Ebb Tide

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Estelle Velaine becomes utterly absorbed in a book, entitled "Love, Spiritual and Material." She has utterly forgotten that Jerome Esmond is to call upon her that evening. Mrs. Velaine, a much be-diamond dowager has ever materialistic ambitions for Estelle. When Jerome arrives at the Velaine home, the dowager rushes in on Estelle's reverie and orders the daughter to hurry and receive Jerome Esmond. Estelle accepts Jerome's proposal to marry in order to please her parents. She does not love the man. Business with his publishers calls Allen Forbes to the city. Helena finds a newspaper which contains the announcement of the engagement of Estelle Velaine to Jerome Esmond. Helena resolves to invite Estelle to her home to help pass the lonely days. Then comes the first ripple of the incoming tide, for in the interior of an art exhibit gallery in the city, Allen Forbes and Estelle Velaine meet before the same painting. They register the same emotions and each wonders where they have known the other before. The tide continues to rise for Estelle Velaine accepts Helena Forbes' invitation to Highcliff. The tide nears its flood, for Estelle arrives at Highcliff, and then the tide floats a haunted ship, for the scene seen from Estelle's window at Highcliff is suggestive of the painting which had so strongly impressed her. Allen Forbes is unconscious of the fact that Estelle Velaine and the woman who so appealed to him in the art gallery in the city are one and the same. Several days later Jerome joins the house party. Jerome and Helena are also mutually attracted and slowly but surely also drift together just as Estelle and Allen, only they are perfectly unconscious of themselves while the other pair are perfectly conscious that the tide is sweeping them onward. Estelle and Allen stroll to the beach. The incoming tide reaches ever higher onto the sands. Allen says to Estelle, "Flood tide; What a wonderful moment it has brought to us." He starts to gather Estelle in his arms. She steps aside with a warning gesture. She points back to the house, "No, Allen, we must not. Think of her tragedy if we yield, remember the ebb tide," she exclaims. But at this moment a great wave foams in. It frightens her and she falls into his arms as the flood tide curls about their feet. Jerome shows her the sympathy for which she has hungered so long. Suddenly he kisses her. She springs back with a look of horror as the door opens and Allen and Estelle step in. Both women shrink back from each other instinctively with a cry of mutual guilt. Midnight and ebb tide. Estelle in her apartment tries to fight down her love for Allen. In the empty sitting room, Allen, haggard and suffering, walks slowly through the room. He leaves the room and Estelle sees his retreating form and follows him. They meet at the beach. "Good night and good-bye. Thank God there's no wreck on the beach," she tells him. He kisses her hand lingeringly. She hurries back to the house. Allen starts as if to throw himself into the sea. Estelle stops, looks back, sees his movement, calls back to him, holding up her hand in rebuke, "Don't do it, Allen, that would not be brave." He turns and stares at her, then strolls along the low tide with bowed head.