. Slowly she turned until her eyes met his. "What do you see there, darlinggratitude or love?” he asked, softly. Her glance fell before his gaze, and for the first time since her heart had gone out of her keeping she was radiantly happy. "Love," she whispered, softly, and then: “I’m bo glad I had the chance to save your life. We might never have known each other, Bob.”