The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-12
THE EVENING STORY
Behnan,s Compromise.
(By w. r. Bryan.)

NOW ana Inen the Qeep-lOn6u whistle
sounded above the noise OF the water,
but a smart breeze from dead ahead
carried aft the sound of the map-rIade
| music.
1t was COOL almost cold. on the for
ward deck, and considerations of COM
fort as well as culture held the peo-
pie inside the cabin. Behman was
| glad that it was so.
| He had the deck to himself, so he
I lit cigar and took a camp chair we'll
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 phan-
tom banner, streamed across the blue
expanse. Beyond the dark waters, a
darker tone told of the land, and here
and there the lights of the beacons
winked solemnly into the night.
There was the smell of salt in the
air, the tang of the sea that Behman
| loved; and for the first time in weeks
he almost knew content.
1t was worth while this communion
of the night and the sea, and Behman
was grateful to the musicians who had
driven from the cabin. with its satin
| upholstered chairs and it's gaping oc-
cupants.
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
| that he would seek to attract her at
| tention. He knew that she had
| learned that her Jealousy was entirely
without foundation. 1t was her place
| to speak first. Probably she was in
| there, with other tourists. listening to
the band.
/ He was better off here in the cool
of the summer evening. 1t was SYM
4 g. hot OFF
after all, even If she had broken the
engagement, and he had vowed that
life was no longer worth the living.
Down on the lower deck. boyish
! laugh rang out. Half dozen young
sters were crowded into the sharp bow
and were leaning over the rail watch
ing the white fall of water on either
side of the prov.
Their voices came to Behman vague
| ly and indistinctly, and he smiled in
| diligently as he caught the note of
| youth and love of life. He had felt
| like boy himself only a week ago.
Now he was man who would carry
through life the thought that a wo-
mans jealousy and a woman's pride
| had spoiled his career. Let the boys
| have their laugh. Their awakening
| would come all too soon.
+ Behman found it rather pleasant to
sit and dream of the last few weeks.
He was at the stage where self-com-
miseration is balm to wounded feel
| ings, and he went over the incidents
| that had resulted in the breaking of
| the engagement by Nell Wheaton, as
! surfing himself that his course had
| been blameless.
Surely it was Nells place to speak,
and as he stared out into the night
Behman found pleasant occupation in
wondering just how she would make
| apology.
She was clearly in the wrong and it
would never do to bow to her before
marriage. He would be henpecked all
his life, and Behman hated the sight of
henpecked man.
He would be rather stern at first.
He might even make her plead a little,
| but in the end he would be magnani-
| nous and would forgive her on her
promise not to offend again.
For her own sake as we'll as his, for
the sake of their future happiness,
there must be no compromise. He
| had limited as much to Bob Wheaton
when the latter had offered his serv-
ices as peacemaker between his sis
ter and Behman.
So engrossed was Behman with his
| thoughts that he did not hear the
light football on the canvas-covered
deck nor realize that his solitude had
been intruded upon, until Nell Whea-
ton stood beside the rail and looked
| out across the foam-capped waves.
She did not see him until she had
! taken her stand beside the the rail,
and then she was too proud to beat a
retreat. She stood quietly looking
| down upon the water one hand clasp
| ing the rail, the other clutching her
| hat.
On the lower deck the boys had
piled into chairs and now one OF them
was playing on the mouth organ. He
was rather skillful and played with
expression bits of popular songs and
snatches from current musical pro-
auctions. Behman found this concert
more musical than the efforts of the
poorly paid band within DOORS
Then the music changed from new
to old, and the boy was playing some
of the songs that Nell had softly sung
in the weeks just gone as he had pad
died the canoe or had drifted with the
current.
In the dark of the night Behman
could see the river again, with Nell's
sweet eyes looking into his through
! the soft moonlight
He wondered if she, too. recalled
the scene and If her eyes were filled
with tears now. His own were moist
as he listened. and when the boy
struck up the song that had been their.
favorite. his teeth met together
through his cigar and he tossed it ever
the rail.
This was simple little southern
, air. half mournful. wholly musical.
and she had always sung 1t as they
had come in sight of the landing.
1t had been their goodnight song,
and S they had trudged I'D from the
boat stage to the hotel she had always
hummed 1t softly to herself. He won
dered If she was humming IL now. She
might be. The wind would carry the
song away from him.
The boy stopped and the spell was
| broken, but another lad broke the
silence.
THAT last was pretty, Dune" he
| called. PLAYER ag'in."
The willing musician complied. and
Behman rose to his feet. He could
not sit still under that music, and re
took a few nervous turns up and down
| the deck.
He came to rest beside the rail, so
| close that he could reach out and
touch the girl. had he desired.