The Sea Lady

cy work, gives occasion to the sceptic. I must confess that I was absolutely incredulous of such things until a year ago. But now, face to face with indisputable facts in my

t, but for my sedulous enquiries, I am certain it would have become as doubtful

ly no remoteness nor obscurity about the scene of these events. They began upon the beach just east of Sandgate Castle, towards Folkestone, and they ended on the beach near Folkestone pier not two miles away. The beginning was in broad d

s of the Sea Lady's arrival. From Miss Glendower, the elder of two Glendower girls, for all that she is a principal in almost all that follows, I have obtained, and have sought to obtain, no information whatever. There is the question

face the sea. As you look down on them from the western end of the Leas, you see them crowding the very margin. And as a great number of high groins stand out from the shore along this piece of coast, the beach is practically cut off and made private except at v

(as indeed everybody is nowadays) from snobbery. They were simple homely Buntings-Randolph Buntings-"good people" as the saying is-of a widely diffused Hampshire stock addicted to brewing, and whether a suitably remunerated herald could or could not have proved them "gentle" there can be no doubt that Mrs. Bun

eparture for a sphere where his temper has no doubt a wider scope-for what is this world for if it is not for the Formation of Character?-she had come out strongly. It became evident she had always had a mind, and a very active and capable one, an accumulated fund of energy and much ambition. She had bloomed into a clear and critical socialism, and she had blossomed at public meetings; and now she was engaged to that really very brilliant and promising but rather extravagant and romantic person, Harry Chatteris, the nephew of an earl and the hero of a scandal, and quite a possible Liberal candidate for the Hythe division of Kent. At least this last matter was under discussion and he was about, and

beach with them frankly instead of hiding away or going for a walk according to the older fashion. (This, notwithstanding that Miss Mabel Glendower, Fred's fian

rls, in their beautiful Parisian bathing dresses and headdresses-though these were of course completely muffled up in huge hooded gowns of towelling-and wearing of course stockings and shoes-they bathed in stockings and shoes. Then came Mrs. Bunting's maid and the second housemaid and the maid the Gle

k of which she was naturally enough at that time inordinately fond-sat watching the others go on down the beach. There they were a very bright and very pleasant group of prosperous animated

d after a little fun and laughter Mrs. Bunting looked carefully to see if there were any jelly fish, and then they went in. And after a minute or so, it seems Betty, the e

They made the furtive penetrating observations usual in such cases. They could see that she was swimming very gracefully and that she had a lovely face and very beautiful arms, but they could not see her wonderful golden hair becaus

y nice manners and Mabel was pretending to go on splashing again and saying to Betty,

rt of flop in the water, th

reeze everybody, just one of those things that everyone

ree seconds passed and then for an instant a

the water's edge and indeed cowering in a heap at the foot of the sea wall. Miss Glendower became aware of a crisis and descended the steps, "Sir George Tressady" in one hand and the other shading her eyes, crying in her clear resolute voice, "She must be saved!" The maids of course were screaming-as became them-but the two men appear to have acted with the greatest presence of mind. "Fred, Nexdoo

she go, Ded

arm and "something dark"-something which in the light of all that subsequently h

sion forgot almost everything he had ever known of swimming-but they waded out valiantly one on each side of the ladder,

ained between them had passed, and it is fairly clear that while Fred Bunting was engaged in swimming hard against the long side of the ladder and so causing it to rotate slowly on its axis, Mr. Bunting had already swall

was over the ladder. She did not appear at all pale or frightened or out of breath, Fred told me when I cross-examined him, thou

ave cramp." Both the me

nd she would be quite safe, when a little wave went almost

that sort, and so they all hung, bobbing in t

dy looked calm but a little puzzled and that she seemed to meas

be done before his father drowne

take me

of operations, "Trying to get-end of ladder-kick with my

fu' sea-water," said Mr.

him, to prevent his being washed far out into the Channel. His father vanished from his sight with an expression of astonishment just forming on his face and reappeared beside him, so far as back and leg

d!" except Mrs. Bunting, who was, she says, under the impression that Mr. Bunting was in a fit, and Mr. Bunting, who seems to have been under an impression that all those laws of nature by which, under Providence, we are permitted to float and swim, were in suspense and that the best thing to do was to kick very hard and fast until the end should come. But in a dozen sec

g some indiscreet but novel form of dark riding habit or something of that sort. Anyhow not one of them noticed it, although it must have been before their eyes as plain as day. Certainly it must have blended with the costume. And there they stood, imagining that Fred had rescued a lov

against Fred's cheek and one eye on Mrs. Bunting

nybody-" began

osing her eyes as if she were ill-though he

" gaspe

he house," she w

ch h

ting cam

nd shut her eyes for good and beca

tand-" said Mrs. Bunting

says, before she could find words to speak. Then they all saw it! Miss Glendower, I believe, w

g words to the general horro

Glendower screamed one after the

rs. Bunting, and

ndower, and put her

"It's a mermaid!" screamed the maid, and

e passive, pretending to be insensible partly