The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-05-07
: SUSPECTED!
-oA-
The Fate of the GamekeepT
GARRETT SYLVESTER,
AUTHOR Or
"a FATAL MISTAKE" "FETTBRED. YET FREE" "ES
TRLLEs ERROR" STRICKEN DUMB" "CLoUDs
AND SUNSHINE, "EA1sE PRIDE" ETC
GARRETT SYLVESTER,
CHAPTER I.
OF

tnlS Time OF year
ITO look you up of course. What else
could induce me to revisit this old goal:
Why didn't you come down to Lancing in
October"
81 was reading, the other replies, glancine
Of the bundle of books under his arm.
at was too bad of you, Hereward. My
mother and the girls were quite hurt at your
desertion. 1t is the first time you've spent
Nichaelmas away from us since you entered
College"
'They are very kind" Hereward answers,
turning his head away.
"Won't you run down now for few days?
! Do, like agood-fellow. I've got all sorts of
messages for you"
"Thanlzs, no. I must work like a black
for the next two months.
''But if you go on like this you will end by
knocking yourself up"
'No fear of that. The only hope for me is
TO work hard-now."
/ There is q slight, but, to his friend, very
percephble pause between the last two words
But he takes no immediate notice.
"You have turned into regular bookworm
and remember when you used to hate tho
sight of cap and gown"
perhaps 1 do still But tell me, what are
you doing?"
death of autumn manoeuvres. Do you in
tend to offer me cup of teal"
IL was going to offer you bottle of Bass.
stBut would rather have tea. The girls at
home have spoilt me with their tea-drinkings
Let us make a cup as we used to make it
when you and were chums together here,
last year.
/ can right. You shall do just as you like,
rs you always did in our housekeeping
Hou' We grown awfully stout, Blount I don't
Ehink you will ever get up to the purely Attic
eegions where 1 reside.
!. 'Iu try, ut all events" Blount answers
laughing good-humouredly, and they cross
Che quadrangle together.
} December sunshine lies all about them, on
Ehe long lime avenues where the rocks cav
aazily among the bare topmost twigs on the
grassy cloisters, on the many blinking VIM
dows. An intensely blue sky throws out the
delicate grays Of sun-lit towers and pinnacles
with ethereal distinctness, every grinning
gargoyle, every flying buttress every fretted
spire with its lace-like tracery, looking mora
like the work of the fairy frost than immu-
table stone.
; Herewards free rooms are reached by many
D winding stair. Blount is fain to take breath
On the fifth landing.
J 'This is kiling!" he exclaims, leaning
against the wall for support.
, 'No danger of your not taking sufficient
exercise, at all events. But we hadn't half
bad times here long ago, Hereward. 1t re-
ninds me SO of those old days. Do you re-
member how we used to cheat the old dons?
And do you remember the day we gave the
girls ten up here, and how Nettie rowed you
about your untidiness?"
! Eyes, 1 remember it all" Hereward an
ewers.
Then he leads the way into large low room
with sunshine. coming in through dull red
curtains, carpet considerably the worse for
Evear, and very small allowance of furniture
except in so far as the multitudinous pipes of
every size and pattern which adorn the old
fashioned chimney piece may come under
chat category. A chair, with q railway rug
thrown over the back, stands in the sunniest
fthree little windows, together with table
piled with books.
: "No fire on the fifth of December !" Blount
exclaims. why, my dear fellow, you must
have esquimaux blood in your veins. How
San you stand the cold! !"
II do not stand roll myself in that rug
and light my pipe, and sit in the sunshine
when there's any," Hereward replies, putting
b fusee to the wood ready laid under the
coal in the CRATE 81 don't know how my
plan will succeed when real hard weather
comes; but 80 far I have found it very
Jolly"
''I came to-day with proposal" Blount
observes, setting on very black kettle to
boil ''but will not tell you what it is till
we have had tea. hope and trust you won't
be 30 pig headed as to refuse but you are.
and always were a horrid fellow to deal with.
You never will take a thing in a proper
spirit. am sure you always led me the life
Of a dog with your Quixotic ideas.
J Hereward is divesting himself of cap and
gown and only laughs. Blount, stout as he
has grown busies, himself in the preparation
Of tea as actively as if he were a boy, Here
ward watching him /; but giving him no as
aistance, except few amused directions now
md then.
''But tell me, Hereward, why didn't you
come down to Lancing?"
Hereward is standing in the window, and
turns suddenly to look down into the SUM-
nv quadrangle but he does not answer.
at was too bad of you 1 missed you aw-
fully, otherwise of course it was great fun.
But hope the future holds plenty of jolly
days for us both, old boy, just as jolly as
We have spent together.
''Never for me.
40 come, now, Hereward, you are hipped
4 did not think you were fellow 10 give mp
because girl had thrown you over. II
Nettie had married you, yeu would have had
a miserable time of it. l know Nettie better
than Won do, and, if fellow eould not give
her all the dress and sweetstuff she wanted,