The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-04-26

hunted up her Sunday school class.
They started at 8 o'clock. BY noon
they We're on the bar.
The mist had not lightened, and the
sun refused to do more than make the
world a great opal.
At o'clock they were out of sight
of land. if land could have been sighted
in this density, and the Tecumseh was
rocking strangely. And at O'Clock
the captain, with sudden, tense look,
decided that, the mist growing heavier,
it was scarcely adding to the pleasure
of the party to go much farther. AS it
was, a fog was forming, and they
would not reach home till s o'clock.
But it was all very cheerful, and Hell
ena and Maxwell and two or three 9th
er pairs of lovers had hooks to them
selves and would have liked it to con-
tinue indefinitely.
Miss Martha had been prominent all
day with the congregation. Then her
class had given her much to do, it be-
ing of boys many of whose parents Rad
not come, but intrusted their children
| to her care.
She was really very tired when late
in the afternoon she went to side OF
the boat little removed from the peo-
pie.
There was dove in cage hanging
above her She looked up to it, smiled
and spoke 20 it, it was so pretty.
She seated herself on a camp stool
and folded her hands. The dove made
n mournful sound. The swash of the
water was loud. She was hemmed in
by the mist. The wind seemed to rise
all at once. ",The boat will stay at the
wharf all night" she told herself. 81
should think they would have to have
two lights instead of one ON such a
night" There was the scraping of a
camp stool near her. Mr.. Mast haG
| looked for and found her.
"AIiss Penfold," he said, seating him
self beside her, "a picnic is a circus, as
some of your boys would say. don't
know how it is with you, but one pic
mic takes more out of me than deliver
ing four sermons day, as ! have done
Oh one or two occasions"
She made room for him. She knew
what this portended, what she had ex-
pected and for which she believed Mr..
Mast was sure she was prepared. A
little silence fell. They felt the throb-
biug of the engine. The swash of the
water against the side of the boat
seemed abnormally loud. The merri-
ment on board had become intermit-
tent or was confined to the saloon,
where there was piano.
"Miss Penfold, l think you know in
what light have long regarded YOU"
know 1 am plain spoken man whose
faults are what they are. You know
me very well, and l know you very
well. We are quiet couple our tastes
are in common, the church means o
great deal to us. Will you be my
wife,"
Miss Martha had supposed tremors
on her side, little irregular heartbeats
preparatory to placing her hand in his,
Now, feeling calm and clear minded,
she turned to him.
"You have done me great honor"
she said, ''and l appreciate 1t. l have
expected it, and have thought 1t over
all day here, all last evening at my
window" She touched his hand. "Mr.
Mast, let us be friends. 1t would be
hard to be more than that at our time
of life anyway"
He understood her, but he jerked his
chair away a foot or so.
Don't be annoyed" she said. 81 re-
spect you more than any man I know
or have ever known. l shall always SO
respect you. And hope you will let
me go on beside you in the church
work-in any way l can be of service
to you. That is ALL"
He did not reply for awhile, His face
was set. Then he spoke,
Il had expected another answer from
you," he said. Il felt that you gave
me the right to expect another sort of
answer" He rose abruptly and left
her. The dove over her head made n
mournful sound. All at once terror
seized her. What had she done? She
had given up good man, man who
wor'& nave cared for her and pro-
tsected her. Had she made a mistake
Had he asked her two days ago what
would her answer have been? 1t was
an hour after he had gone away be-
fore she was restored to calmness. In
that time she had been Joined by some
of the women who had understood the
intimacy between her and Mr.. Mast,
who had seen the short Capitalization
and wished to ascertain results. But
Miss Martha adroitly turned the talk
to church matters. When the women
left her, she staid there alone. Helena
and Maxwell came round to her.
Gordon said yesterday it might be
bad day." Helena said triumphantly.
Didn't you, Gordon? And storm is
coming There's drop of rain. Come
with us, aunty, and see what q sea Is
driving toward us"
81 am not lonely" Miss Martha said
sharply. $50 away, please. Go and
be happy"
The captain reported that they might
get to shore by 0 O'clock but they
should have to slow down little, the
weather had come on so nasty,
At s O'Clock 1t was pitch dark, and
wind and wave contended. The boat
rose as though it would never come
down again, and then it sank and shiv-
cred. The water lashed over the sides.