The herald., 1894-02-15
SHE WAS PRETTY.


what I should do when l did see her,
and in fact 1 was entirely nonplused by
the whole situation.
I determined to retire to my ham,
mock and vthink over matters in gen
eral. AS lay there, swinging lightly
over the water, and with the distant
sound of the weir lulling my senses
pleasantly, it is not to be wondered at
that fell into dreamy reverie.
Old half forgotten recollections came
thronging upon me; of little faxen
haired Kitty, whom used to torment
and laughingly ask to be my little
wife, nearly dozen years ago, when
she was little chit of 10; of her father,
my old friend John Dobson, who used
TO say in his sober business way, "And
so she shall be, Mildenhall, if l can help
you, and you care to have her when she
is grown up" of that quantity touching
clause in poor Dobson 8 will by which
he had done all that lay in his power to
help me.
And l, engrossed in turning over
money in the city, had clean forgotten
all about herl
was aroused by the sound of voices
and looked round. There, in the very
identical place where Mr.. Bob Tyncker
had done his extremely futile fishing in
the morning, he and Kitty were sitting
and talking.
"And SO the old fellow-and queer
old fellow he is, too, Mr.. Bob was say
ing, Twill be round at the house this
very afternoon to see about claiming
your hand"
"Oh, Bob!" said Kitty, trembling.
~ say, Kitty" said Bob mischiev-
ously, suppose he really wants to stick
to his old idea of making you his little
wife, eh2 What shall you do them"
"Oh, Bob, don't" said poor Kitty.
"He has been such bugbear to me late
ly that--that &C that there is dan
ger of young lady shedding tears at
the very mention of his name" l
thought to myself grimly, for Kitty did
not seem to be able to complete the SEN
tence herself).
Never mind, Kitty" said poor Bob,
hugging her tenderly. Il am brute to
have suggested such an idea. If he
doesn t refuse to have you, why, you will
just have to refuse him, you know, and
that will bring the whole matter to the
usual way of doing things from a young
lady point of view, you see"
$50 it will, said Kitty, Frightening
, up once more; "but, Bob, then the $685.
900 will have to go to the Methodist
chapel, and that is just the very thing
that has been making uncle SO terribly
savage"
Let him be, )" said Bob stoutly. at
won't hurt us after today; you will be
free then, you see, and marry whoever
you like. And we have plenty to set up
housekeeping on between us, without
the beastly money-let him be angry if
he likes"
"And so he is, sir" shouted Mr.. Dob
son suddenly, poking his head over the
top of the bank. $50 he isl 1t would
make a saint savage to be set at defiance
In this way. l begin to thing
''Stop" 1 called out, rising hastily
In my hammock.
Opllbul ldllcu lulO lu6
water.
Me, by Jove, and so began striking
out Justify on all sides, with hands,
feet, fingers, elbows-l cannot exactly
call myself swimmer-and getting my
boots above water more frequently than
my head, am afraid, till was sud
denly grasped by the collar firmly.
,o01 caS1 NV x,on,,r, fr,o,,J
Bob Tyncker authoritatively-for he
1t was-nimbly swimming on his back
with two legs and one arm, and draw
Ing me after him with the other. keep
cool; I've got you all right''
"Cool it isl'' thought to myself, my
spirits reviving as | felt myself towed
along-right across the river! For Bob,
1t seems, like retriever-he certainly
swan as we'll as one-would not con-
descend to lay me anywhere but at the
very feet of his mistress.
There at last hurra"--
An overwhelming rush of water
across my face cut short my self con-
graduation; was fairly under, in fact.
And the remarkably unpleasant
tHOuSHt hdoH5Q upOh Aho thoo Woo
driving down under the dipping bush.
But spasmodic jerk from Tyncker
brought me to the top once more, and
rs l gasped for breath heard his voice:
"Shift for yourself-catch hold of the
bush-I'm going"
/ caught the branches as high up as
possible and got glance behind me.
Tyncker was not only going-he was
gone. diving down under the bush, hav
Ing sacrificed himself to keep me from
like fate.
saw his face disappearing beneath
the water; l heard the oespalrlng cry OF
Kitty from the bank, and letting go my
OWN hold with one hand l thrust down
and caught the poor fellows collar and
turned remarkably wild eye to the on
lockers.
The old gentleman was helplessly
shouting and running to and fro, but
saw his niece rapidly unknotting from
er waist that heavy scarf of gold which
ahe had worn all day. Then. Lie q