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

fore-the irresistible, self-complacent
protested gallant, who never"
Flushing scarlet. Bertha stamped
her foot angrily.
~ 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,
I'm 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 facer for
me; but l did not intend that my tor
ment Of q sister should note its Of
fects.
81 wish you wouldn't be so slangy,
Bertha" l 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 don't deserve
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 afterwsrd, 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-
ticant? 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 mans affection by his per-
sistence, especially where But
the waltz is over, and here comes the
crowd. My poor Tom, truly L pity
you"
And with q mock solemn shake of
her head she was gone.
mooned up into the billiard room,
where subsequently was badly beaten
y
hundred up game. His fukes were
phenomenal.
Say, Tom, you're bit off color To-
night, aren't your" he exclaimed pat
ronizingly. "Never saw you make
such rotten show in my life. But
what dyou think of my play, ell? I've
come on lot lately, haven't I? Fact
is, Captain Moston's been tipping me
few wrinkles the last day or two.
jolly clever chap, the captain, you
know"
| offered no comment-audibly.
The youngster entered into a 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 gen.
tleman in question opened out Of the
same gallery as mine was, indeed,
next but one to it. Later, whom
passed this particular room on my way
up to bed, l CHANGED to observe that
the key projected from the lock Oh the
outside of the door. Ere | fell
asleep l had settled upon ruse de
guerre.
Waking soon after daybreak. /
dressed hastily and slipped out into
the corridor. Listening at the cap
tiin's door, / could hear his heavy,
regular breathing within; he was still
last asleep. My fingers sought the
protruding key, and softly, warily, |
turned it, the holt sliding into its
socket without sound. Now, | we'll
knew that all the apartments in my
uncle's house were ttted with p.tent
iastenings, each one having its special
key, no one key opening any other
lock than its own, and | tlattered my
self upon the tactical use to which |
had been enabled to put my knowl-
edge. OF certainty there would he
no Captain Moston at 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 and watched Joan issue from
the stone porch, cross the terrace
and wend down by the shrubberies--
exactly as | had been led TO expect.
Myself unseen, / followed after, until
she entered the ornate wooden chalet
near the tennis court. In Il few min
utes she reappeared with n 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: "Oh,