Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1890-06-19

with q very old friend who had Just come
home from India, in his rooms near Jer-
myn street. This, it must be said, was
perfectly true, and, of course, Mr.
Straightway could offer no valid objec-
ton, as Baxter had done all his work for
the day. The next day, however, Tom
skunk off to telegraph Office, and in
guilty haste dispatched wire to the eff
feet that he was suffering from q severe
attack of lumbago, but would, if possible,
return in the evening.
By ii 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 GER
tain to meet any number of his old
was extremely risky, but he consoled
himself with the thought that as Mr..
Straightway rarely if ever went into So
ciety Of any sort. he was not at all likely
to hear anything about it. So he en-
sconeed 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 II o'clock
at the latest.
The match commenced in due course,
but upon it's varying fortunes it is not
necessary to dwell. The Heathcotes also
arrived, and Tom at once took up q
position on the drag by the side of Miss
Alice, the warmth of whose greeting at
once speedily banished all fears and
qualms of conscience from his breast.
Nothing, in fact, could have been more
perfect than Mr.. Bakers happiness up
to the luncheon interval. His stentorian
well hit" or well bowled" could be
heard one hundred yards away. He
clapped his hands, stamped, and waved
his hat like the veriest schoolboy, and
meanwhile he was unremitting in his at
tention to the girl of his heart. Two
o'clock struck.
The bell rang for lunch, and the occu-
pants of Mr.. Hesthcote's drag prepared
for the substantial meal which forms so
prominent feature of the two great
matches at Lords. Tom by no means
despised creature comforts. Mr.. Straight
WAYS curates we're expected, at all events
when with him on duty, to follow their
wears example in asceticism, SO a 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 UNDECIDED to the ground.
1t was too true. Beside the very next
drag, talking to q gentleman on the box
seat, stood q tall, lean man, in clerical at
tire, whose figure was horribly familiar to
the guilty curate. He could not be mis-
taken; it was Septimus Straightway,
though what could have brought the rev.
erend gentleman to Lords was beyond
Toms Imagination. The vicar had his
back turned, and evidently did not sus-
pect his curate's proximity. Instant
flight was the only hope.
Good gracious, Tom cried Miss
Alice. what on earth is the matter? You
look as white a> sheet.
Il don't feel very we'll, dear. Excuse
me one minute, stammered Mr.. Baxter.
And he rose hurriedly, upsetting his
as he reached terra frma 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
he 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 we'll, and that have gone to take .
walk, to battle my head-say anything,
Binns-but for mercy's sake don't lot her
know that I'm in here. Don't let anybody