Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1907-02-27

room was booked before l came oven
l am going day after tomorrow"
81 guess we exiles shall have to char
ter u steamer" laughed Manning. IF
you are done, Miss Howard, shall we
go?"
She left the table with relief. Some
how Roper's attitude of complacent
satisfaction was positively hateful.
She had always liked him before.
Down in her heart of hearts she had
yacillated between the two men ev ver
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 upY he asked as
they parted at the hotel. Il may be
able to sandbag some unNary tour
list and take his stateroom from him."
"If you only couldw 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
mock dramatics. II will work the
sandbag persuasion this very day."
Madge went upstairs oddly comfort
ed by the assurance, though her sense
told her that Manning could not sue
ceed where Roper with his influence
had failed.
1t was with mlsgiving that she open
ed the note he sent her that evening,
but delighted cry escaped her when
a ticket fell out. She let it fiutter 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 1t up when l see you in New
York. Hope you will have a pleasant
passage. With regards to your aunt
and yourself. THE SANDBAGGER.
Roper called that evening to explain
might obtain four weeks later and
seemed much relieved to find that she
had been provided for.
81 should have offered you my room, y
he said, "had it not been that it was
imperative that l 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. II
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 a chat
with her, and they were nearing home
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-
ters 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 joker he chuckled. There
goes Manning. He probably got strap
ped and came over steerage because il
was the best he could afford. This is
rich.'
In flash Madge solved the situation.
81 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
| should never have consented
Roper's mirth changed to a sickly
smile. II congratulate-Mr Manning y
he said as he turned away.