Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-10-07
NO. 80.
THE GREEN SEAL
BY JEAN DICKERSON.

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 door and rushed
to the nearest telephone pay station
to make his confession over the wire.
Alma's voice at the other end was
soft, and hesitating and entranclngly
sweet; but the hesitation was mad
dening to Bob Noyes.
Tell me now!" he urged impai
tiently.
II couldn't" she pleaded. I'LL
write you a little note before l 60
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 I'll do, Bob, I'll
let you know before you ever open the
note. If it's good news there will be
blue seal on the flap OF the enve
lope-and If it's-not good news, why
there will be 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 a 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 1t 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 a 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.
muQa tnaL dlIeTuOOH.
"He wasn't in earnest after all"
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.
"Fathless, after all" he groaned one
day as he strolled along snowy
beach If a pair of blue eyes ever
said" he shook his head f1ercely.
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 l should" defend
ed the other. I'm fit as fiddle
having no end of good time. Sur
prised to see you here at this season."
Governor had poor spell-I was
detailed to escort him down here;
he's over on the links now, grinning
like Cheshire cat and having no
dads middle name!" laughed Jack.
"Er-family all well?" asked Bob.
81 told you dad was ailing," re.
turned Jack with surprised look.
"Yes. Mrs. Ray and your sister?'
"Oh yes Jack dropped the sub
ject in an exasperating way that net
tied Bob Noyes. What was the mat
ter with the boy? Did he know Of
Bobs sappointment-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-Ill be over later" was
Bobs reply, and he was thankful
when he was alone. who could i'm
agine I'd ever be so weakened just
because little girl refused to marry
me? BY Jove, I won't! I'll 60 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 go away?"
"Alma" he was weak with sur
prise. "Why-why, I got your letter
that morning-the green seal, you
know!" he stammered.
"Well, what of it2" 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.
"No-it wasn't necessary. have
it here He held 1t toward her, the
green seal unbroken.
Read it. she commanded, and re-
1uctantly 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 I to know"
he asked, holding her in his arms.
"YOu said blue seal would mean yes
"a green seal would mean no-and l
saw the green seal and 1 thought"
"Stupid!' interrupted Alma, lifting
starry eyes to his. you see, found
l 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
relinquished all hope of ever under
standing womankind.
Copyright 1915, by the Mcclure Newspa.
per Syndicate.)
French War Weapon.