Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-10-29

PSI iooII. uPtdill was Out, duNt
Captain Perez and Captain Jerry were
with Elsie in the dining room. The
electrician was made welcome by the
1rio-more especially by the captains.
for Miss Preston was in no mood to be
overctfusive and a few minutes Of
general conversation followed Then
Captain Jerry. III accor,lanre with his
plan OF campaign. laid down his news
paper. coughe'l enphatically to attract
the attention Of his partner and Said: :
Well. guess I'll so out and look At
the weather for a spell. Come on
Perez
why. Captain Jerry" exclaimed Ell
sic. YOU We're out looking at the
weather only ten minutes ago. don' t
think ii has changed much since then
Why 'ont you stay here and keep us
conpany:''
"Dl. yoa can't never tell about the
weather long this coast It's likely
to charge most any time Besides
with wink that expressed compre
hension unlimited. II reckon you and
Mr.. HaXeiline don't care much 'hout
TIE con!l,any OF Old fogics like me aud
Perez. TWo's company anG ;hree's a
'roT.,!. y";, EH,w Ko, no. ho.''
''Cap:t;l.. Jerry. come back this min
ute''
Bat ttf. captain churklea and shook
ont Of the door. followed hy the o.etii
enl Perez. who. having pledged feal'y.
stuck TO his coiors whatever nigh!
l4:.plen.
At another time Elsie would proba
s'.H have :tplicy.i:ite ami enjoyed the
Ae as mech as any one, bat this
,TciiHg il -! not appeal to her in he
east E;ii.h pu II Il very 'Ern!n
Portable hair honr and then cut his VIZ,
il short and departed
II certainly WAS Captain .!errN'S nm
lucky evening. Tor he left Perez chat
ting With y fisherman friend who had
left :; faNoriie p,l,e i'll his slElnty AIN,
had clille dOWn to get il and entered
lItc i4e,}se alone. He had seen the tlcc
tyician go ANA WAS surprised at The
hrevity of his call. but he WAS as far
from suspccting that he hilnself was
the indirect cause Of the said brevity
rs a mortal could be.
He came into the dining room. hung
his cap Oh the back of chair and re
marked cheerfully: "Well. Elsie, what
did YOU scId your company home SO
quick for! Land sake. y o'clock
wa.t none too late for me when !
WAS Young and goin round to see the
girls
Hut Miss Preston did not smile On
the contrary, she frowned. aud when
she spoke the captain had n vague
feeling that some one had dropped an
icic.e inside his shirt collar.
.Captain Jerry said the Young lady.
II want to have talk with YOU. Why
do You thnk it necessary to get up
and leave the room whenever Mr.. Ha
zeltine calls? You do it every time.
and tonight WAS 40 exception. except
that by what you said you made NE
appear little more ridiculous than
usual. Now. why do you d" it z"
The captains jaw fell. He stared
at his queSiioner to see if she was not
Joking but. finding no encouragement
of that Kind. stammered: why do |
10 it: Why:'
''Yes why?"
well. | don't know. ! thought you
two would r,1ther he alone know
when used to go to see my Wife fore
we was married r.
please, what has that got to do
with MIR. HaZeltine's visits here;"
why. why. nothin', s'pose. if You
say So Jest thought"
What right have you to suppose
that Mr.. Hazeltine is calling on me
more than any other person or persons
in this house,
This was something Of poser. but
the captain did his best. He sat on
the edge of chair and rubbed his
knee aud then blurted out: We'll. I
s'pose | that is. we thought he was,
Jest cause he naturally would: that =
bout all If I'd thought why. see
to see yoU:
II don't know that ! Go At amy
rate. have given you no authority t"
act on any such assumption. and !
don't want you to put me again in the
ridiculous position yon did this even
lng and as YOU have done so often he
fore. Why. his visits might be perfect
torture to me, and still should have
to endure them out Of common polite
ness. couldn't go away and leave
!. him alone
Captain Jerry's face was a study OF
chaw"in and troubled repentance.
Elsie" he said. I'm awful sorry
am so. If Id thought was tortnrp'
of YOU stead of maxim it pleasant
I'd never have done it. sure. ! wont
go out again. l won't, honest. hope
YOU won't lay it up against me.
meant we'll"
Now, if Captain Perez had delayed
! his entrance to that dining room only
| two or three minutes longer. if he had
! not come in Just in time to prevent Ell