The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-01
Fifth Wheel to the Coach
By BALDWIN SEARS

Maisie anXiousiy. II must ask him." But
she appeared to have forgotten all about
1T until half an hour after they had
started, and Beaufort, having schemed
her up into the bow, where there was
room for only two, was just congratulate
ing himself that that his long looked for
chance had come when Miss Maisie re-
| marked innocently: "Oh. there's Mr.. Cor
don steering, and he said he'd show me
| how the very next time we come out sail
| ing. You'll excuse me, won't you?"
What now?" soliloquized Tom ruefuily
| as he looked after her. II dare say she's
sorry for the old fellow because he's down
| there all alone. Wouldn't r. G. he tickled
| if he knew. I don't suppose he's ever
| had an heiress set herself out to amuse
him before-not such pretty one anyhow.
| Well, I love her all the more for doing
! it, and I'll tell her SO by and by too"
| Serenely unconscious Of these kind in
| tentions on the part OF her admirer,
| Maisie walked over and perched herself
| on the rail beside the man at the wheel.
Raleigh Gordon let his gaze WAIVER Tor
| a moment from the taut' spread of cam
vas leaning to windward. Why had she
| chosen the time of all others when he
! must keep a firm hand on the wheel, to
remind him of his promise to let her
steer?
Mr. Gordon-no, don't want to try
HO", dS the lOoSSls hAAt AooiS AAAeN1
a movement toward rising-'Ill just sic
here and watch you and learn the begin
nings of the the art by observation" Shs
smiled up at him.
Then she became very sober. Il just
came to ask you-to say-the fact isl
want to ask you something.
"Oh, r. G., please let Tom take the
wheel for a minute and open this alcohol
| lamp, there's a dear" begged Caroline, in
dispairing accents. I'VE want to get
lunch. and nobody can unscrew the
| thing"
Don't co." said r. G.. hurriedly. 'TM
| come back. I want to hear what you
| were going to tell me-"
But somehow he did not get a chancs
| to ask her all that day. Somebody or
| other wanted him to do something or
| other every minute, and when he could
have talked to her Beaufort was always
| claiming her attention.
But it wouldn't have made any differ.
ence in the eternal scheme of things"
he said to himself, with something more
| like a sigh than anything he had ever per-
mitted himself before.
ave are going out on Arbuthnot's drag
tomorrow afternoon" said Caroline
later DO be nice to Tom. The poor
fellow begins to look desperate. Isn't IL
unnecessarily cruel to keep him in sus.
| pense, my dear?"
| MaiSie did not answer for moment
She looked back toward the end Of the
dock. where R. G. had stopped to help
| disconsolate youngster whose fishing tack
! lie had caught among the piles beneath the
pier. He won't have to bear the sus-
pense much longer" she said. reflective
ly. I'm going home the day after to-
morrow"
1t was Tom Beaufort. of course, who
came to fetch her and Caroline when the
coach stopped for them. Maisie smiled
| at Tom and thanked him sweetly as he
helped her up, then mounted deliberately
into the wrong seat.
| "Oh, that's not where you're to sit! exc
claimed Caroline and Tom In a breath.
staring helplessly from below.
Maisie smiled radiantly as she squeezed
herself in between a deaf old gentleman,
who beamed approximately. and R. G..
who, as always, sat among the chaperons.
Isn't it?' she answered innocently. and
then she turned to R. G. Il love thu
back seat. Don't you?" she said.
He looked at her thoughtfully. His
gray eyes held spark that matched and
j might have caught Maisies .own.;-I ieFs
| whatever You will let me share with you.
he staid, simply. Il only wish 1T could
be life
Maisie kept her eyes on her lap. "Now
I'll never have to ask You that question,
she said, slowly.
What question is that?" he demanded.
1.-The one didn't finish the other day.
I wanted to ask you whether you were
woman hater." And then she looked up
at him, and, oh, how beautiful she wasl