Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-08-16

been shot INTO the lock. But Mary re-
tanned her presence OF mind. With a
vigorous shove of the hitcher she pushed
the stern of the boat off the pile, and by
the greatest good luck we avoided what
must have been a most serious catastro-
phe. Even as it was we got athwart the
lock and nearly came to grief. This
episode has sen thus particularly re-
ferred to p3cause it was the one that
settled me. | made up my mind as we
rowed down TO Bisham after exploring
the backwater at Harleyford and the
tu1nbling bay . New Lock that I would
that day ask Mary to be my wife. That
she liked me I felt sure, but whether her
liking had developed into love, whether
she would entertain my proposal or
whether my proposal would entertain
her, I knew not But l was fully re-
solved to put the matter to the proof; !
would risk it if l could get the opportu-
nifty to do so, and opportunities can be
manufactured.
We landed at Bisham to look at the
church and inspect the fine old monu-
ments Of the Hobby family and others for
which Bisham is celebrated Then /
proposed that the Bolds should SOUL Mrs.
Macfarlane, who was tired, down to Mar
low, while 1 took the girls through the
Quarry woods to the point and back over
the meadows to NARROW. L'hCmme pro-
pose. He does, indeedl I, for example,
y1ro,ooca1 70 ocIy NT;cc pr7,oo IN IL ~,
wife, and that was the only proposition
that came off. Whether Mary had given
the Macfarlane girls hint. or whether
those young ladies chow l hated themD
acted Of their own volition, | do not
know, but they were limpets; or, rather,
taking into consideration their lanky and
faced structure, they were barnacles.
They stuck to us with the pertinacity OF
ungorged and unsated leeches, and gave
us no chance of a moments uninterrupt-
ed talk until at length they landed us at
the Complete Angler. Fortunately the
dinner was a good one, or the faculty for
making myself unpleasant would have
been abundantly exercised. My devices
were not as yet exhausted.
After dinner persuaded the Macfar.
lanes and the Bolds to go up the town to
see the house where Shelley lived and
where he was visited by Byron. Mary
had once before made pilgrimage tc
that shrine and so had l. Mrs. Macfar.
lanes views inclined more to forty winks
than to poetical associations, and she al
last fell asleep in her armchair. Mary
and I sat on the lawn for some minutes
and watched the passing boats. Neither
OF US seemed to have any remarks to of
fer. Finally, / asked her whether she
would cross the road few yards only
and inspect Mr.. Borque's garden. She
consented, with some diffidence.
at isn't right to leave auntie," she
said. ''What will she say if she wake;
up and finds that we are gomez"
[ felt inclined to say, ooh, bother
auntiel" Instead of that l exclaimed
that five or six minutes would serve &c
walk round the garden, so that our alb
sence would not be likely to be discov.
cred. We crossed the road and entered
the Enclosure.
When man does thing for the first
time in his life he is apt to be awkward
about 1t. For the life of me did not
know how to begin. / was as nervous
as recruit under fire for the first time;
my heart thumped away as if it didn't
like the business and was anxious to
get out and away. What l did possess
ehat oil events the charm of unconven-
tionality.
1 grasped Mary's hand suddenly, and
before she had time to utter a word
said, looking her straight in the face:
"BIary, will you give me hss?'
She blushed violently; she returned
my point blank look and what she saw
in my eyes apparently satisfied her, for
in a moment was hugging her to my
breast and sealing our troth with a
loving kiss.
How happy I was. Happy? 1 felt as
if heaven itself had been opened to me.
And she?
Charlie" she said q had hated the
name before, but how sweet it sounded
now, Charlie, my darling-I never
thought you-do you really love me:"
One more kiss-the last I got for many
a long and weary day-and we went back
to the hotel. The others had not returned
Mrs. Macfarlane was just awake.
II should like some tea, Mary" she
said
Tea! Ambrosia-nectar-w more in
my way. l could scarcely realize that
Nary cared for me. But l was happy
beyond measure. AS to the future
what was to come of it ala fco for the
future! How we got back to town l
have no recollection. A four horse
coach, perhaps, or balloon was our We
hicle. All know is that Mary was sit
ting opposite me, her blessed eyes ever
and anon meeting mine and giving ne
assurance of love. The Bolds and I saw
them off, at last, in Mrs. Macfarlane's
carriage, and then we returned to the
Temple. l must have been very incohe-
rent.
what jolly girls the Macfarlanes
are!" Edward remarked.
"She is--lovely!' l replied.
"She? Who?'
"Why, all Of them" ventured.
And then, in fear that should betray
nyself, l suddenly remembered an
appointment at the Lotus club and
went eff on long walk Involuntarily
I found myself in Inverness terrace, gaz-
ing up at the drawing room windows
They were open, but there was no sign
of Mary. l trudged away down the
Bayswater road, across Addison road to
Kensington, and so back to the Temple.
I shut myself into my room, Lit my lamp
and tried to read.
SuddeuIv n grim shadow crossad NV