The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1897-10-14

| yourself beaten" she said provokingly.
"To keep that up any longer when you
are evidently not in condition would be
| absurd -
Don't trouble about me, he said
angrily. II know haven't got your
pace, but at least I'll keep going as
long"
Nonsense she answered. "You
couldn't keep it up another half mile.
For one thing, you haven't had the
| right sort of coaching
This was rather too much for man
who considered himself a judge of form,
but it was true. He was very fairly
good oarsman, with plenty of strength
and pluck, but she had all the finish Of
varsity crack, learned probably from
a brother
well, we won't argue about it., he
said rather sulkily. 'You have beaten
me, so there's an end of it. -
"You dig the water too deep and
lon'r get forward enough" she con-
| tinued, with the aggravating 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 ran for it, jump
ing into the first carriage that caught
his eye. 1t was not until he had shut
the door and the train had left the plat
form that he saw what he had done.
He had got into a compartment re-
served for ladies, and in the corner OF
it sat the girl in the white blouse.
81 beg your pardon, -" he muttered;
"didn't notice it was ladies' car.
rage"
"Oh, it doesn't matter" she said,
showing row of white, merciless teeth
as she smiled. 81 don't require car
rage all to myself
There was the slightest possible stress
ON the g." 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. .,f
"You didn't go far. I hope our little
race didn't take it out Of you too much. u
This was said with an air of limo.
cence, which it was impossible to take
offense at openly, but it was none the
less irritating.
i 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
nevertheless. She discussed form
and "style," told him he depended toe
much ON the strength of his arms and
not sufficiently on his weight, and alto
gether made him feel more like a cock,
ney novice than a racing man.
To do Mr. Watts justice, he submit
ted to it fairly we'll
Three weeks later they met again un-
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 a
splash of rain. There was evidently
going to be heavy downpour. 1t hap
pened that he was at a part where there
was not scrap of shelter ON either
bank for a mile or two except at one
place where 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 a
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 fol-
one boat, and he clearly had the right
Of prior possession.
She slowed down and backed water
skillfully until she caught sight of him,
safely sheltered under the thick leaves.
A look Of vexation came into her eyes.
"You must make room for me some
how,'' she said Grossly.
"Come along, then," he said, Selling
a branch of the tree and easing his boat
out into the stream. She padded into
the shelter.
"What are you going to do now?''
she asked in doubtful tone.
81 shall make the best of my way
back to Teddington.
you'll get wet through, she said.
81 must chance that" he said. 81
owe you a. good turn for the nice way
you treated me when we raced the other
day
If Mr. Watts had thought for week
he could not have hit ON better way
of humiliating her. She was thorough
little sportswoman and felt the satire
keenly. To treat her with courtesy after
what had happened made her feel very
much smaller than vulgar revenge
would have done. - ~ -
], She told her best friend about il
and said: Il was never more taken
down in my life. I would much rather
have got wet. through. But it's always
I. the way when you quarrel with a man
The treats you generously and makes
you feel SMALL
Nevertheless, Mr.. Watts modified his
views of mans superiority from that
hour and has never been known to re.
peat his celebrated argument about rec,
ord breaking, especially as he has taken
his conqueror into life partnership. -
Rambler.
War q Curious Business.
Tryon took his long glass on shore
4. 4 ,,coQv,1 f~,,. ,.eoo~,