Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-07-19
THE MAJORS SISTER.

cts quite useless waiting for me, Fred
1t will take at least an hour to overhaul
my machine and adjust these COMPOUNDED
bearings You'd better run ON to st. AL
bans and order n rafting good dinner for
two at the George BY the time it's ready
l shall be with you again.
1t will be better than hanging about
here when l can do no good, l agreed
"It was nasty spill, and you may think
yourself lucky to have got off with nothing
worse than few bruises and little de
lay Pom my word l was afraid our tour
was already at an end. Trust to me, Har
ry, old fellow, to have all ready for the in
ner man"
AYE, I'll trust you for that, " rctorted
my cyclist chun Harry Holmes, as l grip
ped the handle bar of my machine and
VaultCd into the saddle. And, not hay
ing to listen TO your edifying remarks CON
corning my appearance, l shan't perhaps
be so long repairing damages as you
think "
With this friendly piece of parting ban
ter to spur me ON, l pressed the pedals in
earnest, and the next moment was speed
ing along the high road to St. Adams, dis
tant some six miles.
1t was a bright, bracing morning and
sharp spin ut my own pace was undoubt-
eddy preferable to sitting smoking on q
bank, watching my unluclly friend tinker
ing with a wrench and listening to alter
nate growls at trcachcrous roads and all
such misfOrtunes as side slips,
had traversed half the distance when,
rounding Il curve in the road, l observed a
lady cyclist short distance ahead. APP
parently something had gone wrong with
hon, e1,n IL
proppcd up by the side of the road and was
viewing surrounding objects with an air
of evident detection.
True to the spirit which prompts every
cyCl;st to help another in distress, l slack
encd speed and as / drew nearer noticed
that the lady was both young and pretty,
a discovery which at once made my i'm
questionable heart hope that she might be
glad to avail herself of my services in
some way or other
My wishes in this respect were speedily
gratified, for as l dismountcd and politely
inquired if anything had gone wrong with
her machine the young lady's face became
su1fused with the most winning of smiles.
ooh, thank you SO very much, sir, "
was the response spoken without the
slightest trace of frigidity. Il must con-
fess that I'm in a wrctchcd fix. The han
de bar of my machine has become loose
and l haven tool of any description that
will tighten up the nut. And to make
matters worse my brother, Major Gwynne,
has lost Ine-or, l suppose 1 have lost
him-and I'm afraid he hasn't the least
idea that my plight is such a bad one. 5"
"Oh, Wen very soon set things right"
/ said rcassuringly, and the look of graft
tude bestowed upon me made me think
that had never before met with so charm
ing or so ha:sdaome n girl as this Miss
Gwynne.
Whipping out my wrench, l adjusted it
and proceeded to tighten up the loose nut
of the steering bar. l noticed that the
young lady machine was anything but a
good one In fact, 1 was quietly telling
myself what an inferior And old fashioned
mount it was Tor SO WiNSOme and appar-
emily well tc do rider, when, to my dis
may, the screw broke short off, and the
nut attached 10 it rolled in the YOad.
CHOW, here's pretty goH 1 blurted
out, reddening with mingled confusion
and vocation. Whatever shall we do
now, Miss GWynne:'
"Oh, I'm sure l don't know" was the
reply, uttered in tones of CONSERVATION
which almost overwhelmed me and made
me call myself everything the reverse of
30 miles from home, too, and my brother
will l am quite certain, never trouble
himself to turn back to look for me. Hell
simply keep on driving ahead. But there,
] suppose he is just like other brothers
quite useless as escorts"
For my own part l felt decidedly pleased
at the prospect of the brothers continued
absence.
"Wcll, I've landed you in this scrape,
and you must allow me 10 see you out of
it, that S all. "
Secretly began to feel rather glad as
perceived what "A very pleasant duty had
suddenly devolved upon me, and for the
time, at all events, my chum Holmes was
quite forgotten.
but what can either of us do? You
can't pick me up and give me ride
Yours isn't bicycle built for two, you
know" And the young lady laughed with
such perfect Sood humor that felt quite
at my ease again.
Il sincerely wish it was for once,
returned boldly, and then as she turned n
pair of bright, laughing eyes upon me
blushed al my unusual temerty, the while
was growing positively eager to become
the slave of this fair cyclst.
Il can only suggest" | added THAT as
you are 50 far from home you will allow
me to sec You 10 some hotel while l try to
get new bolt and nut Possibly you can
tell me of likcly place to put up at for
an hour or two, as | am n stranger about
here. l can easily manage to wheel your
machine and my own along"
Somewhat to my surprise, however, Miss
Gwynne was visibly embarrassed by my
proposition.
"Theres one great objection to such a
thing" she said after II pause. THE fact
is, Dick-I mean my brother, Major
Gwynne-has left me without penny in
my pocket" She colored up charmingly
at the confession and went on: "Of course
he doesn't know that, and it's my OWL
fault. l often 90 out without bringing my
purse, bus declare I never will again"
she gave little laugh, as if to conceal