Bildungsromans; Love stories; Scientists -- Fiction; United States -- Fiction
She ran down to the boat-house, found the silvery sunken treasure among
her minnows, and laughed. She rowed to Pukwudgee and tied up the
branches. She trolled deep, got a strike, and felt her fish make for the
cave. She played him gently out again, but suddenly he put on weight and
rose in spite of her.
Instantly his weight disappeared, and she thought he had torn the hook
out. But no, as she reeled in she saw a second line, one that had
crossed here. It came up tautly from within the cave!
There could be but one explanation—there must be an opening above, and a
terrible thing had happened!
She slipped off most of her clothes, stood for one instant unseen and
beautiful on the stem of the dory, and dived. She came up within, and
was instantly on the ledge. There was light enough from above to see him
clearly. She put her ear close to his heart and heard it beat, and then
burst out crying.
He gave a sigh.
“Is that you, nurse? What are you crying about?”
“I always cry when I’m happy.”
He reached out his hand and touched her bare arm. The hand drew back,
but she closed her own about it. He lay still, clasping it closely.
“Jean, what do you want me to do?”
“Keep your eyes closed.”
“I will. Is it any use to call for help?”
“No. We’re going back into the water. Just float, and let me do the
rest.”
She slipped off the ledge and eased him down on his back, and swam with
him upstream.
The cave was narrow, but the entrance was a foot under water. Having
reached it, she moved to the right, feeling with her toes for a jut of
rock. She found one, and now had something to push against. Marvin’s
left armpit was locked with her own. She reached over and grasped his
nose with her thumb and finger, and down they went like two seals
diving. Then, gathering all her forces, she sprang forward. The effort
sent her far from all support, but carried her under the barrier. Now
they were rising, and now she felt the rock against the nape of her
neck. She had made it, if she could only hold it. She set her jaw and
stiffened her neck and drew his head up into the air.
Now her right hand was free, and she caught the sweet gale. Inch by inch
she drew her burden along till she reached her dory. She lifted herself
in, still holding his collar by one hand. She braced herself, exerted
every gram of her strength, and slid him into the long-suffering boat.
“Please pull my fish in. The line is caught around my leg, and I can
feel him whenever he moves.”
She obeyed, and dropped the five-pounder beside him, where it flopped
with unwonted intoxication of oxygen. Then she hauled in the other end
of his line and finally his dripping pole.
“Tell me when to open my eyes.”
She stood up and put on her blouse and skirt and moccasins.
“Ready.”
He blinked at her as a dead warrior blinks at a Valkyrie.
“You saved my life. How much?”
“There’s no charge for saving lives. They are included with the board.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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