The daily sentinel., 1903-12-15

- n Milllary Banu was playing
ao~ its most stirring music.
Through the open sides of the building
could be heard the profound accom-
paniment of the ocean rising and fall
ing in Rhythmic grandeur. Overhead
the melancholy moon shone unwink-
ingly, steadily. with portentous pale
ness. From the veranda of the hotel.
warmly Illuminated by grotesquely
shaped Chinese lanterns. an OCCASION
al shrill staccato of laughter gave evil
dence that here was girl who thought
she looked her best when she laughed.
Every one had dined. Every one had
generously Tipped the waiter. Every
one let the little canoe of his mind
gently drift in a tremulous sea of
languorous content.
In the centre of the Casino sat Jan
Zalinsl-i, moody, cynical. with the ex-
preston of man who has brought
girl to dinner and finds her looking
coyly at chap sitting at the next
table. At times Zalinskl looked at
the programme and scowled at the
line which informed him that Signor
Concini was going to play n violin
solo later in the evening. At other
times Zalinski ruffied out his flaming
red beard and breathed noisily as he
gazed upon the stage at the smiling
Signor Concini.
"Concinil" muttered Zalinski. "Con-
eini cannot play the violin. And to
think that Wellman threw me over 10
get this miserable and altogether des-
picable Concini into his band, Bah!
Concinii Bah! BAH"
Zalinski suddenly felt an unac-
eountable impulse to seek the open
air. Unwittingly NJ had invoked the
wicked old Black Sheep by his double
repetition of the mystic ''Bah- 1t was
his present lot to be whisked along in
an irresistible current of fatality until
the Black Sheep was through with
him. No man can say "Bahr' twice
with impunity.
Zalinski reached the Board Walk
and looked up. A fantastic and men
acing cloud scurried across the face
of the cleaning, gloating moon.
Outside the Board Walk was nearly
deserted An occasional pair could
be seen sitting on the Misunderstanding
dreamily at the disappearing and re-
appearing glare of the invisible light
house across the bay. Sometimes an
overdressed dowager dipped along. the
noise of her rustling skirts forming an
irritating contrast to the soft wash of
the retreating breakers down on the
beach. The swelling crescendos of
the distant band in the Casino were
majestically borne along on the gath
ering beeze. Near at hand the reiter-
ated cries of an ill-tempered baby
called cynical attention to the drear
realities of life.
Zalinski came down the walk. He
gazed at the baby. He chuckled. He
gazed at the baby's nurse. He reflec-
lively stroked his flaming red beard
and chuckled again.
"Does it always cryf'-he asked, in
terestedly.
go on with you" coldly remarked
the nurse. Her look was very full of
naughty and dignified reserve.
Zalinski placed a half dollar in her
hand.
docs it always cry?" he repeated.
Nearly always replied the nurse
with sudden sociability and apparently
in total ignorance of the half dollar
in her hand. The baby stopped its
cries and appeared to listen intently
to this little conversation.
''Is there no way to stop him" con-
tinue Zalinski
"He on'y stops when he's playing
with my watch" she replied. when
/ take it away from him he carries on
awful. He's a regular little imp"
she continued, volubly. Hes a boy,
you know" she lucidly explained.
Look here,' said Zalinki. Here's a
dollar. You take him to the Casino.
Let him play with your watch until
the band starts on the ninth piece.
Then, when the little man on the stage
begins his solo on the violin, you just
take your watch away from the baby
and let him howl. Let him howl good
and loud. See?"
The girl looked up at him with sud
den craftiness.
make it So" she commanded.
Zone or nothing" replied ZaNlski.
coldly.
well, all right" she grumbled, sulk-
fly. ''well all right Her mutter-
ing rumbled itself away as she gath
cred up her charge and slowly followed
Zalinski to the Casino.
In her arms the moon bathed face of
the young one seemed to grimace with
a suppressed deviltry far beyond the
years of any one-year-old as he leaned
over his nurses shoulder and deliber-
ately winked at the unseen Black