She Wanted a Hero...

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1904, Page 26 (Supplement)

She Wanted a Hero...

MESS Dorothy Courtney is the daughter of old Oolanel Couitney. A courage absolute is what Dorothy most admired, and until lately she had thought her cousin. Harold (several tunes removed) powsebsed it. At present bhe doubts 1 whether aaij man, (except the few Oourtneys who haven't been killed, off) is really bra\e under all circumstanceb. Aii&s Dorothy and her aunt were at Masterton, when Harold showed the white feather, and allowed her to be saved from a swarm of angry bees by a stranger. Haiold vanished and the new young man, a Mr. Kempton, was installed at. hero. He was a reserved, young maiii, and did not find it necessary to inform her that there are some men whom bees wdl not sting. Now oomes the sad tale of Mr. Kempton's tumble from his high pedestal. Ho followed Miss Dorothy and her aunt to Seaitoun for the Christmas holidays, and fookshlv allowed himself to go out m a boat. He might have had a telegram from home, or even ai vulgar oramp in the stomach, but misled by a clear sky, he went like a lamb to the slaughter. Half-a-mile from the shore the wind struck them savagelv It slated the sail, cuffed the poor little Siren, and ierked the sheet from Kempton's hand. The sail swung out over the bows, flip tiller faste-nino; the rudder broke, and tne boat was helpless. It swung side on to the waves and wallowed'. A IaTgOT wave struck it amidships. jathl dumped half a barrel of water into ->t Kempton lost what nerve he had "We shall aill be drowned ' There 1= no hope'" he cried, white to th© lips nnd threw himself in+o Ihe- bottom of the boat. Seasickness, combined with th© fear of death, brought him to the lowest pitch. . Miss Dorothy, sitting etrect in the stern sheets, looked out over the tossing waves sombrely. Preentlv she saw, far ahead, a most singular sight. A orazv little canoe wap dancing towards her at a rapid rate It seamed to he sliding siidewavs from the waves. It had less of sfoabilitv than a thistledown and it was emptv But beside it nmd apparentlv riding on air, was a man.

As the Siren swung to tiie ton ot a wave, Dorothy could bee more plainly . Tli© man was balanced on a board taa out to windwaid of the canoe, ami ho was fairly flying toward the boat. An instant later he was. aboard, a,nd had made has painter fast. He caught the long oar from the bottom of the boat, looped it to the him portion of the ruddei, and, with two tremendous strokes, swung the Si ion's head- up to the wind. He was a well-tannued, busy \ouu.g man, who did not require insit.ru eti on s "Is he dead?" he asked, noddling towaidb Kemp ton. Miss Dorothy smiled sadly, fon an image was broken. "No " she answered, "he is — soa — friok." ' , „xi * 'Get up and take this oar," the sti anger said. Kempton did not move, but Dorotln oame to the young man's aid. "I thank I ca,n," she said. "Show me how " He looked at her with fi ank admiration. „ , "You aiethe kind of girl I like ho said This was abrupt for Miss Dorothy but T think she liked it Howevei he did not stop to inquire, but clambered forward, and caught the sheet. In another moment the poor, mishandled Siren, from being a helpless log became a staunch boat, and the captain of the Admiral, several hundred yards away, was calling down from hu* stand by the wheel "You needn't go, Jack' Theie-» a, fellow over th&ie now that knowsomething." "The bay is a jollv place fo. a canoe," said young Mr. Hathn\^ a few days later. 'It is pleasant to have vou hoie," said Mis^ Dorothy. "And then you wived my life, you know." She liked the well-tanned ,-yo-ung man and had faith in his coinage. The people m. Wellington saw a. good deal of this young couple, and a pleasant sight it" was , s-he, with her oleaicut face, blond© hair, and dainty costume- he, dark and, alert, m a bine yachting suit. But Nemesils, riding hard, was clo^e behind Mr Hathaway. They were walking one dav and

!>poik© oi "the waa. the last one in South Afuca. His bi other had been in the Fir&t Contingent. One of her heroes had met his fate whole out with the Third. The conversation languished, and the httle lady suddenly discovered that she wanted to go for a drive. Ma\ Hathaway started for the nearest hverv stable to get a buggy or gig. She dLshked oabs. Something in his manner impelled her to ask if he ooukl drive. He confessed! that he could not. 'To tell the truth, I know less about driving than a oow knows about setting up a spinnaker," he said. "I don't even know what they call the port side of a horse! I will take a driver." With a slightly heightened coloui Miss Dorothy explained that slue could drive, and detested a dnveir at summer resorts. But when thev were seated wi the trap she relented and gave him. the 1 ems, .saying "I will teach you to dirive, as you taught me to mi]." Half-a-mile brought them to a turn in the road, the house trotting sedately. Mr. Hatfoaway was nervous "We'll have to come about there," he said. "How do you do it?" She showed him, a,md, bracing ha*, feet as they came to the turn, he saad "Let go the weather sheet?" and diopped one ream. "Haul in the lee sheet !" "No, no," she cried. ' Don't pull with both hands !" "What shall I make this line fast to ?'' He hauled it taut, and gave it a couple of half-hitches around hus foot The horse stopped, looking around reproachfullv. "She's in stays '" Mr. Hathaway cried ''She'll neve i make it Throw hen head over to port'" Miss Dorothy took the reiuis, and started the horse. Mi. Hathaway drew <i long bieath. "That was good," he said, looking back at the turn "But I would feel better if we had an anchon abonid." He was not a good pupil. He pulled the reins as he would halyards, and after learning the use of the whip kept it going on the smallest provocation. Half an hour gave Dorothy enough of it, and three-quarters gave the hoa'tse too much. Nearmg home he dropped his head, burst the cheek rein, and ran furiously. Hathaway tin ew hus whole weight on the reins, and they snapped. The horse load some speed, and, with ears laid back and 1 long head stretched

well out, ran at a gieat clap. The vehicle swayed from side to side dangerously. Dorothy, looking ooldl^ ait Hathaway, saw that he was badlly frightened. "She'll go ashore in a minute " he gasped. "We'll be 1 ground to powder," and he began orawh<ng over the back of the seat. "I'll drop over the stern and help vou," he cried. She heard his feet on the road, and then knew he had let go Then the horse turned down a narrow lane, and Dorothy closed her eyes. Suddenly a man spi ang over a fence, and threw himself leckleisisly at the horse's head 1 . Dorothy saw a strong hand on the bit, a red face, large flashing black eyes, and a body that was lueh in the air at one nnomeint amd the next under the horse's feet.. Then the race endied. and she was lifted firom the trap, amd hurried into a private house. The canoe man vanished 1 , but the hero of the bugjrv called on Dorothy that evening 1 . He was a fresh-faced young man who blushed when she gave him both her hands. "Your action was noble," she cried. "it was magjnificent " ' I'm the her.d hostler at Smith's." he explained proudsly "I can stop the horses dead easy." She- looked at him curiously 'Are you never afraid ?" she asked. "Oh, Lord, yes " he answered. "I'm scared to death of a dog'' Dnro<th"<- is stiiH on the look out for an absolute hero.

Tommy mentioned it at lunch tune. His mother, up at Kelburne, was entoitanung a lady visitor, and said apologetacally I don't know why it is, but I always eat more when we have company than when we'ie alone." Tommy (helping himself to the_ third piece of cake) "I know why it is. 'Ca,use we have better things to eat!" * * » They say it ls desperately hard for a woman to be coy after she has reached the double-ohin period. • • • The best answer at a recant kindergajrte'ii. examination in Wellington . — "What always comes after 't,' Lucy?" ' The young man. that's going to marry any sister Bella'"