The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-29
THE TOOM DISH.
A Halloween Story. BY F. H. LANCASTER.

BN F. H. LANCASIEh. (Copyright 1905, by Daily Story Pub. Col | The quarantine had been in force SC | long that the summer visitors trapped on | the bayou had grown accustomed to get 1 ting along without the things they want ed and to getting along with the things they did not want. Had even grown to ac- cept one anothers idiosyncrasies as part of the days work--or amusement. Mrs. Bradford. who ran the Bayou house did do her best to set forth tempt Ing table and to supply assorted amuse- ment but in the cch1try food is so much more plentiful than fun,-the kind of fun that the city bred can enJoy-mosquitoes on the bayou at evening and dew on the grass In the morning. Miss David and Mr. Heard had each alluded pointedly to these discomforts of late and Mrs. Bradford heard in their remarks he growl of boredom. The most contagious complaint that can attack a boarding house. She heard some thing else in it. too. for Mrs. Bradford was woman. In the thick of her perplexi- ties came the inspiration: "Al Hallow- eve was drawing near" She began at once to loom 1t temptingly upon the horizon of her Quarantined guests and the guests responded gaily-all except Miss David and Mir Heard. who treated the lure as coIdly as they treated each other Mrs Bradford understood. She scented the bit- ter restlessness under this chilly calm. and the purple haze deeDened over the land, and the longed for frost drew daily her dread SharDeneu 10 rear rest these two so well suited for happiness. should part with the heavy silence still dumb between them. But plot and fear as she would. she was only boarding house keeper with all hallow-eve as her only hone.
 ID in her room that overlooked the lawn. Miss David stood at the window. She was uncomfortably conscious. that the slim hands cIasped behind her back were trem- bling; that her cheeks were hotter than hox,a In hat a was nervous.
 "Aii because" as she told herself with disgusted frankness "aIi because John Heard, coming down she was going up stairs. had given place with that quiet question:
 shall you burn any nuts tonight. Miss pavid?"
 And there was nothing in that to get nervous about. Nearly everybody In the house had asked her the sarne sii,y ques- ton. But it was the first time hs had voluntarily addressed her since that day ir the boat-before the mosquitoes got bad-when she had been. wei-ruds to him. He had been rude to her. too" her Inner conscience justified hastily, horribly rude" But Miss David was 2reoccu- pied with the incidents of this meeting
 ''Nhy had he asked her? Why had she been able to make no reply say" that stu Did yes?"
 But I need not burn any nuts-not single one. If he thinks I am going to burn any nuts with him after that-it wasn't my fault Oh. If frost would only come and let me get away from this wretched placerA A peal of laughter rang through the hall
 T don't believe I will go down, I am not feeling well" strong masculine voice was heard for moment above the babble below stairs. 'I won't go down" And she fell to rehearsinE all the causes of her just indignation It may not be right for a man to kiss a girl when he, is helping her out of a boat. but 1t is brutal of him to tell her afterwards that he did not mean to do 1t
 While she stood at the window recalling and resolving. 1t grew dark in Miss Da- vid's room. but out the lawn the white glory of. the soft october moonlight had strengthened until 1t was almost as light as day Watching the beauty of 1t with moody eyes, Miss David started. her heart stumbled her hands closed sharply. The figure of a man. taller and broader than ever in the moonlight. had come into view crossing the lawn. He was not smoking. With his hands in his nocket and his head