, 1897-12-06

SOOO Odrsnian. WIKI plenty Dl Strength
and pluck. but she had all THE I'M III Of
a varsity crack. learned probably from
u brother
We'll. we went argue about 1t. he
said rather sulEily You have beaten
me, ~ there's an end Of it
You dig the water too deep and
don't get forward enough. she con.
tinued. With the ~aggravatins smile still
on her lips But | shall land here
Goodby.
She turned her boat toward the shore
and Mr. Watts continued his way up
stream. an angry and Inundated man,
A train was waiting in the station as
he approached, and he RAJ for it. jump.
ing into the first carriage that caught
the door and the train had left the plat
form that he saw what he had done.
He had got into Il compartment re.
served for ladies, and Ill the corner of
it sat the girl in the white blouse.
II beg your pardon. " he mutterci;
didn't notice it was a ladies' car
riage."
"Oh. it doesn't matter" she said.
showing il Wv of white, merciless teeth
as she smiled IL don't require u car,
riage all to nlyself."
There was the slightest possible stress
on the IL, which made him vince
Evidently she was not going to spare
him.
"How far did you get?" she inquired.
He named the spot where he had
turned back.
You didn't 60 far | hope our little
u C didn't take ii cut Of you too much. -
This was said with an air of limo
nee. which it was impossible to take
offense ut openly. but it was none the
less irritating
She continued her crushing process
until the train reached Barnes by crow
ing over him about the race. The
Growing was done very delicately
and sweetly. but it was Growing"
and style" told him he depended too
much on the strength of his arms and
not sufficiently OH his weight, and alto.
gether made him feel more like q cock
ney novice than a racing man
To do Mr., Watts justice. he submit.
ted to it fairly well
Three weeks later they met again I'M
der rather odd circumstances. and this
time Mr. Watts had his chance of scor-
ing.
He had been padding about on the
river for an hour or two when he felt n
splash of rain. There was evidently
going to be II heavy downpour. 1t hap,
pened that he was at a part where there
was not q rap of shelter on either
bank for II mile or two except Mt one
place where u huge elm hung over the
water and provided one of natures UNI.
brellas.
He had scarcely reached it when he
heard the swish of oars. and. looking
through the leaves, he saw the girl in u
white blouse coming down stream at
racing speed A CLEAN of triumph shot
into his eyes. She was making for the
same tree. but there was only room for
one boat. and he clearly had the right
Of prior possession.
skillfully until she caught sight of him,
safely sheltered under the thick leaves.
A look of %vexation anne into her eyes
You must make room for me some
how" she said Grossly.
Come along, thcn," he said. seizing
u branch of the tree and casing his boat
out into the stream. She padded into
the shelter.
what are you going to do now
she asked in a doubtful tone.
II shall make the best of my way
back to Teddington."
You'll get wet through, she said.
II must chance that" he said. II
W You u good turn for the nice way
you treated me when we raced the other
day"
II Mr. Watts had thought for aJweek
he could not have hit on a better way
Of humiliating her, She was u thorough
little sportswoman and felt the satire
keenly. To treat her with courtesy after
what had happened made her feel very
much smaller than a vulgar revenge
would have done.
She told her best friend about it
aud said: II was never more taken
down in my life. | would much rather
have got wei through. But it's always
the way when you quarrel with u man
he treats you generously and makes
you-feel small"
Nevertheless, MIR. Watts modified his
views Of mans superiority from that
hour and has never beef known to re-
peat his celebrated argument about rec
ord breaking, especially as he has taken