The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-06-27

ing the companionship 0f the most agreeable
man on board, without troubling to analyze
her feelings, or give the matter any serious
thought ut all.
Not so the Major. lie was playing Napc
leon In the smoking room one night, when
he observed that he had allowed one OF his
opponents to 60 three when he had a certain
four In his own hand. Such an absurd
thing had never happened to him before.
"What could have been thinking Off" he
unused, abstractedly shutting the cards.
The answer came readily. "Of Mrs. Flem-
ington." "Then," reasoned the Major very
properly, "if I, a devoted card player, was
thinking OF Mrs. Pennington instead Of the
game, must surely be in love-"
Such serious discovery iustiaed the
Major in complaining Of headache, and retir-
ing from the card table TO the saloon deck.
Walking slowly mp aud down, he proceeded
10 think the matter out. Now that he had
come 10 himself, as II were, he knew, he felt
that he was In love. A troubled but not uu-
pleasant feeling In the neighborhood Of his
heart told him that II was but too true.
He had experienced the same feeling sew
oral times before, but In much milder de-
gree. On such occasions he had fought with
and conquered II, or taxed refuge In flight.
Bat he was no longer young and had less
fight In him, and flight was impossible.
Nor, to tell the truth, had he q particular in
clination for either. Why should hef Had
he not come 10 the conclusion In Melbourne
that II was time he settled down In life
Was he not too old TO wander about the
world unloved ard uncared forf To settle
down with and be loved and cared for by
Mrs. Pennington WAS destiny TO he desired.
True there was . slight disparity in their
ages, hut man Is a. old rs he feels, and a
woman Ia a. old a. she looks. The Major
felt thirty Ave, and Mrs. Pennington looked
young thirty-a very suitable difference
indeed They had both travelled, aud we're
man and woman OF the world-auother
circumstance TO be rsckoued among the pros
A woman Of experience and worldly wisdom,
the Major concluded, would bs a more conge-
NAL companion for him than modern
society young lady.
With his usual courage and promp,itude
Maj. olympic decided to seizs the first favor
able opportunity Of proposing TO Mrs. Elem
right Of frst d,screetly questioning her aunt
"a genial, garrulous old lady who accom-
panied her-as to their social position.
"Of course | know nothing OF her." he
murmured IN himself, "and." his sense Of
justice obliged him to add, ''she knows moth
| ing of ms. She may bs pennilsss, bnt, hang
III Ihave enough for two moderate people. !"
| With which generous thought he retired 10
bed.
The next afternoon the Major secured q
quiet teie a.ttfe with Mrs. Flemington's aunt.
It required very little diplomacy or tact 10
elicit the desired information, for the old
lady, bssidas her garru,ity, WAS very ing.n.
uons, and great on family history. Had II
been necessary, ths interested inquirer
might have heard the story of the Lincoln
shire house Of DornOccar, Of which Mrs.
Pennington was daughter, from the days
of Rufus. Sufficient, however, that the
family was old, reputable, and proud, though
in tho latter days comparatively poor, in
consequences, Of conrss, Of an ancestors mn
swsrving and unsel6sh allegiance to the first
Charles Further, the Major learned that
the lats lamentsd Pennington had been a
b,rris,er. He had settled in Queensland for
the sake of his health, which was very deli.
cate, and there had left his wife widow two
years since. All this, to which shOuld be
added the iniimation that Mrs. Pennington
had an income quite sufficient for her nee L.,
was eminently satisfactory.
The Major was constrained to unbos0m
himself at once. lie gave q faithful account
Of his circumstances, and told Of his attach
insnt. The old lady betrayed no surprise.
She had seen the way the wind was blowing
Tor some days, and she frankly confssss that
she had formed a good opinion Of the Major,
which she believed her niecs shared. Bui
sha deprecated haste. Mrs. Pennington was
entirely her own mistress, and the Major
could speak 10 her II he liked, Of course but
the old lady thought it would 10 proper and
adj isable to wait until the friendship had
ripened, at least until they had reached Eng
land aud knew more Of each other.
The Major admitted that there was reason
In what the old lady said, hut he did NOT
pl-dge himself to follow her advice. On the
contrary, he secretly resolved To strike while
the iron was hot. He was not the only suitor
Mrs. Pennington had on board. The Major
saw probable rival, and formidable one,
in certain Mr.. Sparkle, one of the card
players. Young. handsome, AMI reported ID
bs wealthy. Mr.. Sparkle was a buoyant.
amusing fellow, and the Major remembered
with pang OF anxiety that the fair widow
and tnffoonery. mol there was certainly no
time 10 be lost.
The Major could 6ni no opportunity Of
carrying out his intention that day, but he
determined TO bs more successful on the
naxt, even II he had to descend to Qis con
vsntional Scan yOn spare me few moments
privats conversation p" 10 secure a te a fefe
Later In the evening he tried to divert him
self at cards with Sparkle and the rest, and
iu couple of hours his abstraction cost him
ten guineas.'
At midnight he retired, leaving his COM
paniOns, who seemed bent on making a night
OF It, siili playing.
The Major had sspt abont two LOurs, aud
was In ths most interesting part Of b,anti.
full dream, fn which Mrs. Pennington figured
as the heroine, when he Was awakened 10y O
noise In the cabin. II was Sparkle aud one
of his companions, both In somewhat els
vatei condition.
"Ars yon awake, Major - whispered Spar
kie.
emo, I'm not" granted our hero.
"Ws have run short Of liquor .
night.cap before turning in--thought YOU
might have some"
"Fiask in lower bunk" answered III,
Maj.r from under the bird clothes.
Thanks, old fellow"
In . hazy sort Of way the Major thought I
was like THAR confoundsd impsrtinsnos II
coma into his cabin in the middle Of th,
night 1; hat before hs had time TO get augrJ
! i,s fall asls-p again.
, "Hsrs II IL ~ announced Sparkle, afteI
Z cropping about thu lower bnnk for minute
"Out with IT," answered his companion
I SCOT glass p
8 mo. Sure 10 be- one hero somsw here
, Let's sss.. All, here Wa are. Hnllo IT,
I full of water"
"Chu,k 1t out Of the port hole"
: II being . terribly hot night, the Majo
3 WAS sleeping with the port hole open
Leaning over the bunk, and bsing csrsfn
+ not to disturb the sleeper, Mr.. Spark
: threw the contents of ths tumblsr into tn
!. Indian Ocean.
. Then the two gentlemen, with ludicrou
. solemnity, drank the Majors health.
"Good fellow, the Major" rsmarke
Sparkle gratefully; aud the pair stumble
out Of the cabin, aud made for their rssps'
i tive quarters.
. The Major was an early riser, and when q
II nine the next morning he had not left hi
: cabin the steward ventured to knock at III
! door.
Thsre was no reply, so the steward rapps
u little louder.
u "What is ~" asked q muffied voice.
i "Nins o'clock, sir"
can right"
y But when another hour passed, withol
}, the Major appearing, the steward suspects
u that II was not all right. He knocke
>. again.
Il