The Penn's Grove record., 1882-07-22

place any better than 1 do myself, so
I may as well go alone"
But here an uproar arose. Miss
Norton must not be allowed to do any
thing 50 rash. She must either choose
a guide or commission some n to
get what she wanted for her. 81
could bring you any little things you
need, Bessie" said Ernest, coming up.
81 am obliged to go into town any
way, to look up my accounts"
But Bessie could trust her purchases
to the judgment of no masculine
mind.
"Then choose Cliff" advised King,
in that familiar, elder brotherly
style of his, which always made the
other fellows feel franlically for their
m%ustaches. "Surely he's competent to
show you around as he was born and
brought up in the place"
So 1t was arranged, and Cliff was
trans ferred to the seventh heaven.
"Are you going by rail?" he asked,
with elaborate carelessness of his
chum, fearing a third at the tete-a-tete
he'd promised himself.
mo train time isn't my time. /
shall put Peter in the dog-cart and be
back probably before you START was
the answer, greatly to his relief.
Half pa%st-four o'clock that afternoon
found Miss Norton and Cliff approach
ing the depot at N to take the return
train to Broadbeach.
Judging from the number of bun
dies with which the latter was laden
the shopping excursion had been a
grand success.
"If you don'thurry, Mr.. Forester"
threatened Miss Bessie, 81 shall GER
tainly carry those things myself. ]
never would have believed, to look at
you, that you were such a wretched
walker"
NOW L call that cruel, Miss Nor
ton, L assure you I've been going like
a steam engine,-on such a hot after
noon, too. Besides we've plenty of
time-bushels o it,"
"But know we haven't persisted
the young lady. Pm almost sure
that is the bell now !" and in the end
she proved right. They reached the
depot just as the train di appeared.
"Therefs nothe n in two hours"
* explained the unsympathetlc official;
"youH have to wait for that, Iguess."
81 knew how it would be when you
would loiter SOL" exclaimed Bessie,
angrily.
"It must be my watch" said Cliff,
in feeble self defense. "Td noidea
it was so slow. (which, blythe bye,
was a pious ib-for he'd put it back
on purpose.
But Bessie was not to be imposed
on. She began to wish she'd chosen
anyone but Cliff to escort her. There
was Jim Evans, for instance. He
would in all probability have hirted
outrageously and made her ftrt too;
but then they would have laughed
and there it would have ended. Or
there was Hal Simms, who was of a
melancholy turn of mind. He might
have quoted sentimental poetry and
looked expressive-he did to all the
girls-but then he was engaged and
considered harmless. Then there was
little Mason, q nice boy but dreadfully
young and dresdtully speony. Still
with a little judicious %snubbing he
might have been kept within bounds.
But Cliff belonged to neither variety.
He was not engage ed, nor was he a boy
to be called to order, ne was not even
amusing, being much too far gone for
that. Bessie had seen men in earnest
before and knew the symptoms well.
Resolutely did she refuse every sug-
gestion of his to while away the two
hours pleasantly. There was the mu-
scum or picture gallery, or he would
get a "rign and drive to some of the
suburban points of interest. But no,
Bessie would do nothing but march
swiftly on through the most crowded
thoroughfares, in momentary terror
lest he should go down on his knees
and declare himself on the paving
stones.
But surely, Miss Norton, you don't
intend to keep on at this rate for two
mortal hours" demonstrated Cliff,
those two hours in which ne intended
to do so much.
"Oh, yes, I do" she returned bright
ly. ~ mesn to give you a walking
lesson ; you need one badly"
Anything you like" he pleaded,
shut not here, let's get out into the
suburbs"
But to that she would not agree and
on they went again. Another ten
minutes and Bessie was rapidly losing
her breath and Cliff his temper, when
in passing down a certain street, a
well known face looked out of the
window.
"Why, there's Ernest, b eexclaim-
ed, looking so delighted as to bring
the young gentleman down stairs with
wonderful velocity.
81 thought you two had gone long
ago." he exclaimed laughing. "I've
just got through; had an awful hard
day."
"We missed the train" explained
Cliff, not best pleased with the turn
things had taken.
"Yes, and consequently are fixtures
in this dreadful place until after six,n
peuted Bessie.
"And what have you been dong to
kill tine,' asked Ernest, glanciDg
from one flushed face TO the other.
uWaIkino ~ said Cliff. dOlefuIlv.