Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-10-10
And so to the Shelburne they went

Steve trying to forget that he had less
than dollar, living only each success
siye moment in her presence, hectic
with alternate joy and embarrassment,
till they were well along toward the
coffee. He urged the ladies to order
this, that and the other-anything that
would defer the catastrophe and pro-
long his rapture. On tenter hooks of
delight and terror, at last he saw Now
att strolling across the verandah. He
hailed his friend as deliverer, and
Jerry was soon chatting with them.
No, he would have nothing; he had
just dined; he was going for sail
with the Hildebrandts. Steve winked,
grimaced and in dozen ways tried to
send him wireless kilograms of distress
financial distress-but Mowatt, curse
him, either could not or would not see
them.
Matters were becoming desperate.
Steve saw the waiter making out the
bill. He excused himself a moment
and tried to walk jauntily as he ap-
| preached the cashiers desk He ex.
| planned that he had cleft his money
In his other suit" Was he a guest of
the Shelburne? No. Then the cashier
was Every sorry to say, but" ETC.
Steve grew red and gray by turns, but
he went back to his table and sat like
a craven image for a whole minute.
| Then he twiddled his watch chain
furiously for another minute. Miss
| Glendennin, who sat next to him, no.
t1ced the ruby Chinese ring he wore on
the chain and leaned over to examine
| it Here was brief but priceless
oasis in the desert of his troubles. He
| felt the pressure of her perfect hand
upon his arm. He caught the vague
| fragrance of her ebon hair. But Now
att came around suddenly, shook hands
with Steve, and said good-by. Cald-
well could have throttled him as he
stood an instant grinning into his face.
1t was evident that Jerry understood
the awful predicament his friend was
In, and was deliberately deserting him.
But the economical villain gave Steve
no chance to say n word, much less to
make quick and dexterous "touch."
He bowed grandily to the ladies and
was gone like flash.
As Caldwell turned round he caught
a 1eeting look of puzzled curiosity up
on the expressive face of his idol
shes on to me-" he thought, and
blushed like schoolboy. Mrs. Glen
DENIM was getting nervous. The
waiter had brought the finger bowls
| lone, nd eli
lar with anticipation Of liberal fee.
Steve's right hand wandered aimlessly
into his trousers pocket.
"Eighty-five cents, count 'em," he
thought, grimly biting his mustache.
Then his fingers stole up into his vest
pocket. He felt hard, round bit of
metal, clutched it, looked at Miss
Glendennin and turned purple. He
pulled out $40 gold piece and tried
to look his gratitude at her. He sue.
ceeded in looking foolish but she
smiled family and sighed with pleased
relief. The old lady noticed nothing.
Steve paid the bill and gave the bob.
bing waiter dollar When they
walked into the cool air Caldwell felt
rs man feels whose reprieve Is de.
livered at the gallow's trap. He was
sure now that Anne, his Anne, was an
angel. Such tact, such sympathetic
acumen, such considerate regard for
his feelings, his dignity, his vanity!
lie told her, in whisper, that she
was a goddess. In the evening he
round that Jerry was yet out on the
water, SO he borrowed $40 gold piece
from the hotel clerk and hastened 70
his tryst with Miss Glendennin. It
was midnight when he returned to his
room and found Mowast in pajamas
smoking a pipe.
Jerry said Caldwell, I'm going to
marry that girl-yes, Miss Glendennin.
II l can, and think | can. You didn't
see that | was broke to-day at dinner,
did you? OF course not. You found
1t easy to go blind, deaf and dumb all
at once. But 1 forgive you. Do you
know what she did? She saw ; was in
a fix about settling the bill and she
managed to slip $40 gold piece into
my pocket while she was examining
this watch charm. I'd die for a woman
like that, Jerry"
But are you sure? How do You
know?"
Il made her admit it tonight. F1-st
she said no, Of course and tried to get
angry when l insisted on paying heI
back, but"
But what?"
FINALLY, when she saw that it would
CRATE Ga my pride to resist longer, she
took back her ten"
Mhwatt smoked furiously for five
minu.ss. Steve, speechless with ex.
citement, began to lose his temper.
Well" he bawled at last, aren't
you going to say word?'
Steve" drawled Mowatt, lollng
back in his chair, "if 1 were you l
wouldn't have anything to do with
Anne-Miss Glendennin."
"Why?" snapped Caldwell.
well, she bunkoed you out of that
top tbat'c oil