The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-10-29
From Longman's Magazine.l
L'AFFAIRE. SPIN KS
BY BERNARD HASTE.

Confound the woman! what was
Miss Fortescue to me, or | to Miss
Fortescue, that her name should be
dragged into the matter? | felt my
temper rising, but controlling it as
best | could, | said.-
We are merely losing time here,
If we ARE going on, let us 60; it not,
let us turn back-#t once.
II don't want to turn back. she
retorted IF you would only be a.
kind as you were last night. shoula
like to go on
| opened the gate and led the way
through the brambles and underwood =.
Miss Spinks followed in melancholy
silence Presently the passage on the
level beca e. impossible, and | was
forced to turn up the steep hillside,
trampine down the briars as | went to
ease the way for my companion. A
few seconds later missed the fiip-fap
of her wet skirts behind me, and turned
to investigate She was standing in
an attitude of hopeless detection in
extemporized path, apparently incapa-
bic of proceeding.
IF you really cared to have me with
you, you would have offered to help
me up here" she gasped.
| returned, and holding out the
crook of my stick, said quietly
S"If you will take hold of that, | wi |
do my best"
She grasped it, and | proceeded
slowly. towing her along, and fervent-
ly wishing that the way was less steep
or she less heavy. Suddenly the ten
sion relaxed, there was low wall,
the sound of heavy fall, and Miss
Spinks had gone to ground" | was
at her side in an instant.
"What has happened?" | cried in
alarm You are not hurt?'
There was no reply. Miss Spinks
sat huddled together in an inelegant
mass, rocking herself to and fro, a very
nineteenth-century Niobe, in limpness
!. Of drapery, and copiousness OF tears.
I was at my wits end what to do
Consequently | did-nothing.
This state Of things lasted for some
minutes. but at length, seeming to get
the better Of her paroxysm Of weep
ing, she sobbed FORTH
"Oh dear-oh dear! [ didn't think
(sob) you could be SO cruel (half doz.
/ en- sobs) You brought me here (sob,
and now you won't even speak to me
(sob, sob, sob). And now you'd bet
ter go on, and leave me alone to die
Boo-hoo! boo-hoor
This was more than human reason
could stand. | took her by the arm
drew her hands from her face, anc
said in my sternestaeeents,-
s'Listen to me, Miss Spinks. Yor
are making fool of yourself. Now
either get up at once and cease this
nonsense, or must leave you here tt
get home as you can."
Nv resolute attitude had an instan
taneous effect. Miss Spinks dried he
eyes, rose to her feet, and said hum
bly, asRE SSs
s.sOhs Mr.. HASTE, I'm very. sorry
was so foolish. | won't cry again
but I thought, as you wouldn't tall
+ to me, that you were tired of my soci
ETY.. and wished | had never come"
I could neither deny or confess th'
truth of this surmise, so | held M
peace. We resumed our former posi-
tions relatively to my stick and to on
another, and proceeded on our way,
like Sponsors hero, "feigning seme]!
mersh," and she "coy lookes." Mis-
Spinks grew more cheerful, and ten
minutes rough walking brought us t.
the farther gate.
Arrived there, I looked up strean
for the sportsmen. There was not
sign of them. Then for the first tim,
I recollected that, just above the en-
trance to the cover. the river branchet
off at fork, crossed by plank bridge
and it flashed upon me that the otter
hunters had taken the farther branch
I suggested this solution to my com
panion. who received it with blanl
dismay.
"How are we to get to them?" shs
asked; mot back through the woot
again, surely?"
1--WE can go out to the middle o.
this field" | said, and from there we
can see the other branch, and judge
whether it is worth our while to over.
take them"
She consented, and we pushed for.
ward. The field sloped more gently
| bIldu Gllc WOOus anu 1CIU q hdi IOW ICtC
space at the edge of the stream, which
| here swept round the foot of the hill
This level space was rallied off, and had
gate at one point, behind which a
single plank laid across the river gave
access to the tongue Of land between
the two branches. AS we got farther
out, and could command view clear
Of the wood, the CLINT Of a red coat on
on the far side Of the valley proved
my theory correct. [ pointed this
fact out to Miss Spinks, and she
owned at last that pursuit was hope
less. At the same time | noticed that
by crossing the stream and going
down the right bank on our return
journey, we could recross by the brid ge
at the entrance Of the wood, and so
avoid scrambling through the cover.
My companion gladly agreed to this
plan, owning that she was tired, and
even expressing doubts of her power
of reaching the station on foot l
gallantly offered my stick, but Miss
Spinks, whose temper had quite recov-
cred its balance, with timid glance
and slight hesitation, suggested
81 believe I could get on better, if
you would not think me very bold, by
taking your arm. :"
I could not refuse, and in another
moment was supporting the greater
part Of her weight in the descent Of
the grassy slope, an arrangement to
which, from the complacent express
ion Of her face, she appeared to find
no drawbacks.
But her happiness was destined to
be short-lived. A terrific below, which
woke the echoes of the wood, caused
her suddenly to grip my arm with
painful tightness, and me to face about
apprehensively. Fifty yards off at the