Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-11-04
The Argus Daily Short Story
BEHMANS COMPROMISE BY VT. BRYAN.
Copyrighted 1908. by Associated Literary Press.

For third time the by Request
sign was hung in front of the music
stand and as 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, lehman 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. and considerations of COM
fort rs 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
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.
| There was the smell of salt in the air.
the tang Of the sea that Behman loved,
and for the first time ia weeks he al
most knew content.
| 1t 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
stalrs-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 fcunda-
ton. 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
J the summer evening. 1t was a symbol
perhaps. He was far better off, after
all, even ic 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 n 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
~ 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 week ago.
| Now he was n 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 it rather pleasant to
He was at the stage where self COM
miseration is balm to wounded
| feelings, and he went over the Incl
dents that had resulted in the breaking
OF the engagement by Nell Wheaton
assuring himself that his course had
been blameless.
Surely it was Nelrs 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, an6
1t would never do to bow to her before
! marriage. He would be henpecket
| all his life, and Behman hated tbs
fsight Of henpecked man.