Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-11-04

For third time the BY Request"
sign was hung in front of the music
stand, and rs Arthur Behman came
slowly down the stairs from the res
taurant on the upper deck the strains
of The Merry Widow" waltz filled the
social hall. Behman fed.
1t was not so bad on the forward
deck, where the scraping of catgut was
replaced by the Music of the waves.
Now and then the deep toned whistle
sounded above the noise of the water,
but smart breeze from dead ahead
carried aft the sound of the man made
music.
1t was cool. almost cold, on the for
ward deck, ard considerations of COM
fort as well as culture held the people
inside the cabin. Behman was glad
that 1t was SO.
He had the deck to himself, so he lit
cigar and took Il camp chair well
ahead of the deck lights, shaded to-
ward the bow that the port lights
might be more easily seen by other
boats
There was no moon, but the stars
shone brightly in the cloudless sky, and
the Milky way, like some phantom
banner, streamed across the blue ex-
panse Beyond the dark waters dark
er tone told of the land, and here and
there the lights of the beacons winked
solemnly into the night.
| Al, . ~. B.,
the tang of the sea that Behman loved
and for the firstrime in weeks he al
most knew content.
| 1t was worth while, this communion
of the night and the sea. and Behmar
was grateful to the musicians who had
driven him from the cabin. with its
satin upholstered chairs and its gaping
occupants.
Somewhere inside sat Nell Wheaton
He had seen her in the dining saloon
and he had taken a seat close to the
stairs-and the music-that he might
be as far from her as possible.
He had no mind to let her think thai
he would seek to attract her attention
He knew that she had learned that hel
jealousy was entirely without founda
ton. 1t was her place TO speak first
Probably she was in there, with othel
tourists. listening to the band
He was better off here in the cool OF
the summer evening. 1t was symbo
perhaps. He was far better off. aftel
all, even il she had broken the engage
ment, and lie had vowed that life wa.
no longer worth the living
Down on the lower deck boyisl
laugh rang out. half dozen young
sters were crowded into the sharp bow
and We're leaning over the rail watch
ing the white fall of water ON eithe
side of the prov.
Their voices came to Behman vague
ly and indistinctly, and he smiled in
diligently as he caught the note 0
youth and love of life. He had fel
like boy himself only a week ago.
Now he was a man who would carr,
through life the thought that wo
mans jealousy and woman's prid
had spoiled. his career Let the boy
would come all too soon.
Behman found 1t rather pleasant L
sit, and dream OF the last few weeks
he was at the stage where self com
miSeration is balm to wounds
feelings, and he went over the Incl
dents that had resulted in the breakin
Of the engagement by Nell Wheaton
2 assuring himself that his course ha
been blameless.
Surely it was Nelfs place to speal
and as he started out into the nigh
Behman found pleasant occupation
wondering just how she would max
apology.
She was clearly in the wrong, an
; it would never do to bow to her befol
marriage. He would be henpecke
all his life. and Behman hated III
!sight of a.henpecked man.