Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-01-21
An Early Bird.

| oh, Il w Noint NCI ObS tut tlDb Do-
fore-the irresistible, self-complacent
professed gallant, who never"
Flushing scarlet. Bertha stamped
her foot angrily.
III won't listen to you. It's dis
graceful! He is-he is-- At all
events, know Joan likes him-is
very fond Of him, in fact. She told
me SO herself. And if she had to
choose between you and him, I'm per-
fectly certain which she would favor. >"
Here Bertha broke out into another
high pitched giggle. "Really, Ton,
Pm almost sorry for you. II you wish
to GUST Captain Moston, can assure
you you'll have to get up very early
in the morning."
This outburst was indeed a facer for
me; but did not intend that my tor
ment Of sister should note it's Of
fects.
~ wish You wouldn't be so slangy,
Bertha" 1 said. reprovingly at
shows shocking bad form in girls"
Thanks for the benefit of the ex-
ample, "retorted she, airily. "Only /
didn't mean it for slang, either It's
piece Of advice to be taken literally.
I'll explain-though you dom tdeserve
any such consideration from me, really.
Now listen to this. Every morning,
before breakfast, Joan wanders off by
herself through the park toward the
shrubbery, and soon afterward, by an
odd coincidence, Captain Moston also
strolls away, but invariably in the OPP
posite direction. Now, doesn't that
strike you as being somewhat signi-
fcant? While You are Laying in bed
unless you have amended your hab.
its Of late-no doubt he is improving
the golden opportunities. You recol-
lect uncle's adage, that women are apt
to guage n mans affection by his per-
sistence, especially where But
the waltz is over, and here comes the
crowd. My poor Tom, truly pity
you"
And with n mock solemn shake of
her head she was gone.
| mooned up into the billiard room,
where subsequently was badly beaten
by my l5-year.old cousin Harold in u
''hundred up" game. His fukes wore
phenomenal.
"Say, Tom, you're n bit off color to-
night, aren't you?" he exclaimed pat
ronizingly. "Never saw you make
such n rotten show in my life. But
what dyou think of my play, eh2 I've
come on lot lately, haven't 1? Fact
is, Captain Moston's been tipping me
n few wrinkles the last day or two.
jolly clever chap, the captain, you
know"
| offered no comment-audibly.
The youngster entered into glow
ing eulogy of the captains many splen-
did accomplishments and good quail
ties, rattle to which had neither the
desire nor the patience TO hearEen.
Incidentally, however, he happened to
mention that the bedroom of the gem
tleman in question opened out If the
same gallery as mine was, indeed,
next but one to it. Later, whom I
passed this particular room on my way
up TO bed, CHANGED to observe that
the key projected from thelock oil the
outside Of the door. Ere L fell
asleep I had settled upon a ruse de
guerre.
Waking soon after daybreak, I
dressed hastily and slipped ont into
the corridor. Listening at the cap
tiin's door, | could hear his heavy,
regular breathing within; he was sti
last asleep. My fingers sought the
protruding key, and softly, warily, |
turned it, the bolt sliding into its
socket without sound. Now, | well
knew that all the apartments in my
uncle's house were titted with pstent
fastenings, each one having its special
key, no one key opening any other
lock than its own, and / tiattered my
self upon the tactical use TO which |
had been enabled to put my knowl-
edge. Of certainty there would he
no Captain Moston ut the rendezvous
that morning. Chuckling over the
success of my stratagem, thrust the
key into my pocket and hurried down
stairs.
Half an hour afterward, from the
embrasure of the library window,
stood aud watched Joan issue from
the stone porch, cross the terrace
and wend down 10y the strawberries
exactly as had been led to expect.
Myself unseen, followed after, until
she entered the ornate wooden chalet
near the tennis court. In a few min
utes she reappeared with bicycle,
which she trundled down to the level
gravelly path beyond. Here she
waited, tapping the ground vexedly
with the toe of her boot, glancing this
way and that at intervals. with growing
impatience / thrust through the
bushes behind her.
"How late You are!' she cried, turn
ing round at the noise; then, seeing
me, she stammered confusedly: ooh,