The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-25

spike, tore up the spike. anu ny tae
mere impetus of his spring into the
punt, sent it out into mid-stream. when
he found himself there he suddenly per-
ceived that he had no punt-pole.
"All right! all right" cried he.
"Never mind. Pll get it somehow"
He was full of enterprise, determina-
ton, and ardor, standing valorousiy IN
this empty punt. But the punt being
left to itself took its own careful time,
and swung slowly round. floating side
ways like hansom-cab horse, after the
piece of paper. 1t then struck him that
he could be quite as valiant and useful
standing III the middle Of the punt as at
one side, and that she would 60 great
deal better for the change. /
Meanwhile Miss Munniss had rushed
down from the bridge to the boat-house,
and was screaming at the top OF her
voice:
"Mr. Lescar! Never mind! Do come
back! Never mind! It's nothing! Oh!
my goodness me! what shall do if he
picks it up!" :.
This last remark she made to herself,
and for all young Lescar heard Of the
Others she might as we'll have made them
to herself also.
"All right! All right" cried he,
waving his hand encouragingly. 1t was
needless, he thought. to tell her that
he couldn't "come back" even if he
| wished it.
| As he spoke, however, he suddenly dis
appeared, and there was a wild flourish
of boots in the air. He had only lost
his balance, which is possibility to a
person who is standing violently gesticu-
lating in punt. As he picked himself
up he heard unmistakable sounds OF
laughter from the distant bank on which
Miss Munniss stood. This settled the
matter. Either he took that trivial piece
of paper, which very likely was nothing
but a silly letter from some school girl
friend, back to Miss Munniss or he would
perish in the attempt.
Nothing could possibly be more ridicu-
lous than this excited pursuit of piece
of evidently useless paper than his re-
turning to her without it.
| Meanwhile she had finished her wicked
laughter, and had run as hard as she
could run along the bank after the punt
calling out all the while entreaties
that Mr.. Lescar would give it up and
come back.
l But MIR. Lescar was deaf to them. In
i, the first place, because the furious bark
ing of two small dogs that had followed
her prevented his hearing them; sec
ondly, because he could not come back
: without punt-pole.
Finally Miss Muniss was stopped by g
closed fve-barred gate--on the other side
of which were cows. She made fina
attempt as Mr.. Lescar hoated away, anc
: this time he felt sure he heard her say
l Don't read " it."
Now this seemed very unnecessary
a request to make to an honorable man
t and Paul Lescar felt aggrieved. But il
I was of no use to look hurt aud reproach
full at this distance, so all he could dt
n was to lift his hands in horror and t.
s shake his head violently, which agitate'
u rantomime would, he trusted reassur
the young lady.
"Now, what on earth can it be,
thought he. "Pil be bound it's love
t letter. Good heavens! Fancy my tear
$ ing off after some other fellows letter il
e this way. Don't read it indeed! Con
found him"
G The thing, however, at the present mo
l ment was, not to devote Miss Munniss
: favored suitor to the internal gods, it wa
+ to rescue his letter--if it was his lette
i or not-not only because it would b
t agreeable to restore the valuable docu
u ment to Miss Munniss with a sigh and
:, look that should speak volumes, but be
b cause, having begun the pursuit of it en-
II tirely of hisown accord, it behooved hir
. to complete 1t.
Il For some time the piece of paper KEEP
IL to the middle of the stream, so did tn
t. punt, and consequently SO did Mr.. Lee
y car. They passed the field with COW
K and several subsequent ones. Tne
r passed a villa or two with well-irone
'r lawns. Then stretch of meadow lant
sr whereon were daisies and nothing else. A
n last they neared man fishing from th
10 bank.
., eli! hi!' called out Mr.. Lesca
u catching as it were at straw. Il say
a T haven't got punt-pole y Y
IL and"
1t The fisherman on the bank was pract
y cal and pert.
IS "Neither amt IP' shouted he, gril
&c &C ming.
a Mr.. Lescar flashed wrathful look ;
ie him with one eye. The other he fe
= obliged to keep fixed on the fioatlr
20 piece Of white paper ahead of him.
s. "Where does the current
OF Hi! where does the current settle
n, Shan't 90 aground somewhere
ut "Likely as not" shouted the ma
y grinning again.
1t. "You wait here till come back, n
man I" shouted Mr.. Lescar.
u, ITO BE coNrINUED.lo