Part 35 (2/2)

”Far frohtly better acquainted with the Bay than you are and I e”

”I aed to you for your interest, Mr Bremner However, I know my own capabilities in the water, just as you know yours Now,--if you do not desire to spoil what to me has been a pleasure so far, you will leavethat it would have givenof her ears And,else, I kept plodding along slowly, neither increasing nor di the distance between us

She ell aware of my proximity, and, at last, ere little more than a hundred yards from the point of the rock at the farthest out end of the wharf, she wheeled on me like the exasperated sea-nymph she was

”I told you the other day, Mr Breentle said that,--you will go away I a after myself”

That was the last straw for me I could see that she was a splendid swimmer and that she was likely to h I could also tell that she was tiring

”All right!--I'll go,” I shouted ”But please be sensible,--there was a heavy drift of wood and seaweed last night The seaweed always gathers in at your side of the wharf, and it is treacherous Come this way and land ashore from my side”

”Thank you! Mr Bremner,” she called back quite pleasantly, ”but I came this way and saw very little seaweed, so I fancy I shall be able to get back”

Maddened at her for being so headstrong, I veered to the left of the rocks, while she held on to the right

I did not look in her direction again, but, with a fast, powerful side-stroke, I shot ahead and soon the rocks divided us

I was barely a hundred yards from the beach, when I heard, or fancied I heard, just the faintest of inarticulate cries

I listened, but it was not repeated In the ordinary course, I would have paid no heed, but so above and beyond ht

I swung round and started quickly for the point of the rocks again In a few seconds, I reached it and swam round to the other side I scanned the water between lass, with only bobbing brown bulbs everywhere denoting the presence of the seaweed

I looked at the beach, and across to Miss Grant's house,--there was no one in sight

A feeling of horror crept over me It was improbable,--iot inside the house so quickly

I glanced over the surface of the water again

Good God!--as that?

Not fifty yards fro brown bulbs were thickest, a sers of the hand closed convulsively and a ring glittered in the sunlight Then the hand vanished

With a vigorous crawl stroke,--keeping well on the surface for safety,--I tore through that intervening space

Oh!--how I thanked God forunder water

As I got over the spot where I reckoned the hand had appeared, I becaet entangled and thus end the chances of both of us I sank down, slowly and perpendicularly, keepingcarefully with my hands the while The water was clear, but I could see only a little way because of the seaweed