San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-11-05
On the road and 90 py pare-neauea.


These civilities were the more notice
able, in him, too, because he was not
man in general addicted to the perform
ance of unnecessary courtesies; so far
from that, indeed, that Mr.. Walking
ton had long ago set him down as a
boor, and Gabrielle Lynn more than once
had shrugged her pretty shoulders at
his want of readiness and polish.
II never knew anybody bow in such
logged way as George Gilbert" she
had said of him before this with laugh.
"His bows have always the air of
warning to you to keep your distance"
And, indeed, so far as she was con-
cerned there was some truth in this as
sertion, for the young man certainly
did not err upon the side of treating
Gabrielle with too much either of famil-
iarity or friendliness. His manner to
her was very respectful manner, but
it was very cold and formal one, too.
He was, in fact, too sensitive not to un-
derstand that she looked down upon
him and far too proud to forget that
she did. She did not think he knew
that she failed quite to regard him as a
gentleman, but he did know it, and,
though he cared very little for what she
thought of him, he had enough self-re-
the position which she seemed to think
beftted him pretty stiffly. She did not
consider him as being upon an equality
with herself, and, this being so, no wo-
man was ever safer than she was from
the fear of an assumption Of equality
with her on his part. Nay, having
taken up his position at certain point,
he would not bulge from that point
even when she began las in an uncer-
tain, hesitating way, she did begin pres.
ently) to invite him to do it. You have
plced us SCAT this particular distance
from one another" he seemed to say;
"and so, therefore, with your leave, we
will stay" nor could her little feminine
wileS move him.
He had shaken hands with her be-
cause she had offered him her hand,
and he could not refuse it, on those
two days when she had stayed at the
cottage to watch his work: but on the
next occasion after this on which they
met he bowed to her with such extreme
frigidity that-though she had deliber-
ately made up her mind beforehand
that for the future she had better give
her hand to him-she was not bold
enough to present it, and he began to
speak to her without perceiving, or at
any rate without seeming to perceive,
that she had intended to greet him in
any other than the old way, and, to all
appearance, wholly Indifferent to the
manner of her greeting him at all.
Had he met her walking by herself,
and on an ordinary occasion, being by
himself, they were not on such terms
that he would have thought of stop
ping to speak to her; but this encoun-
ter took place one day soon after he had
done that bit of watchmaker's work for
her, and the watch itself was still in
his keeping: so, instead of passing her
as he would have done at any other
time, it happened to-day that he stop
ped and addressed her.
II am afraid you have wanted your
watch" he said abruptly as he bowed
| to her. 81 had meant to take it up to
you yesterday, but something prevent
| ed me. VIII you take it now?" and he
| produced it from his waistcoat pocket,
and offered it to her. ut is going very
well: don't think you will have any
more trouble with it." he said.
On which she replied.
"Oh, thank you! l am sure it will go
well. / am so very much obliged to
| you" and took it from him.
IF anything else should go wrong
with it hope you will bring it to me
again; but if you treat it we'll it ought
not to get out of order for good while
to come. Good morningl" he said. II
| have set it to the right time. 1t will
| never keep time thoroughly well, but it
| ought not to lose more than one or two
| minutes in the week. Good morning."
he repeated, and raised his hat, and
passed on.
And then Gabrielle put her recovered
| watch in her pocket, and walking home,
| feeling very little-but yet percepti-
bly, a little-piqued.
For Gabrielle, you know, was accus-
toned to be petted, and fattered, and
thought good deal of by most people;
and Mr.. Gilbert's extreme indifference
did not seem to her quite natural, nor
(she thought, though she was not alto
gether sure) quite pleasant-especially
just at this moment, when she had been
disposed on her part to be rather friend
ly toward him.
She had felt in this friendly humor for
the last four or five days-ever since
she had seen him in his own house;
and, after her feminine conceited fash
ion, she had chosen during this time to
take it for granted that if she were
willing to place herself on more cordial
terms with him, he could hardly fail on
his side to be flattered by the compli-
ment. But now they had met again,
and he had shown an absolute absence
Of perception that any compliment had
been offered to him-an absolute obliv-
ion of the kindly nature of their last
two interviews-an absolute indiffer-
ence as to whether they had been kind
iy or the reverse.
IT. did NOT occur IN Gahrialle az she