The morning call., 1892-07-17
LAPSE OF MEMORY.
CHAPTER l.

On a certain pleasant spring afternoon
DIR. Ainslie and his son Oswald drove up to
Nnuwood railway station and alighted from
the formers gig. They had some minutes
to spare before the train was due, so after
the younger man had taken his ticket the
father linked his arm in that of his son and
the two began to pace the platform together.
Oswald Ainslie was good-lOoking, frank
eyed Young fellow with budding silky
mustache, of which he was secretly very
proud At this time he was exactly q years
and 8 months old. He was well, even fash
ianably dressed; but for all that there was
an indefnab,e air of rusticity about him
suspicion of proviDc lalIsm IN his manner
and bearing, which would announce him
at the first glance to be specimen OF that
singular compound of shreWdness and
simplicity, "a young man from the
country" He was bound for London, on
his annual visitto his godmother. Lady Pym.
And | do hope that before you come
back" said DR.. Ainslie. her iadyshlp VIII
have come TO some dehnlte arrangement
with regard to your future. It's matter
which ought to have been settled long ago;
vet month passed after month, Till now you
arc turned 81, and all her ladyship keeps on
saving is Wait Meanwhile you are simply
idIlpg away your life. At your age l was
working II hours day, and keeping myself
without farthlng of help from anybody.
That's what l call the proper kind OF spirit
for young fellow TO cultivate"
Owaid laughed little uneasily-
'Wen, sir, | think ii can scarcely be put
down as my fault that l am as | an" he
said my gudmOtheT has always led us to
understand that my future should be her
special care, and l don't for one moment
suppose that she is going to break faith with
THAT may be very well. Oswald, as far
as il goes but, as l said before, while we
are awaiting her ladyshiD'S pleasure, you
are fritterng life away. l sometimes wish
her ladyship had been at Jericho before she
offered to stand sponsor for you
His fathers view on the matter by no
means commended themselves to Master
Oswald: but, much 10 his relief, the tram
came steaming up at this juDcture and there
was no time 10 say more. DIR. Ainslle
saw his son safely bestowed in a second
class carriage.
Don't neglect to write to your mother at
least twice a week" he said, as he shook
hands with the boy. You know how an
XiOus she is when any OF her fedgeliGgs are
out of her sight"
He calls me a 'fedgelng,' aud l am
turned 21H murmured Oswald. as the
wheels Of the carriage began to reyolye.
Three minutes later the doctor climbed
into his gig with a little sigh and set off
at t0g-tTot pace on his round OF afternoon
visits.
Meanwhile our hero was speeding south
ward with all that happy indifference to
what the future might have in store tor him
which only youth, health and high spirits
have the power to confer. As 1t hap
pened, he was the only occupant OF
the cOmpartment-a fact for which lie
was duly grateful. Hardly was NunWood
left q mile behind before he drew an en-
vel0pe from his pocket and with thumb and
finger deity extracted tberefrom a tiny
Einglet OF golden hair, which, with lovers
ipfatuatian, he pressed TO his lips again and
again. Pretty Ellen Trent, the curate's
daughter. had given it him no longer ago
than yesterday, and in return he had prom
Ised that lie would have il Enclosed in a
lOcket and ear it near his heart as long as
lie lived. He had loved Ellen in secret for
SIX mOnths-which TO the young fellow
seemed like half 4 lifetime-and Yesterday,
the fates being pTOpitious, he had nlucked
up heart Of grace 10 tell her So. For the
present the affair was to be kept profound
secret. Ellen was one of a large family
who were being brought up on a slender
stipend, and would bring no dowry TO her
husband; but Oswald did not care a ig for
that. 1t should be IN the power OF no one
to accuse him Of having contracted mer-
cenarV union.
Lady Pym had always promised her god
S0E that when lie should come OF age 81 he
would make him little present in honor of
the event; but when, on the morning OF his
tWenty-hTst birthday, he received a briefly
wOrded note from her informing him that
the SUM Of $1,000 had been transferred from
her banking account TO his name, ana when
the same post brought him an official letter
from the bankers confirming the news aud
inclosng a blank checkboOk for his use
and asking Ter specimen OF his signature,
her lady's unexpected munifcence almost
took away the breath both Of his father
and himself, so much was Il In excess of
anything they had looked forward to.
Oswald was not long before he expert
enCed that delicious moment which can
come but once in lifetime-when man
draws his first check, knowing at the same
time that it will be duly hOnored. He was
In no absolute want OF money. and his
father had strongly advised HIM on no ae-
count 70 break into his capital; but such
advice by no means conceded with his own
generous instincts. His g0dmother's gift
was not more than a week old before he
drew check for el00. out Of which he
bought new watch and chain for his
father. a brooch and earrings for his mother
and lOcket for each of his sisters.
Then there was rather expensive ring-a
cats-eye set with brilliants-Which he had
long admired. This he now Yentured to
purchase for himself, only he took care
never TO wear il at home, and his elder sis
ter was the onlv person taken into his con.
fdence in the affair. After that he cleared
of his tailOT's and one or two other per-
sonal accounts. and treated himself to what
he termed Thorough rigout." When thi:
was done he promised himself that hE
would draw no more checks for some time
to come.
Nunwood. although ranking itself as
place Of no small Importance, is on branch
line Of railway, at a point a dozen miles
away from its junction with the neares
main line to the metropolis. When Oswald
Ainslie took his second class ticket at Nun
wood station his father was naturally IN
der the impression that he had booked
through to London, but such was not thu
case. Master Oswald booked second-clas:
TO Mlllheld only, az which place he woul(
have to change trains, and whence he In
tended to book first class to London anC
enjoy smoke by the way. Why sheuli
Lady Pym's gOdSon. N an with balanc,
al his bankers. travel second clasp Os
wald saw no reason in the world why b.
should do so.
CHAPTER II.
The programme he had laid down for him
self was duly carried into effect. He saw
his p0rtmanteau transferred to the Londol
train, and then, having obtained a first
class ticket, he found an empty smokinl
compartment and prepared to make hmsel
comfortable for the rest of the Journey. Blu
at the last moment, after the engine haC
given preliminary throb, the door wa
suddenly thrown open by one of the Off
Gals, and middle-aged gentleman in
fur-tTimmed oveTcoat stepped into the car
rage as quietly and deliberately as though
he had still quarter of an hour to spare.
when a delay of a couple of seconds i
enough TO cause one to lose ones train on
scarcely knows whether one ought 10 bles
or ban English punctuality" he spok
smilingly, addressing himself directly f
Ainslie. while in the act of arranging hi
travelling rug across his knees. "On the Con
tineut, now" be went on, There is often
charming uncertainty with regard to tn
time at which your train will start. Yol
know when it ought TO start, but that ap
pears to have little to do with the matter.
am told there are people who regard sucl
minor troubles as merely enhancing tn
piquancy of travel. What is your opinion