The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-10-17


lot only very embarrassed. bat vay
nervous.
II was i relief when dinner was final
" served, Suddenly, KlancIn9 up, Mu
rlcl noticed the steward talking 70 the
man across from her. ne wac eyl
dently, By Ms geatufea, talking aboul
the bread III tho center Of tho tAble
She overheard him say. n thought you
were together. sc brought Tho bread
On one plate" 10 which the man snill
Ingly repIIedi ''It doesn't matter II
Will be all right"
For some time neither MuTiai nor the
man opposite deigned 70 take any
bread. Th0A auddanly. NJ II By one
impulse, each reached for the same
roll and each NJ suddenly Withdrew
empty handed,
Immediately. With very Gathering gall
lantry, tho man passed the bread e
Murlei, and Bhc. not 10 be outdone n
courtesy, took the troll of combat, {
broke II end offered her table cctnpan
ION half
AN hour of NO inter III her state
room MurIel lay crying her pretty eyes
out, whether from an overflow Of hap
plness or because Of regret for her past
Stiffness ste could not for the lIfe Of
her hare told, when ahe heard A knock
u she stAseroom door.
'who Ii ltr' she called cautiously.
steward. miss have message
for you"
Mnriel took no envelope and broke
Il open with haste, hor heart thumpInR
tumultuously ~ she read
paaraat--I knew psrfectly wen wiEy YOU
wouldn't recognize me Il ths table. You
dld not want 70 excite public curiosity o.
criticism, and admired you f0r ~ But
how ] wanted TO hold your hand tight
whenever 1 nav you iFenble ~ tho light
ningi hut you were unHpeahably sweet
IN the way you lct me know that We are
friends again and much, much more. dear
girl, hopsi
Nov thai wa have ''brokcn bread TO-.
getter can't We talk together too7 II IL
full moon tonight. you know. In about
fiftean minutes / shall be stFoliing around
the upper deck and shall expect 70 fnd
you tucked away m corner there Hories
whore. Blk weary monshH arc you gave
mo the nilten, llttlo MurtoL Come and
Heo new what have 10 cffer In return
THE SAME OLD TOM.
y. g.~By the bye I'm on my way 20
visit with your mother. Hhs and 1 have
always been good ohuTns, YOU know. !
heard you weren't 10 be " Clitgaide this
summer, 10 thought perhaps your moth.
az might ho "a BIZ lonesome. Queer she
aidn't tell mo you were coSningl
II was lucky that Tom had given
MurIel ilfteen FUN minutes Of grace IN
which to oblIterate somewhat the uh.
becoming traces Of her tears. She had
no sooner established herself comfort
ably In a deck chair on tho lee side Of
the pliotllonse TINT Tom appeared idly
AaAsiing By bis side ono long white
magwe.
Masia caught Il Instantly.
Biiiy beys' was Der greeting "wAtfe
~ rev Rss itY'
TsA ptpA smiling down 1t hex rap.
aasoueiy.
~WAg. ~ osnrsA. was watching you
wAeR you ioat II. Several Of - nade .
segamble fOr 1t. and ! got IT. ! knew
sAaa my inck had chnnged."
-AAd I thought" Muriei told him!
ssashlas The glove II bar hand, re wsa
aa esasn 81 misfortune. Why. what's
ia MY' she exclaimed suddenly. 4 feel
sashssAing hardF'
And she began TO investigate each
angsr. Tom sat down close beside het
ana watched her with absorbing adj
miration.
why, it's--it's my engagement ringT'
ERsped Mnriel, shaking out the third
tnger Of tho glove, Isn't that funny
| hadn't had II on at all BECAUSE"
Then as she realized the unpleasant
truth she had stumbled upon and also
how the ring had really come there she
looked up at Tom and smiled her adora.
tIOn.
won't you put II on again, Tom,
dearT' she asked with very sweet hu.
millty.