Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-09-10
THE GREEN SEAL
BY JEAN DlcKERsoN.


Bob Noyes was as brave as one
could desire when he had to face
actual danger, but when it came to
proposing to one little blue-eyed girl
with whom he was madly in love,
why Bob simply backed away from
her fathers front sdoor and rushed
to the nearest telephone pay station
to make his confession over the wire
A1mas voice at the other end was
soft, and hesitating and entrancingiy
sweet; but the hesitation was mad
dening to Bob Noyes.
Tell me now!" he urged impa-
tiently.
I'll couldn't" she pleaded. IN
write you little note before l go
to bed-honest | will, Bob
81 wish you could tell me now and
put me out of my misery" he urged.
"I'll tell you what III do, Bob, III
let you know before you ever open the
note. If it's good news there will be
a blue seal on the flap of the enve-
lope-and if it's-not good news, why
there will be a green seal. So you
will know as soon as yoH receive the
letter"
With that arrangement Bob had to
be contented.
Would he be confronted by blue
seal or fatal green one? All the
evening the query haunted him.
Morning brought new hope.
He sat down at breakfast and
looked nervously at the letters neat
ly piled beside his plate. All, here
was the letter. He turned it over.
Green!
Turned down, by Jove!" he NUT
tered thrusting the unopened letter
in his breast pocket and pushing
aside his plate. "A cup of strong
coffee, Dunn, and nothing else he
ordered
mot a chop-or a bit of fruit, sir ?"
protested the servant.
Nothing"
At nine o'clock that evening Alma
Ray heard with shock of dismay
that Bob Moves had sailed for Ber-
uuud JudJ dlJCl
tHe wasn't in earnest after al"
she said with a pale smile as sne
danced the evening away.
In Bermuda Bob Noyes hated golf
and bridge and spent his spare time
glowering at the unopened letter with
the fatal green seal on the flap.
"Faithless, after all, he groaned one
day as he stroled along snowy
beach. "If pair of blue eyes ever
said he shook his head .fercely.
At that moment he came face to
face with Alma Rays brother Jack,
who was staring at him with ma
liciously amused eyes.
You're looking seedy, Bob said
Jack, after they had shaken hands.
mo reason why I Should" defend
ed the other I'm fit as fiddle
having no end of a good time. Sur
prised to see you here at this season. "
Governor had poor SPELL was
detailed to escort him down here;
he's over on the links now, grinning
like Cheshire cat and having no
end of a good time. Foxy is my
dads middle name!" laughed Jack.
"Er-family all well?" asked Bob.
Il told you dad was ailing," re-
turned Jack with surprised look.
Eyes. Mrs Ray and your sister,"
ooh, yes Jack dropped the sub
ject in an exasperating way that net
tied Bob Moves. What was the mat
ter with the boy? Did he know of
Bob's isappointment-did he, per-
haps, know that Alma was engaged
to some other man?
I'm going over to see how dads
getting along" said Jack. Gomez"
mot now-I'll be over later was
Bob's reply, and he was thankful
when he was alone. "Who could i'm
because little girl refused to marry
me? BY Jove, won't! I'll go back
tomorrow"
He whirled around to retrace his
steps and almost ran into Alma Ray,
small and dainty, her lovely face as
white as her frock.
Bob" she cried sharply. "Why
ulu you go away
"Alma!" he was weak with sur
prise. "Why-why, / got your letter
that morning-the green seal. you
know" he stammered.
well, what of it?" she asked I'm.
patiently.
What of it? Why, saw the green
seal and l knew!'
She regarded him closely. Then:
Did you read the letter." she
asked calmly
Not wasn't necessary. have
it here He held it toward her, the
green seal unbroken.
Read it, she commanded, and re-
luctantly he obeyed.
He lifted bewildered face, bliss
fully happy with the message read in
he 1A4k