New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-16

"Im AFRAID not" said Mr.. Champion. rather
red in the face, holding the machine py sa'e
and handle and looking at 1t IN "a. sp s,,"aton
way 1t was really rather difficult sl,ua'oI;;
and he was trying to think what to 90 hsHt.
came of being "A gentleman. OF course anu Ell, a., tho
rous. Founders would have ridden ny !" us
first place without attempting 10 heip i
wanted very badly to swear. and IL was IA
clear indeed in his mind that he ought 10 DC '''-
ing .,,., otroid
His self-controI was admirable. I'm aira'o
It's no co." he said, looking up and smiling; r,.ro
She was looking quite straightly at MN. ne ',
was no appearance Of anger in her xn ought
she remarked quietly: Il don't think you 49, g.,
to have touched my machine. I'm AFRAID you
know very little about them. 80 ~. ,,,os
Mr.. Champion perceived at once that she was
not a lady. -. .,,. ha
All the more reason he told himself, tnat ne
should assert himself gentleman lt seeil's ~ ~
me-" he said. that can do very h''e soo' ~
this case" A.. aa
TT seems so to me-" she said, annoyed to ma
him not Inundated 49,, a
There came a rhythmic clanking on tne roau'
and the red damp-haired Bouruer III ss SO
whom Mr.. Champion had snubbed az bans.eau'
going Londonward now. and riding laooriousi,y,'
drew near. 'ullo"' he said, softly; 10 h'''sei'
and As he passed. Nothing wrong .o,
Positively she answered him. Mr.. CHAMPION
did not notice 1t. because he was looking al the
machine, but she must have done So so,
The Bounder was already some YARDS down
the road. but he dsmounted with such aiacrI.y
that he almost tumbled over He flung his ma,
chine into the hedge in a fine. careless way anu
came back What is it?' he said.
Nothing" said Mr.. Champion. full or angry
shame.
at all abashed, with his eye on the bent mud
guard. . .,
Il can manage very WELL thank YOU" said
Mr. Champion . ,
Let's have look at the jgger." said the
Bounder advancing: and suddenly became
aware that he had met this obstructive person
In brown before. He looked at the glri.
Please let the gentleman see' said the young
lady quietly.
At that Mr. Champions temper gave way en-
trely Very WE'LL" he said quite GROSSLY. Il
wasted hour on it,
"Steadv on" said the Bounder very quietly.
bending down and looking at the machine
II didn't know you wanted TO stop every man
that came along" said Mr.. Champion, suddenly
exasperated 10 insult
steady on said the Bounder again.
MIR. Champion replied with look OF freezing
contempt
"When you were rude TO me-" said the
you're going to be rude to this Young Lady,
shall just punch your cad See? I'm an en-
gine-ftter and it don't take that to see you've
been pretty knocking all the quality out or
q vally'ble machine
Mr. Champion was breathless with anger.
I'm quite prepared to pay for any damage
Neither Of them had the manners to answer
though he stood quite minute. TremDng
with indignation, Mr.. CHAMPION picked up his
off. He rode very fast until he was round the
bend-iust 10 show how angry he was For
space he boiling with rage Then he
laughed aloud in A sarGOnic fashion. ''Of all
possible expcricnccs!' he said. "Ha ha! And
this comes of trying to help a fellow creature
The sardonic mood remained. He hated every
human being on The road and every human
being in Crawey. both on the rGht-fand side
and on the left. Most Of them. from their man
ner, seemed to he aware of his recent indignites
He rested at Crawley an hour hating people
quietly but steadily and thinking Of alterna-
tiyes TO his savings and donGs with the BOunder
and the Young Lady. II was 6 when he rode
on again, and the sun was setting. mile out
Of Crawley he came 10 long dark hill. Twl-
light came as surprise and with it came an
acute sense OF fatigue. He dismounted. Pres
emily he mounted again. 1t was difficult to de-
eide which progress was most tirng-afoot or
awheel And this was pleasure. An acute
realization Of the understandable vulgarity of
cycling came into his mind. a dirty. fatiSuing
pursuit that put one al the mercy of every i'm
pudent cad one met. He began to stamp with
his feet. and words that his mothers
had not prevented his learning. The road
before him dark. interminable. impossible
He milestone dimly. and went to it with
a lingering hope that Providence might have in
terpoeed on his behalf and cut out a dozen miles
or so, but there it was: brighton. twenty
miles"
And then comes a mystery. Within ninety
minutes Mr.. Champion alighting outside
| the best society hotel at Brighton There is
railway station at Three Bridges, but | hold
that author should respect the secrets OF his
Characters. There was no discriminatory ticket
on his machine, and he never gave any one the
slightest ground for supposing that he did any
thing but cycle the whole way. His hat was
awry, his clothes dirty. his linen crumpled. and
his hands and face and his tie were defiled with
black from the young lady's chain.
His mother received him with effusion She
had grown nervous with the darkness. MY
dear, dear Cecil she said, advancing. But
how white and tired you look, And the dust
upon you She laid caressing fat hands upon
his shoulder
Don't" said Mr.. Champion. briefly, and flung
himself into chair Sowing
a 10 drip
he said. instead Of standing there"
But after dinner he recovered. and talked to
her. Among other things he admitted he liked
Madse and seemed to take his mothers timid
suggestions in a sympathetic spirit But |
wish she didn't bicycle" he said; its bit
They lunched next day with the Fentons He
waited for his opportunity to score his point.
making no attempt to lead up to it, and it
did not come off until late in the afternoon
Mrs. Champion would have boosted to Madge of
his manliness in riding the whole way but
for his express prohibition.
mo" he said quite calmly, In answer to some
remark. II didn't train. I wheeled down"
Madge looked quite surprised "Fifty-two
miles" she said.
81 don't know the distance" said Mr.. Cramp-
tor. 1T didn't seem so exceedingly long"
The increase in her respect was swift and evil
dent. How long did II take you?"
! "SiX-seven hours. ] started about midday
But didn't scorch you know. And 7 stopped
about half an hour mendng girls tire"
He tried to look as though he had done moth
! ing extraordinary.
Here's Ethel Of all people," said Mrs Fen
ton rising. MY dear"
Mr.. Champion looked up. and there In the
doorway was the heroine of the punctured tire.
. Madge rose. too. TO welcome her friend
/ and missed his expression. And here is Cousin
Cecil" she said. introducing Mr. Champion.
! The newcomer advanced brightly stared hest
tated and bowed coldly.
Mrs. Champion never quite understood the
business because her son was not only retcent.
but extremely irritable when questioned Evil
IDENTIFY the young people had met before and
under considerable constrant She is in
! clined to think from the subsequent incidents
| that Ethel was designing sort Of girl who set
Madge against him with the idea Of securing
J him herself. In that. AT any rate she was dis
J appointed. But the Brighton gathering was GER
tainly n failure and Mr. Champion is still not
engaged. Yet seeing his position, it Is odd some
: girl has not snapped him up. Madge SILLY