The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-09-29

THE MAN PASSED THE BREAD TO MURIEL
question. answered it according to
what was expected of me, and every.
body saw the joke except Tom and my
self. When it did dawn on US some
time afterward we laughed and parted
the best of friends"
Now, as Muriel recalled with what
glibness she had ratified off this bit of
fiction, even laughing to herself over
the apparent humor Of it, she blushed
at her duplicity.
What had been the real reason, after
all, for her falling out with TomP A
difference of opinion, so far as she
could remember, over the relative ad-
vantages of spending ones summer in
a house boat or camping out.
She was rather unpleasantly con-
scious that Tom had been willing to
split the difference, but that she had
argued that If they couldn't come to
perfectly harmonious agreement about
spending their summer they very prob
ably would be equally at swords points
over the other seasons Of the year.
A1fu 81 at uCk 1CQuO6t LnCy n00 OAOhCu
the engagement.
Muriel looked out at the billowy wa
ter and for a few moments was con-
scious Of the speed with which the
big steamer was plunging through it.
BY morning it would bring her to the
Cliffside, where it all happened-the
counting and the quarrel. Would she
be able to be brave and cheerful under
such conditions when everything re-
minded her Of
A peal Of thunder startled her. They
were speeding into the midst Of a ter
rife storm. Tom had always been
such dear in a Thunderstorm Muriel
tossed her magazine into the berth
and hurried down to the dining room,
where she would at least have the
comfort of other people about her.
"No, not a seat by the window" she
said to the head steward who ushered
her in. 81 prefer one in the center"
He placed her at little round table
with one other woman and two men.
Muriel, absorbed in her own thoughts,
absently took the seat offered and be-
gan to read the menu. In the tedious
interval before her order was served
two Of the guests left the table, and
she made very startling and discom-
forting discovery.
Meanwhile the thunder and lightning
increased In severity. and Muriel was
NOT only very embarrassed, but very
nervous.
1t was a relief when dinner was final
~ served. Suddenly, glancing up, Mu-
riel noticed the steward talking to the
man across from her. He was evil
IDENTIFY, by his gestures, talking about
the bread in the center of the table.
She overheard him say, Il thought you
were together, SO l brought the bread
on one plate" to which the man smil-
ingly replied: "It doesn't matter. It
will be all right"
For some time neither Muriel nor the
man opposite deigned to take any
bread. Then suddenly, as If by one
impulse, each reached for the same
roll, and each as suddenly withdrew
empty handed.
lInueuidleiys VIII very AuItcIAnS gar
lantry, the man passed the bread to
Muriel and she, not to be outdone in
courtesy, took the roll of combat"
broke it and offered her table compan-
ion half
An hour or so later in her state
room Muriel lay crying her pretty eyes
cut, whether from an overflow Of hap
pdness or because Of regret for her past
Stiffness she could not for the life Of
her have told, when she heard knock
at the stateroom door.
"Who is it2" she called cautiously.
Steward, miss. have message
for you"
Muriel took the envelope and broke
It open with haste, her heart humping
unanimously as she read:
Dearest-I knew perfectly well why you
wouldn't recognize me at the table You
d4d not want to exotic public curiosity or
criticism, and 1 admired you sor 1t. But
how / wanted to hold your hand tight
whenever saw you trembte at the light
ntnRi But you were unspeakably sweet
ia the way you LET me know that we are
naends again ana much, much mere. dear
sal 1xAeeeA