The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-08-09
BY GOUVERNEUR MORRIS.

was hot with heaviness. 1t clear and bestarred.
Furthermore, it still than candles burned
without Pickering
A table thirty feet long and low to the ground so
that people sitting rugs could eat from it with
comfort stood beneath the giant red oak that gave
name to the hollow. The white damask and the sill
yer and cut glass cleaned in the light of dozens Of
candles. The flowers were Mamechal Mel roses
AT the last moment when to have been any later
would have been either rude accidental little Miss
Blythe S voice was heard.
Miss Blythe blinked at the lights and looked beau
tiful She all in white and wore no hat She had
la red rose at her throat She grave for her
and silent.
The truth that she had during the last ten min-
utes made up her mind to ask BlagdOn to drive her
home when the picnic should be She had asked
Masters to drive out with her; and how much that
had delighted him nobody knew (alasD except Mis-
ter Masters himself. She had during the last few
weeks given him every opportunity which her some-
what unconventional soul could sanction. In
hundred ways she had shown him that she liked him
immensely; and well-if he liked her in the same way
he would have managed to show it, In spite OF ms
shyness The drive out had been failure They had
gotten further in conversation than the beauty
and the sweet smells of the night. And finally she
had given him up as a bad job!
At Mister Masters, now seated near the other enu
of the table, she lifted shy eyes; but he was looking
at his plate and crumbling piece OF bread 1t was
like saying good-by. She silent for a moment;
then, smiling with kind of reckless gayiety, she
lifted her glass of champagne and turned to the hosr
''To you'll she said.
Delight swelIed in the breast of Mr.. Bob Blagdon.
He raised his hand, and from the neighborng thcket
there rose abruptly the music OF banJos and guitars
and the loud, sweet singing of negroes.
| Toward dessert nothing was to be heard but the
Exclamation: For Heavens sake look at the moon!
I''Did you ever see anything like it?'
No one remembered to have seen the moon SO large
or so bright Atomized silver poured like tides OF
light into the surrounding woods; and at the same
time heavenly odors of flowers began to move hther
and thther to change places to return and pass IKE
disemboded spirits engaged In some tranquh anu
celestial dance.
It was not wholly by found himself
alone with little the gayety of the din
he had had the courage 70
though there his courage ad failed utterly
deter others from joining her
there they found thick rug and sat
upon it. and leaned backs against log
not yet asked Blagdon to drive her home.
would only be at the
possible twelfth hour 1t now that eleventh
rescued by bold lovers But Mister Mas
And the sailed higher ana
higher in the heavens
isn't it wonderful" Miss Blythe.
wonderful"
Gust smell i"
"Umm."
Her sad frightened to the noisy
the and silent center He knew
promise He believed in his
favorable him; but he was
with Masters and knew that his belief
what would decide not strong enough to make him ao
gether happy.
Then eyes Bythes turned hers
do you said fnallyto Mis-
Hes pretending not to watch but he's watching u
like a piece Of news?"
Never" Mister Masters.
would little Miss Blythe For n;
Black would
five minutes later everybody it"
and oes s @ s
ing him join them.
"Thee. Blythe, Withdrawing he,
@ sss knew that ss
felt as sn sy
little Bythe's will could herself hand
ashamed of to the
she whispered @ Ssz1s
though he trembling
and his
gentle smiled and he wht
Ipered:. "Boo!"
Only thend he her
no another Mr. Blagdon