Hattiesburg daily news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-16

~
Tennant saw her FIRST when she
rounded the hotel point and headed for
the open bay. she was alone, but the
little naphtha launch belonged to Cut
Ter. There was no installing that.
With its polished brass rails, its red
morocco cushions and its trim, slender
lines, 1t was the smartest bit Of sailing
craft on Lake Glenora.
And for over three weeks Muriel Ar
den had had the sole exclusive use OF
It and had exercised the privilege at
every opportunity To Tenant 1t was
more than mere girlish willfulness. 1t
was frankly Haunting in his face her
conquest Of Cutler and her defiance Of
himself and preference for things be-
longing to said Cutler.
He watched her as she neared the
pier. II she saw the tall, moody figure
in gray flannels, she made no sign.
Hatess, the wind blowing her brown
hair back from her tanned. clear cut
face. she held her way steadily toward
the open Dny, one hand on the. little
brass tipped pilot wheel. and looked
neither to the right nor the left.
Phil Tenant muttered something
under his breath and turned quickly on.
his heel toward the hotel. 1t was after
Z II he hurried, he could still catch
the night boat for Chicago Perhaps
he could even get away before she re-
turned. 1t was growing late Up at
the hotel they were lighting the colored
Japanese lanterns around the veran-
das. There was to be a hop that night.
He remembered Muriel had told him
she was going to 1t with Cutler. He
\ avoided the main entrance, with its
palms and pretty girls, and slipped up
ITO his own room to pack his suit cases.
On the way upstairs he met Cutler.
who looked anxious and annoyed.
did you see the little girl any
where?"
Tenant turned on him holly.
"Whom do you refer tor
Cutler laughed easily, without malice,
and ignored the resentment In the 9TH
er's tone.
There's storm coming up, and l
didn't want her to go out in my boat
alone"
AS he passed on downstairs leisurely
Tenant paused and looked after him,
his fists clenched tightly. He would
have enjoyed fiinging him down the
whole flight for those words. "The
little girlv' 1t was the easy proprie-
tary familiarity that cut. That any
man on earth should dare to use that
tone in speaking Of Muriel-his Muriel!
Then like fash came the memory Of
that straight, cold little figure in the
launch as 1t had passed the pier, of
the proud little face that would not
turn his way, and he went on upstairs
with logged, bitter sense Of all things
gone wrong. Perhaps she was Cutters
.'llttle girl
The Chicago boat was due at the
Glenora at $50. At s the music of
the Hungarian string orchestra came
softly from the palm hidden ballroom.
/ For moment Tenant hesitated on
the veranda listening to it. Muriel was
in there he thought. She had proba-
bly, returned and was dancing, perhaps
1awith Cutler. while he was going away
from her forever. He had been fool
to come at ALL 1t had been her half
laughing challenge, that last night on
the roof garden. They were with the
! Wilburton party Cutler had been
there also, but Muriel had sat next to
Tenant, and he had fancied that last
instant on the stairs that she had
meant more than mere Irritation
when she had said she hoped he would
be member Of the summer colony at
Glenora.
He had taken her at her word and
gone to Glenora, and what Miss Arden
had begun on the roof garden she fin
ished at Glenora. But Tenant was
slow, slow to fall In love, slow to be-
lieve that he had the ghost Of chance
with girl like Muriel Arden, slower
vet to risk that chance in one last
throw. And while he had waited, sure
of himself, but doubtful Of MurieI, Cut
Z Ter had come down with his launch, his
4 motor car, his coach and all the other
accessories of half a dozen million or
: SO, and Muriel had seemed to wayer.
The night air was still and heavy.
Suddenly sweep of cool. keen wind
blew in freshly from the bay. 1t
caught the frail Jap lanterns and tossed
them like leaves to and fro, The bam-
boo curtains at the long, French win
dows rustIed and swung inward, and
out on the lawn the palms and viii
lows bent before If with a 1.-THE, swift
obeisance.
Tenant jammed his hat low over his
eyes and started on run for the pier.
The rain splashed In his face, and a
glare of dazzling light shot across the
northwest heavens. He ran faster. If
he could make the LIGHTHOUSE before
the storm broke, he could take the
steamer, Just as the thunder burst
IN G epsrt from the gray edged
lis he passed Cutters boat
as the next fare Of quick
anne he saw that It was
u = - -