The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-25

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society he was going to distinguish
himself in during the next ten days
In the half hour devoted to his toile
he made three resolves-frst, that ht
| would make himself so agreeable Il
everyone that he would be osked again
to stay at Harley; secondly, that he
would make the running" with Miss
Green, with view to matrimony and
the possession Of five thousand a year,
at the same time amusing himself with
Dorothy, whose looks pleased him
nightly; thirdly, that he would write
TO the South Kensington widow, omit
ting in his letter any mention of either
Dorothy or Miss Green.
He attlred himself with great care,
in shooting clothes that were a great
deal too new, and a soupcon of scent
hung about him as he walked with a
Self-satisfied air into the breakfast
room. He cast sharp and critical eve
over Gilbert hoping to find that want
O means or want of taste would be-
! tray itself: but not fault could be
/ found with the shooting suit that
! looked worn, but was well worn. and
was an indescribable something about
/ the wearer that he, John, could never
arrive at.
| The men started early one morning
! for an outlying cover that was gen.
orally supposed to produce rocketers,
and that was kept as bonnie bouche
for the end OF the weeks shoot. The
ladies were to drive out TO lunch, and
/ Dorothy and Miss Green, who were
rival photographers, were to send
( their cameras out in the luncheon
carts.
On arriving at the side of the wood
Mr.. Ridge, the headkeeper, had a few
minutes conversation with Lord Har-
ley, and then set about placing their
guns. "Wil you get through that
gate, if you please, Mr.. Beasley, and
stand at the end of that hedge; and
you, Mr.. Hurst, if you please, will you
stop about where you are now?" and
Ridge hurried off to place the great
men of the party at the corner of the
covert, at which point the birds were
expected to break, Lord Harley taking
a middle place.
Soon silence reigned in the ranks; it
was a perfect early winter day, and as
Gilbert turned his head and looked
away over the beautiful English land
scape his thoughts were far more of
Dorothy than of pheasants, and it was
not until a great hare had come Looping
out of the covert and had run almost
between the feet of the keepers son,
who, weighed down with Importance
and cartridges, was acting as a loader,
that he turned his thoughts to the
business before him. Soon something
more than the ''tap-tap" of the 'stops"
could be heard, and a sound as though
Bedlam was let loose gave the pleas
ants and the guns an idea that it was
time to be up and doing.
A few shots at some stray birds, then
a muttered Here they como" from
lord Harley, and soon everyone was
blazing away.
Contrary to Ridges expectation, the
birds broke John Beasley's end of the
covert, and not only did that gentle
man let fly at everything that came his
way, but he had turn at everything
that was rightly Gilbert's-a more sys-
tematic robbery was never perpetrated;
and Lord Harley, who was not getting
much shooting, had plenty of time to
see what was going on, and to wonder,
as Lady Harley had wondered, why he
had asked John to stay with them.
Gilbert. though a very good shot,
had lost his temper and had shot badly:
], -. l.
quicker with the cartridges, and could
have kicked Beasley when he sauntered
up to him after the beaters were
through and remarked: Not quite I'D
to the mark to-day, Hurst; you let a
lot of these birds get away. Heavily
handicapped, not having good loader;
my man is a capital chap, was with
Lord Greystone, you know, six years,
and has been two with me-ought to
know something about it"
Dorothy and Miss Green came out |
before lunch to enable them to see a |
drive down in the low ground. As the !
guns were placed behind a high. |
struggling hedgerow John was sorely |
tempted to ask Dorothy to stand by |
him to witness his skill and prowess, |
but prudence conquered, and Miss |
Green was selected as his companion.
will you stand by me, Miss Lane2" |
asked Gilbert. Il am afraid you Will |
not see any brilliant shooting. but .
will do my best. Let me unron your
waterproof and I can make you COM
Portable seat here in these dry leaves.
and you will be sheltered from the .
wind"
Il am so afraid" said Dorothy,
scanning the sky that had become
somewhat overcast since morning.
that it will be too dark for photog-
raphy, and l wanted so TO get group:
IT is getting late. too. and the heaters
seem long time getting into line"
She knelt down in the leaves that car
peted the side of the hedge, and peered
through a small opening.
"Oh. | can see them now quite plain
". Just look-they are down by the
osiers, and will soon be here
Gilbert lnelt by her side. and held
back some brambles that Intercepted
his view, his heart beating furiouslv
and his hands trembling as he found
his face so dangerously near to Dor
othy'S
a sudden peal of laughter. and John
Beasley's voice calling: Are you two
saying your prayers" brought Gilbert
to his feet and the blood to Dorothv's
face
Angry words sprang to his lips, hut
IA wa STl nv Z