Morris tribune., 1907-02-02


Il guess we exiles shall have to char
ter steamer. laughed Manning. IF
you are done. Miss Howard, shall we
go?"
She left the table with relief. Some
how Roper's attitude of compliment
satisfaction was positively hateful.
She had always liked him before.
Down in her heart of hearts she had
vacillated between the two men ever
since her coming out ball Her prefer
ence had been for Roper until now, but
at present Toms mercurial tempera
ment suited her mood better, and she
was glad that she had met him first
''Since Frank has refused the re
quest, may take it up?" he asked as
they parted at the hotel II may be
able to sandbag some unwary tour
list and take his stateroom from him."
IF you only could!' she cried i'm
pulsively. Father is in poor health,
and l am SO anxious to get to him."
"Can you sail at onceY' he asked.
I'D like to go this minute" she cried.
Consider it DONE he said, with
sandbag persuasion this very day"
Madge went upstairs oddly comfort
| ed by the assurance, though her sense
| told her that Manning could not sue
! coed where Roper with his influence
| had failed.
1t was with misgiving that she open
ed the note he sent her that evening,
lN,rf 1n1 Fad VIZ harl
! ticket fell out. She let it f1utter to
| the floor when she read the letter. 1t
| ran:
| Dear Miss Howard-I am called out Of
| town and am mailing these to you. You
| can fix it up when l see you In New
! York. Hope you will have pleasant
! passage. With regards to your aunt
| and yourself, THE SANDBAGGER.
Roper called that evening to explain
! that he had heard of a berth that she
| might obtain four weeks later and
seemed much relieved to find that she
| had been provided for.
Il should have offered you my ROOM"
he said, had it not been that it was
| imperative that / should be in town
| next week. We shall be fellow pas
| sengers."
| Madge could not arouse great enthu-
! siasm over this fact. A few weeks be-
fore she would have been glad. But
since the luncheon she had changed. 1t
was unreasonable TO expect him to
! give up his stateroom, yet the compla-
| cent way in which he had dismissed
! that possibility had irritated her.
1t was not as pleasant trip as Ro-
per anticipated. Madge was pleasant,
| but there was no chance to get chat
with her, and they were nearing home
F! before the opportunity came to put his
| fate to the test.
| He had regarded her acceptance as a
matter of course, and her prompt and
emphatic negative put him out of sorts
with himself. He did not come near
her again until they lay off quarantine
and the steerage passengers Were be-
ing transferred to the Ellis island boat.
The cabin passengers were hanging
over the rail watching the odd charac
! tiers as they trooped on board the little
steamer. Roper leaned on the rail be
side Madge
Suddenly he grasped her arm and
pointed to the gangway. Isn't that
the richest joke:' he chuckled There
goes Manning. He probably got strap
ped and came over steerage because it
was the best be could afford This is
rich"
In fash Madge solved the situat ton.
Il am afraid she said, that we are
! occupying Mr.. Manning's stateroom.
That is probably his reason for coming
| third class. He knew how anxious |
was to get home, and that is the way
he solved the problem. Had l known
l should never have consented"
Roper's mirth changed to q sjckly
smile. Il congratulate-Mr Manning"
he said as he turned away.
That evening Manning presented
i himself at the Towards in response to
Madges note. L was going to arrive
officially in coupla of weeks from
/ now" he explained sheepishly. "I did
not want to see you two left alone in
London, and had to get back ON big
deal [ was working. I'm sorry you
saw me, though
I'm not she said decidedly. II
used to think you We're just society
butterfly, and Pm glad to know differ
emily"
"Oh. work" he said lightly "Only
don't bring my business to ) o'clock
teas, and [ rather like the teas-that's
ALL"
"Just-the teas?" asked Madse mean.
ingly
do you mean he Stammere3
yes said Madge 'Since you are
afraid to appear to take advantage of
your action | suppose 1 shall have to
| force you to propose"
1T won't take much forcing" he
laughed. ''Will you:'
Gladly" said Madge.
Profitable Inheritance.
The boatman, stolidIy bending to his
oars, looked up quickly and said, illus
fpic e,pa, ~ o4