The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-20


 her exactly, until one morning she got into conversation with Fred Miner at the float, and when he found she really knew something about boat and was dressed senstbly, he asked her to go out fishing. So well did she acquit herself that it became regular thing for her to appear when the Meteor whistled for the start.
 Suddenly she turned on Hal Stevens as he smoked and started ahead. Are you going Into the sports tomorrow MT. Stevens?" she asked. He hestitat- ed a moment before answering, looking little surprised.
 T believe came scheduled for some- thing" he said indifferently They eyed each other silently, measuring their strength. The look grew so per- sonal that Maria Evans flushed ever so little and turned again to gaze ahead. T asked because I am interested in the mile run, Shall you go into that?" she persisted.
 'Oh yes of course. Everbody seems " HAAAAAh IL VIII cIGdlC 6lCetNCl lAiNSA SHS S if we go in for our specialties."
 Then it is settled thing before the start, she said, with a tightening of the lips. Do you think it is quite fair to the people who belong here and who have been woarking so hard? For in- stance, Joe Miner, the young brother of our skipper, is simply dead in earnest over that mile run. He's working night and day to get in form and he's a sure winner-if the college men stay out" !" The glance she gave him sidewise made the remark personal and he accepted the challenge.
 If he's that young chap with the prodigiously long legs, I may not prove his match after all, Miss Evans. His smiling assurance, however, piqued her, and she refused to continue the discus- sicn, giving her attention to making a landing.
 She loked at herself in the mirror of the boarding house bedroom and smiled cynically. "I'll tell you what It is, Maria Evans, if you'd brink little and be your old self, Hal Stevens and the rest would sit up and take notice. But here yo are making a trump of yourself" Then stamping her foot, she exclaimed: q won't do it-folow the lead of those silly girls and dress myself up to seeks his favor!" Still she could not bear the thought of Joe's disap- rointment if Hal Stevens should win the run. She wondered if Hal might not after all be a prtty decent chap, and if his honors weren't thrust upon him.
 'It will be for Joe anyway" she said as she pulled off her faded blouse and unlocked big trunk, She looked long and hard at the array within and finally decided on a beautiful em- hroldered rhatiste with a low square neck and gilt girdle. ''Itll be all in white" she said smilingly, as she dressed her hair Hike a debutaante." The casino lights twinkled through the trees and light breeze carried the strains of music into the night. Hal Stevens leaned negligently at the top of the float stairs and watched a | boat load of girls from the boarding house as they tripped upward toward him. He nodded carelessly to one or two, but stared blankly at the girl who brought up the rear. She smiled quietly into his face with a direct look, bowed and passed on while he gasped. He watched her graceful figure in white noted the ease of movement, l the naughty set of the head and sud- denly remembered the eyes in the bow of the boat. By Jove!" he calculated, and knocking the ashes out of his pipe | strolled toward the Sasino.
 She stood at the door watching the waltz. 'Tt's too bod you don't dance Miss Evans" Hal Stevens said softly | at her elbow. She started and said smilingly Tt would be too bad if I didn't" He looked at her a moment then swung her into step with him before she could protest. She danced l superbly, and as she allowed herself to develop all the old air of fascina- ton, she told herself it was all for Joe, But she thrilled unaccountably as the veening progressed and Hal Stevens had eyes for no other girl, and people whispered and nudged their neighbors When they parted late in the evening 1t was with the promise that she would accept his escort to the | sports the next day "I'll wear your l colors too," she promised coquettishly
 The management sweated at the de- lay, but the mile run went off without Hal Stevens, with Joe Miner an easy winner, Some spiteful creatures sug. gested that Halls absence was due tc the length of time Maria Evans took over her toilet, but Hal had Maria's assurance that she had walked to the nearest store to buy a crimson rig bon for a sash, and when he walked into the grounds under the shade of her crimson parasol he felt amply re- paid for the scowls he received The following June at the class day exer. cises several of the islanders noticed that Maria Evans ware a diamond or suspieiously important finger. but | they failed to connect it with the still stranger thing, that Fred Miner and l his younger brother Joe were being piloted around by Hal Stevens and ap