Willmar tribune., 1909-01-13

str1ngy about the throat.
We were sitting on the deck OF the
steamer watching the moonlight on
the water and enjoying ourselves very
much indeed when a man came around
the corner of the cabin and sat down
near us, as, of course, he had a per-
feet right to do. Suddenly Gabrielle,
who was next him, jumped up and
clutched my arm.
Come away she whispered. "Come
away"
And, OF course, We came forthwith.
She was quite pale and trembling
when we reached the cabin, and for q
few minutes was unable to satisfy our
curiosity; but at last she spoke.
'He threw a chair into the water"
she said, in an awed voice.
'Oh!" said Elizabeth, with evident
disgust, ''is that all? I thought it was
something interesting"
1T was quite enough" insisted
Gabrielle. II was afraid he might
throw me next. You should have seen
his face and heard him muttering."
What did he mutter?" Elizabeth
liked the whole of a story or none
at all.
II couldn't hear. But I think"-Ga-
brielle glanced around apprehensively
II think he's crazy, and I don't like
being on a boat with an unguarded in
sane man. You never know what they
are going to do. Besides, he looked
at me-"
did not blame him there, for Cab
rielle is we'll worth looking at, espe-
cially when she is gazing at the moon
with the uplifted expression she re.
serves for that purpose. I sometimes
wonder why she doesn't think some
man on earth worth it, but she says
distance lends enchantment in such
matters, and suppose she knows her
own affairs best.
"Perhaps his keeper is somewhere
around" speculated Elizabeth. Lets
60 back and see if he is still there"
So we reconnoitered stealtkily, and
saw him sitting quietly smoking and
not looking at all dangerous-a rather
tall, spare man in blue serge clothes,
with cap pulled down over his eyes,
and the air of one who is quite sat-
isfied with his surroundings. It was a
cool night, and the deck was almost
deserted, so he had our secluded cor.
ner behind the cabin all to himself,
ard we could stand just outside the
door and examine him at our leisure.
"He looks just like anybody else,' -
said Elizabeth. plainly disappointed.
Il didn't say he had a hump on his
back" returned Gabrielle, Indignantly.
II said he threw a chair overheard
and SO he did,
1T is a new way of beginning a
flirtation," I murmured, "but customs
differ in various places. Perhaps you
should have sent your chair after 1t,
by way of acknowledging the atten-
ton. OH"
For at that moment he leaned for.
ward, looked with interest at the chair
beside him, felt it's back and legs,
poised it lightly in the air, and shot
it over the railing into the water be.
low, where we saw it bobbing in the
foam in our wake.
"There!" triumphed Gabrielle. "Now
what do you say?"
We said nothing, for just then he
reached for another chair. This time,
however, he was not bent on destruc.
tfon, for he merely detached dark
object hanging on it's back. For the
second time Gabrielle clutched my un-
fortunate arm, which was quite bruised
with her attentions.
TITS my bag!" she exclaimed. "My
new shopping bag. I left it hanging
on my chair-and he's opening it.!
Oh, the wretch!"
The wretch" proceeded to investi'
gate the contents of the bag, and
carefully examined each article as he
drew it forth. First a pair Of gloves,
and then a handkerchief, which he
held critically to his nose after scru'
tinizing the monogram.
Il hope he likes it," calculated
Gabrielle, in an indignant whisper.
Next small powder puff and bit
of chamois skin (regarded with tol
Grant amusement), a stubby pencil
minus a point and much dented from
thoughtful biting (having been used
to calculate our expenses), Is cents
three street car tickets, latch key
and square card, at which he looked
long and earnestly.
1T IL q good thing you wear YOU