Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-21
Behrnan's Compromise.
By O. F. Bryan.
Copyrighted. 1908. by Associated
 Literary Press.

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
 It 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 a smart breeze from dead ahead carried aft the sound of the man made music.
 It was cool almost cold. on the for. ward deck and 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 a cigar and took a 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 CT 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 al most knew content.
 It was worth while, this communion of the night and the sea, and Behman 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 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 attention. He knew that she had learned that her Jealousy was entirely without founda- tion. It 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. It was symbol perhaps. He was far better of, after all, even if she had broken the engage ment, and he had vowed that life was no longer worth the living.
 Down on the lower deck boyish laugh rang out. Half a 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 brow.
 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 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 1t rather pleasant to sit and dream of the last few weeks. He was at the stage where self com miseration is balm to wounded feelings, and he went over the inci- dents that had resulted in the breaking of the engagement by Nell Wheaton. assuring himself that his course had been blameless.
 Surely 1t was Nell's place to speak, and as he started out into the night Behman found pleasant occupation in wondering just how she would make apology.
 She was clearly in the wrong, and 1t 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 lit tie, but in the end he would be mag unanimous and would forgive her on her promise not to offend again. i For her own sake as well as his, for the sake of their future happiness there must be no compromise. He had hinted as much to Bob Wheaton when the latter had offered his services as 1 peacemaker between his sister and Behman.
 So engrossed was Behman with his hot hn ha l~h footfall on the canvas covered deck nor realize that his solitude had been intruded upon until Nell Wheaton 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 rail, and then she was too proud to beat re. treat She stood quietly looking down upon the water, one hand clasping 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 expres sion bits of popular songs and snatches from current musical productions. Beh man found this concert more musical than the efforts of the poorly paid band within doors.
 i Then the music changed from new to old, and the boy was playing some o1 the songs that Nell had softly sung in the weeks just gone as he had pad disd inc canoe or had drifted with the current.
 1 In the dark of the night Behmar could see the river again, with Nelfl