The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-11-04
THE GREEN SEAL
BY JEAN DlCYERSON.

Bob Moves was as brave as one
could desire when he had to face
actual danger but when it came tC
proposing to one little bue-eyed girl
with whom he was madly in love
why Bob simply backed away from
her fathers front door and rushed
to the nearest telephone pay station
TO make his confession over the wire
Almas voice at the other end was
soft, and hesitating and entrancingly
sweet; but the hesitation was mad
dening to Bob Noyes.
Tell me now!' he urged impa-
tiently.
Il couldn't" she pleaded I'll
write you a little note before l go
to bed-honest I will, Bob
Il wish you could tell me now and
put me out of M misery" he urged.
"Ill tell you what III do, Bob, I'll
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 you receive the
letter"
With that arrangement Bob had to
| be contented.
Would he be confronted by blue
seal or a fatal green one? All the
evening the query haunted him.
Morning brought new hope,
He sat down at breakfast and
looked neryously 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.
Not chop--or bit of fruit, sir?"
protested the servant.
Nothing"
At nine o'clock that evening Alma
| Ray heard with a shock of dismay
| that Bob Noyes had sailed for Ber-
muda that afternoon.
"He wasn't in earnest after all,
she said with a pale smile as she
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 strolled along a snowy
beach. "If pair of blue eyes ever
said" he shook his head fiercely.
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 a fiddle
having no end of a good time. Sur
prised to see you here at this season.
Governor had a poor SPELL was
detailed TO escort him down here;
he's over on the links now, grinning
like a Cheshire cat and having no
end of a good time. Foxy is my
dads middle name" laughed Jack
CERTAINTY all well?" asked Bob.
- told you dad was ailing,' re-
turned Jack with a surprised look.
eyes. Mrs. Ray and your sister,
"Oh, yes Jack dropped the sub
iect in an exasperating way that net
tied Bob Noyes 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"
Not now--I1l be over later" was
8ob's reply, and he was thankful
when he was alone. who could i'm
agine I'd ever be so weakened just
because a little girl refused to marry
me? BY Jove, l 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
did You 20 away?'
Alma" he was weak with sur
prise. "Why-why, | got your letter
that morning green seal, you
know" he stammered.
well, what of it?' she asked i'm
patiently.
What Of It? Why, saw the green
seal and | 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-
luctanuy he obeyed.
He lifted a bewildered face bliss
fully happy with the message read in
the letter, still perpleXed over the
green seal.
But, darling, how was ] to know
he asked, holding her in his arms
"You said a blue seal would mean yes
"a green seal would mean no-and l
saw the green seal and | thought"
stupid" interrupted Alma, lifting
starry eyes to his. You see, ! found
was all out of blue sealing wax, so
/ had to use green. And you ought
to have known, anyway, what my an
! swer would be-
And from that instant Bob Noyes
relnquished all hope of ever under
.tonJfns, ygomnnifip1