The record-union., 1896-07-09

hood. At ) o'clock there was always a
pleasant tea on the deck of our own or.
somebody else's boat.
1t was supremely pleasant to sit
from 8 till about 10 or II among the
palms and Chinese lanterns, watching
the moonlight kissing the placid bosom
Of the sleepy river 1t was pleasanter
still when Archie, bringing his deck
chair closer to mine, chatted confiden-
TALLY, as though we had met as many
years ago as days.
He had been left an orphan early.
and had been brought UP under the
strict unbending rule of doubtless
worthy but bigoted relatives, so that
l ceased to wonder that as soon as he
gained his majority and freedom. he
plunged into the vortex of the whirl-
wind men call life.
You, see, 1 never had a sister," he
said, his eyes resting on my face with
strange, wistful expression. Il think
if my life had been blessed with the in
f1uence of a girl like-like some girls
have met it would have been other
than it has been"
From the after-deck drifted the aroma
of cigar smoke, the sound of voices
the Generals and Archie's. l heard my
name mentioned. / am a woman; l list
ened. Under the circumstances so would
a man.
"a capital chance for you, my boy"
said the General I'm pretty certain
she likes you, and she's as good as
gold"
"Ah! but she's wealthy" said Archie.
IF 1 had met her before I played the
fool with my fortune, it might have
been. But for a penniless outcast like
me to seek a girl like that! What would
the world think? What would she
Think"
There was a pause Then he said
abruptly:
Good might, General By the by, T
must pack up and be off in the morn
ing 1 must go up to the horse guards
to see about my exchanging into a West
Indian regiment, or retiring and receiY-
ing the value of my commission
And what shall you do after?'
Don't quite know-cattle ranch in
Texas, sheep farm in Queensland, or
perhaps Kimberley or Mashonaland."
Next morning I discovered that it was
absolutely necessary that l should punt
up to Whitechurch Lock. Archie Chan
dos offered to punt me; but l would not
permit him, consenting, however, TO
take him as a passenger.
Il am going away this afternoon he
said, dreamily gazing at Whitechurch
woods up above.
Indeed" I said with an assumed air
of profound indifference. Tired of this
quiet kind of life, suppose?"
He made no answer.
Then suddenly it strangely occurred
to me that we were not very far from
the house boat, that the river was not
very deep, that | could swim across it
without the least difficulty in the world,
and that the water could not be very
cold: while nothing in the world seemed
much more desirable that hot morning
than a good ducking.
And lust then, strangely enough, my
pole slipped, and in half a moment,
with a half scream, 1 went tumbling
into about four feet of water.
He was almost instantly beside me,
one arm round me, the other striking
ont for the opposite shore.
We were really in deep water now, so
naturally I, for safety, clasped his neck
with one of my arms.
Whatever would Mrs. Grundy have
said? Mrs General Hewlett, when I
told her in confidence. said:
"You designing little minxi like you
now better than ever, and I'm sure he'll
make one of the best husbands in the
world. So much better than his going
to Texasv'-London Evening News.
Conrad Young. artistic photos. 421 J}~