The Portland daily press., 1890-03-15

By IL o'clock he was at Lords. The
mere sight of the ground was so welcome
TO him that he was determined to spend
as much time there as he possibly could.
He knew, of course, that he would be
certain to meet any number of his old
friends, and that the whole proceeding
was extremely risky; but he consoled
himself with the thought that, as Mr..
Straightway rarely, if ever, went into
society Of any sort, he was not at all
likely to hear anything about it. So he
ensconced himself in the pavilion and
awaited the beginning of the play with
pleasurable impotence. The Heathcotes
were all enthusiastic cricketers, and he
counted on their appearance by 12 o'clock
at the latest.
The match commenced in due course,
but upon its varying fortunes it is not
necessary to dwell. The Heathcotes also
arrived, and Tom at once took up posi-
ton on the drag by the side of Miss Alice,
the warmth of whose greeting speedily
barished all fears and qualms of con-
sci~..ce from his breast. Nothing, in
fact, could have been more perfect than
Mr.. Baxter's happiness up to the lunch
con interval. His stel-torian "well hit"
or "well bowled" could be heard hun
dred yards away; he clapped his hands,
stamped and waved his hat like the veri-
est schoolboy, and meanwhile he was
unremitting in his attention to the girl
of his heart. Two o'clock struck. The
bell rang for lunch, and the occupants of
Mr.. Heathcote's drag prepared for the
substantial meal which forms SO promi-
nent feature of the two great matches
| at Lords. Tom by no means despised
creature comforts. Mr.. Straightway's
curates were expected, at all events when
with him and on duty, to follow their
wears example in asceticism, SO good
lunch was very acceptable to him. He
had supplied Alice's wants, and was in
the act of lifting to his mouth piece of
salmon, when suddenly he turned pale,
his jaw fell, his eyes dilated, and the
| piece of salmon, accompanied by the
fork, fell unheeded to the ground.
1t was too true. Beside the very next
| drag, talking to gentleman on the box
seat, stood tall, lean man, in clerical
attire, whose figure was horribly familiar
to the guilty curate. He could not be
mistaken, it was Mr.. Septimus Straight
way, though what could have brought
the reverend gentleman to Lords was
beyond Toms imagination. The vicar
had his back turned, and evidently did
not suspect his curate's proximity. In
slant flight was the only hope.
Alice, ''what on earth is the matter?
You look as white as sheetp
81 don't feel very well, dear. Excuse
me one minute" stammered Mr.. Baxter.
And he rose hurriedly, upsetting his
| plate, and jumped to the ground. Just
| as he reached terra firma he saw the
| clergyman shaking hands with his friend
on the box seat; he was turning toward
Mr.. Heathcote's drag; in another second
detection would follow. Tom glanced
hurriedly round; the door of the drag
was open and no one was looking. He
accordingly plunged in head foremost,
shut the door, and to make assurance
doubly sure, pulled up the wooden blind.
| Then he breathed more freely. But what
| on earth would the Heathcotes think?
| A confederate was absolutely necessary
The Heathcotes' family butler, Mr.. Binns,
was an old friend of Toms, and might
be relied upon. Baxter espied Binns
opening bottle of champagne, and at
| tracted his attention as noiselessly as
| possible.
''Binns!" he whispered, in great agita-
| ton, "please say to Miss Alice that am
not well, and that have gone to take a
walk, to battle my head-say anything,
Binns-but for mercy's sake don't let
her know that I'm in here. Don't let
anybody know. You won't, will your"
he continued, piteously.
Mr.. Binns thought that Tom was off
his head, but his impassive face betrayed
no surprise.
Certainly, sir. Any other messenger
"No! that will do-and, Binns, come
back here at once; want you to do
something else."
sYsssir.n ----------.
The message CAUSED some little sur
prise and much sympathy.
"Poor fellow!" said Miss Alice; sit all
comes from working so hard in those
terrible slums, and never taking holt
day."
When Binns returned Tom asked him
| in the same agitated whisper:
"Did you notice tall, thin gentleman
"a clergyman-standing beside the next
drag just now?'
Eyes, SIR"
"Do you see him now?"
'Yes, sir" said Binns; also whisper
ing, she's a-standing close by"
"Good gracious!" murmured Tom.
"Look here, come and tell me when he's
gone"
And Tom pulled up the other wooden
blind half way, and covered on the floor
among the cushions and dust cloaks. 1t
was terribly hot and stuffy, but he dared
not move until Binns returned, and that
parsonage was absent for no less than
half an hour by Toms watch. The cap
tive was growing desperate, when at last
a welcome face appeared at the window
| above the blind.
'Mr. Baxter, sir" whispered Binns,
"the clerical gent, sir; he's on the roof
| of our drag"
"You don't say so!'' groaned Tom.
"He is, indeed, sir. He and master
seems very thick; they're talking over
old Cambridge times. / never waited on
him before, SIR"
"Of course" said the curate in despair.
81 see it now. Old Septimus was at
Cambridge, so was Heathcote; they are
old friends. How in the name of Provi-
dence am I to get out of this? l say,
Binns, do you know must stop here till
he goes. You will keep it dark-now
won't your
''Most certainly, sir" said the SYM
pathetic butler. won't you have some
lunch, sir?, Nobody will know"
Tom smiled in his misery at the idea.
After all, why shouldn't he?
swell, Binns, really think will"
And the trusty servitor disappeared to
return with huge plateful of cold pie,
bottle of champagne and some straw
| berries.
THANK ye, Binns," same Tom, CRATE
fully; "now go away and don't come
back till the clergyman has gone.
,Whew! How hot it isl"
1t was hot and no mistake. On a
scorching day the interior of drag with
the windows shut is about as agreeable a
resting place as the Black Hole Tom
could not let the blinds down, SO he
drank tumbler of iced champagne,
which made him much warmer than be-
fore, though it inspired him to smile at