Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-08-18
NUMBER 80

But how had 1t come into bis cabini
1t could not be possible that she
knew he was there and had taken this
means Of apprising him Of her pres.
encs? Why. she had scarcely spoken
half a dozen words to him In her life.
But the cap was hers unmistakably.
He fOndled It foOlishly for q MIN
ute or two and then got up and pro-
ceeded to dress with all speed, or at
least with as much speed az was con-
sistent with the rolling Of the vessel.
All day he haunted the ladies' room
and the decks, almost deserted on &C.
count Of the storm, and had begun tO
read the cards affixed beside each
stateroom door when he suddenly re-
membered the foolishness Of this plan
to find q woman whose name ne did
not know.
This is simply maddening." be told
himself after a day Of fine weather
and still no sight of the tam's owner.
AT this rate she will escape me again"
Then he bethought him Of brilliant
expedient
He took q pen and wrote the follow
ing notice:
Found. "A lady's red tam. shot with
gold. Owner may have same by applying
at cabin Q between bugles any evening.
This he affixed to the bulletin board
In the companionway and that night
dressed q half hour before the first
bugle sounded 80 as to be In readiness
to receive company during the period
named.
But nobody appeared that evening
nor the next, and now there were only
two days left on the voyage.
he had passed half hour Of i'm.
patient waiting In the stuffy state
room on the third day Of the notice.
and, quite discouraged. threw open his
door to 20 to dinner, when he stepped
sQuarely into the person who had
emerged from her room just opposite
in the narrow entryway.
II beg your PARDON said Roberts.
and then he fairly gasped as he real.
lied that the other person was the
lady of the tam.
81 have something Of yours" he
blurted out-"that red tam you lost
once before"
The girls cheeks suddenly took on
the hue Of the cap that hung over
Roberts berth.
"Oh," she said. was 1t your po.t !
flung It into? didn't know. 1t start.
ed to blow away again that first morn.
Ing, and thought was tossing II
into my own cubin."
"And you've been just across that
FIVE foot space" Roberts reJoined.
while I've been ransacking the ship
for you-to restore the TAM" he has.
tened to add. Didn't you see the no.
tice on the bulletin boardT
"No. This Is the first I've been out
since the storm. II left me with
nasty reminder Of the shaking We all
received I'm so glad to be on deck
again! Did you have pleasant trip
on the other side"
"Jolly fine" answered Roberts.
But he wasn't thinking Of the other
side mt all when he said 1t. but OF the
woman he had lost and found again.
Unconsciously they had walked to
that part of the deck where Dorothy
had been standing when the tam blew
of on the voyage over.
II suppose must pin the cap In
tightly this tme." she remarked. "You
won't be there to catch 1t II 1t flies of
again" And she glanced over at the
second cabin.
he looked up at the one she was
wearing.
That's a very pretty TAM" be OBJ
served irrelevantly. II trust It ls
skewered In tightly"
Whether she read his inner mean'
ing, she gave no token then. but sug
gested that It was nigh time they both
went down to dinner. The next night
was the dance, and after the final tw"
step she reminded him that in the
morning there would be the hustle Of
landing.
"And haven't relieved you Of thnt
tam yet" she added
T shall miss 1t very much" he re
piled And you won't need 1t now
the voyage is over"
"Yes," she said softly, her eyes FIX
I'd on Nantucket light toward which
they were swiftly cutting their way.
II suppose 1t has served Its purpose
but don't want to lose 1t again"
Roberts knew she wasn't thinking OF
all the words implied. but he was
quick enough to seize at the opening.
and-well. before they faced the Gus.
toms officers on the pier be knew where
to take the tam.
But he always forgets to carry II
with him when he calls. and when
Dorothy one evening said "Yes" to Il
certain question he asked her she add
ed. "This is a desperate step to take
to regain possession Of little old red
tam-o' -shanter."