National Republican., 1877-02-18
ON THE WEST PIER.
A TdLE IN TWO CHAPTERS.
CHAPTER L.

from the moveless, silent vault above, save when
now and then break In tho inky curtain Of the
latter showed tawny, orange.colored gap and
the cleaning OF a crescent point-showed q
fainter orange glare on the languid roll Of the
sea, paler CLEAN on the wet shingle Of tho
beach.
Very stll that beach was Just then. The shin.
gle,a few hours back scattered over with children,
red.cheeked and short.skirtcd, shrieking, laugh.
ing, beating each other with little wooden spades,
or splashing bare.leRged In the surf ard foam
with loose haired nymphs in classically huttcring
nttire-wlth trim nurserymaids, and wet.leggcd,
blowsy, semi.masculine bathing. .women-was 81.
lent and deserted now abandoned to the white
bathing machines and gaiiy.palnted boats
hauled up high and dry, out Of reach OF the
mischieyous element with which they had been
battling all day, and scarcely TO be distinguished
in the darkness. Very silent and dim the parade,
80 gay with carriages and horses, and crowded
with pedestrians. that very afternoon More 81.
lent still, and still moro dim and dark, the town
behind. All Brighton seemed to have gone to
sleep and been buried behind Its rattling bow
windows and brown paper walls. All Brighton
seemed to be awake and lively on the West Pier
No silence there mo darkness, desertlon or
uesolationl From end to end OF the huge frall.
looking erection nothing but glitter OF lamps,
green, white and red, not hing but sea Of people
crossing, recrosslng, meeting and re.meeting one
another, sitting on the benches talking, laughing
eating ices, flirting, foolng, perhaps (God knows)
STlcNing' u tno lhnRuiu OF LA IrnNlntN,'
or the "Blue Danube" as performed by the band
OF the Colsstreams, or the hushed and signing
murmur of the sea. People Of all ages, sexes,
nations and degrees; wealthy pubIicans with
nSrs rysi Sps gS !sw
ans Sfh say sSry hS too much Fapdy GoS5
monde IN dinner dress, shrouded In shawIs
ana sCaks and carefully protected By white
denf.rlorde, In war paints and plumes and not
shrouded at all in any way; children in Highland
ss aaaf sny SnS s, SsS% saa
"swols, eyeglass In eye and dIawl on lip; naval
Visible Trough eVefy .ssS o theirs ready mnas
shore garments; volunteer officers, bristllng in
l msa5y II ~ uniform army 1cers rsdy dis
and a thousand others making up the gay colour.
PiSsrs above tho
Rather apart from the crowd, centred round tho
mem last type 0 a'Sl @ yHianE isSa
against the railing chatting In a low volcc-Cap.
asd s'Ef SEns q ma Ss GsF S0a O.
character written in his handsome face and his
ieGa GS Grsnssr' vS,ng snaii,Sr
regiment, soldier oil over, trinity put together,
with par, Of piercing blue eyes and square
boldness and delcacy Of his hair and skin. There
was a pause IN the music, and many people who
recommended their slow promenade. These two,
however, seemed more lazly Inclined. The night
S hnS GfSn o GHnRsg 5GRg H ,sa sas
quiet corner puffing faint clouds Of blue smoke
into the still, warm air, and discussing the peo.
pie about them, than to go round and round with
."wsH, L Is dIficut to tell who Is who, nova.
mark Of his lrield;. "barring paint land that's
not easy to sec at night. one set Of women dress
20 % closely after ,3 HpSther ,S that for one don't see
,"ExSsp, in q place like this" objected the
Sap,,,In .n h, the park or opera grant it you-
swell, that's the difference herce Has the
place any particular touchstone by which to test
some touchstOne is suficlcnt. Take this pier
tof instance decent women don't walk alone on
"Nor your Mdlle. Phrync either If she can help
Possibly; but you were speaking Of finding out
showing SHOW I IN such place at all sans ehaperon Of
"Grand, sometimss as you observed Just now
SAD Granger slowly, his keen quiet glance tray
slns SosI the thrpng nroInd I hip"NCt al
them, tall itSe.iootins girl in Il handsome bi biack
s and SH' eyss soR
but head erect and expression both proud and
sa,iCmedness to being alone in crowd, nov and i a
dislike at once shrinking and naughty to the
By herself; but FOR a. that an a. % that "fs thsre's
soametnIhg ean MIN % about her.Id lay my life she's
'aSy yGs snf sG%Sah %hg form hS% sSS the asuss-aooa
heavens i, ! should rather think so. MS my sis
And It was, for the raised tone and sudden
plunge forward startled the girl She turned her
head, and the next moment was at her brothers
ure and relief in her face abundsntly proved the
truth Of Granger's suImise. The young officer
ducsS Hsy NOT on %shns Shs Sr Sm az n'f9 r.
The girl had never noticed him.
"deorge, an so glad" she said breathessly.
81 be ginning be afraid IA I m aee
you anywhere and there are such lots of people
"But, my dear girl, what the deuce brought
you out all by yourself? Lots Of people! should
rather think So. You've no business TO be here
else. II ISN'T respectable, itwwSat, 'tho in the
name Of heaven, did you do It for?''
in ihe ast q passing stfiiture on ma particular
distinction between women, and to find that your
been sqSps prSs @ yCSr hss ss
PHIni Pr lhS neral !, lrri!as,ng even tS m,ad usa:
brother Gusbed all over her dolicate hish.Dred red
iaee. like lilly smtten BY the last red rays of
Keen enough eyes todistinguIsh the 'good style"
II am Very f sorry, ySS she said b gently; but it
Vas Vas. not my fault; Gsorse DO not be angry,
alter dinner, my stepmother and her brother and
l and then she iancled that tho smell Of the sea
Gsorse, had got 50 tired Of sittias % IN that hot,
's,uiiy drawing room, with the sun glarlng In at
the bow window all day long; and Just then she
caught sight Of you standing alone, and told me
that IL wanted to stay out had better 20 to
you, as she would be Just as glad Of quiet hour
TO talk business with her brother. wasn't quite
sure Il you would want me-" looking up
rlstfuly into her brothers face, "bit
she was yeSed At my hestating, and then
when turned back could not see you. You
had moved and though went on began to
feel nervous. So don't be vexed with me- dear.
You shall take me home now Mt once IL you like -
"If like! Nonsense ~ said George, pacihed
with her. though not with the incident. 'Of
course you can stay with me. 1t was Just like
Mrs. Garstord's consummate sehshness, not toput
you In my care before taking herself of She's no
inore ut to be your chaperone than-but OF course
l like to have you though, as II happens, l
deuce Is he?"
But young Granger had disappeared. Moved
by the wistful sweetness of her face to determine
that his presence at any ratio should neither re-
call the past eonfre.femps, nor come between
the brother and sisters walk, he had quietly
taken himself of, and indeed devoted some trou.
Die to keeping out Of the way Of the other two for
tho remainder Of the evening
He met them again on the following day, how.
ever, In company with darsford pere, Severe
looking old country gentleman, with an expres-
sion Of ill-heath struggling with q decorous dis
tike 70 admitting II, and his wife and George