Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 291, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1911 — AT THE WHEEL [ARTICLE]

AT THE WHEEL

By SUSANNE GLENN

Eula Gardiner stood on the hotel veranda in a trig brown linen frock and a white felt hat • 7 JSj7 ’ 7 ~ “Do you mean to say thht you are going oh the Water this morning?” asked a dozen girls. “I most assuredly am,” answered ’ Eula, glancing out to where crisp little waves flashed saucily on the surface of the bay. “But consider—the great Fenmore has arrived; we beheld him with our own eyes. And, oh, Eula, but he is fine to look at!” ‘ . -.J;-.. r.'TT* ' " :> 'r < “Glad to hear it,” she replied brightly, “but what can be gained by sitting out a day like this on this veranda?" “Think of your complexion, careless child! How will you look in the parlors this evening to the critical eye of an artist, with your face sunburned and your golden curls wind-rough-ened?" “One day will not suffice to restore to me my former beauty. I therefore generously leave the coast clear for the rest of you, and continue to en-Joy-myself !’• " With a laugh, she ran down to the pier where her finy motor boat was tied ready for her. .7 77’ 'J J. ‘■She is certainly a wonder with a boat,” observed the girls who watched her puff jauntily away. “She is right when she says she leaves the coast clear for the rest of us, though. Thebe capable, independent sort of girls are never popular with men of artistic temperaments.” And each girl t>egan secretly to wonder In which particular gown she would most resemble the wonderful creations of the great Fenmore’s magic brush. f ' J lUgjrhe little white boat with the girl at the wheel sped from one favorite point of the bay to another. ■“There’s something wrong this morning/’ said Eula, listening to the beat of the engine. 'J" 77/' She headed out into the center of the bay, which chanced to be clear of boats at that hour, and knelt down with her back toward the box to find the trouble. The skipping became more and more frequent, and the girl’s brows were pressed into wrinkles of annoyance. Suddenly a crash and a cry brought her to her feet She was headed toward shore, and a little astern lay an overturned skiff, with a man clinging tolt , - •• . * “Oh,” cried the girl, motionless with horror, “what can I do? Hang on, hang on!” she screamed, her presence of mind returning, and she swept-back in a big curve toward him. “Oh,” she sobbed, “it is all my fault! If the engine only holds out!” ' As she fan up dose on the opposite side of. the skiff she flung out a lite preserver. “Can you swim?” she called. ’ “Yes—yes,” he nodded back. She took another circle while the man put on the jacket with one hand, clinging to the boat with the other. She did not dare stop the engine for fear she could not start it again in its present condition. “I must tow him ashore,” she thought ‘There is no use in attempting to get him into the boat —I am too weak, and the boat Is tbo small!” When she came up the second time she flung out the tow rope, and slowed down the engine as much as she dared. The man caught the rope with difficulty. All his motions were strangely slow and labored. With the utmost difficulty she drew him to the side of her craft “Do you think you can hang on until we get ashore F’ she asked anxiously. “I’ll try,” he smiled with a look that made Eula sob. With one hand she clung to his coat. The other outsretched as far as possible, just reached the wheel. They entered quiet water under shelter of the point, and Eula loosening her grasp upon the exhausted man, turned off the switch. "jAs the little boat grounded upon the beach the girl was out over the side, helping the staggering man to dry landHe sank senseless upon the warm sand. * “0h,.1 don’t know what to do,” the poor girl cried, frantically removing the cork jacket and his water-filled coat and shoes. 7The grating of the boat’s bow reminded her to secure it, and also to get the flask she always kept tn the locker. , ■ ~ ■ “Did I faint F’ he asked in a dazed ■WAV ''J-'*'*-“1 thought you were dead,” she “Why, don’t worry like this, child; 1 was not in the water long enough. But some way in going over I hit my head and left hand. That bothered me about holding on. and after awhile wiw hMd felt an cor H _ “Do Hot talk,” ordered Eula, brusque sortable with boat cushions. "I must go *but after your boat if y °Vh* don’t be long.” he cautioned. Presently she came back; triumph antly ■■» «■ 7/ You-re a girl Richards —I just came to the hotel this mornlug. - ; f

' “You are making sport of me," cried Eula blushing furiously. .“I really never did such a thing before in all my boating experience.” . 7-,.. ’ j T am wondering,” ignoring her interruption', “if you can possibly ,be the sister of whom Dick Gardner is so proud?” -J*. J- 7 ‘’7/?-' 7. : - ' “That is my brother’s “name,” she admitted. 7 7 “Then we are old acquaintances. Dick is' coming down this afternoon—he’ll tell you about me.” The young man seemed to be recoving very* rapidly. . 7.. : / 7 ‘l’m hungry as a bear,” he admitted. • ‘That Is a good indication, isn’t it. Miss Gardiner?” V _. J With much merriment Richards built a Are of the sticks Eula gathered. He opened cans from the tinned provi : sipns with which the locker was stocked and made coffee over the coals. .- 7 ■'J Jjj-777 ; When they returned to the hotel under the breathless heat of the afternoon sun, the piazza was deserted. “Look, look,” breathed the dainty, charming girls gathered In the parlors that evening. “There he comes. Isn’t he stunning in evening clothes?" “I wonder now If Eula doesn’t regret her ride? She seems.to have burned worse than usual.” Someone led the distinguished young artist forward. He greeted each girl with a kindly, sweeping look that she idlt.took in every detail Of her appearance. ' , “Miss Gardiner,” he said, his eyes twinkling; “I believe we_have met before!” -■ ? ,.,,7

Eula’s flushed face grew a little pale. r . "Come out on the veranda,” he begged. “I must plead my cause right away. My name is Richards—but that doesn’t happen to be all there is of it Indeed I did not mean to deceive you —only, I get tired of being Fenmore the artist, and like to be just a young man whom no one ever heard of!" Eula smiled as she'walked away. “Do you receive so much attention?” she asked audaciously. “Everything seems to come my way —l’m not even safe upon the boundless deep!” 775 3 .. "Oh, I say, thank Heaven Fen la - out of the way,” observed Dick Gardiner cheerfully, .seeing Fenmore and his sister leaving the room. “Now there’s some chance for the rest of us poor chaps!” Fenmore moved some chairs into the moonlight “Miss Eula,” he said, “will you take me qn the water in the morning? It is absolutely unsafe for me* to go alone, and I must get some sketches. In fact. I’d like- to charter your boat ' for the season!” ■. , 7

“But my boat is out of order, Mr. Fenmore. It is liable to stop at any moment” “Then we’ll stock up that locker and take plenty of sketching materials.” ’ ? "But my aunt objects to the water,” murmured "Eula, suggestively. The young man was silent for a moment, looking at her intently. "Miss Eula,” he said softly, leaning toward her, ’Til bribe Dick into going with us for a week. I’ll give you seven days to—to care as much as I do! Then we will qualify ourselves to dispense with a third person!” Eula gasped. “Do I take your breath? Well, you deprived me of mine this morning! Eula, I’ve adored you for months. 1 adored- you this morning when you ran me down—you never did a cleverer thing! I’m so tired of my lonely little craft—l want you at the wheeldear.” "I shall doubtless run over you every day,” observed the girl softly. "I have no doubt you will," answered Fenmore with conviction, but joyously.