The herald., 1897-01-31


shoulder. ana the fat lady was sleeping
| peacefully.
IT can't help It," called out Anthea.
who gave me a cold look as she passed
with the elderly gentleman. Anthea ap-
peared to have accepted the trying STU
alton with a considerable amount OF
composure. A mere man, although
lunatic, failed to inspire her with terror.
She had a theory, she said that most
men were rather mad, ana that those
who were shut up were not really mucn
worse than those who wandered at
large.
l watched them till they came to
| rosebed, when 1 saw the elderly gentle
man pluck one of DR.. Perks most cher
ished blooms and present it to Anthea,
bowling low and placing his hand upon
his heart.
Madam" heard him say. take this
poor bloom" (shade Of DR.. Perks! and
If for one hour 1t serves to remind you
of the stern old warrior who gave II you
let that be his reward"
"Oh, thank you, Sir Charles" said
Anthea, and she took the rose and press
ed ID to her lips before she fastened 1t in
the front of her frock.
She really humored him wonderfully
well.
The fat lady awoke and said, without
moments hesitation, II haven't been
asleep. Where's Baby?"
Here" said the young man, and he
and Mabel came into the summer house.
"Oh, Mr.. Wells" said Mabel. don't
you think IL we were all to be very firm
we might get away now? There are
Anthea and-and Sir Charles Grandson
cha, hal" said the young NAM, and
think the other two are in the garden.
Do please find them and lI us go home
She was nearly crying and looked very
white; so, leaving her. With some mis-
givings, went to the garden to collect
the rest of the party.
Here / found my unfortunate friend
Tapson a prisoner on the top OF a high
garden wall.
The pale girl, 1t appears, had first of all
made him fill his pockets with pears and
plams, and had then induced him to
mount a ladder and sit on the wall. she
herself had followed, and sat with her
feet on the ladder making it impossible
for Tapson to descend except at the risk
of breaking his neck
When l came upon them in the garden
the feeble girl was still eating pears and
swinging her feet against the ladder.
you must let Tapson come down.
now" said in a kind, firm voice; I'VE
are going home"
1 held the ladder till she had descend
ed; and Tapson following quickly. we
all walked up to the house together.
Here we found the carriage waiting,
and our leave taking was wonderfully
successful.
Anthea said: IT do1't think any of
you need tell Augustus what it was like.
And we swore secrecy.
But the next day we had hardly fin
ished luncheon when DR.. Perks drove
up in his phaeton and by his side sat
the wild eyed young man, looking wilder
eyed than ever.
Mabel became quite hysterical Don't
let him in! Don't let him in!" she cried.
Il believe I'm half engaged to him. oh,
please say we are not at home"
And then, of course, Augustus had to
hear all about it.
'I don't think Perks had any right to
place you in such position, he said;
land he certainly has no right to bring
his patients over here. I'll call and
speak to Perks about this tomorrow.
Our worst fears were realized when
the next day we saw him ride back,
looking most strange. His neck cloth
was loosened, his eyes were full OF
tears and his face was exactly the
color of a ripe tomato.
MY own darling Augustus! What
ist he matter?" cried Anthea.
IT have been threatened with apo
plexy!" replied Augustine.
"oh, Augustus! How? What hap
pened?"
"I rode to the Inflated spot" replied
Augustus, land was slowly approach
ing the house, when whom should
meet walking in the drive but that con-
ceited old ass, Col Blake!"
II asked him what sort of patients
DR.. Perks had at present, and he told
me that all the patients had gone, and
that DR.. Perks had given up his pri-
vate asylum work and only"
go on said Tapson, in hoarse
whisper.
Augustus looked at no one, which
was noble of Augustus-"and he only
has his own friends to stay with him
now"
He told me that there is a certain
Mrs Lawrence staying there now with
her soma poet. believe-who is famil-
iarly called Baby. The poet quotes his
own verse upon all occasions, am told.
There is another guest-Miss Langford,
an heiress-staying in the house,
great catch, Colonel Blake says, and
a sportswoman, to boot"
"And-and who else?" asked Anthea,
with white lips and q voice that shook.
mo one but Colonel Blake himself,
said Augustus.
But" said I, at solemnly declare
to you Augustus, that. they all seemed
to think that soda water wires grow
on a grass bank, and everyone of them
was trying to find them
"I believe" said Augustus softly, that
our old friend Dr. Perkins is in the habit
of Illuminating that bank at night
sometimes. He hangs little lights onto
wires fixed in the grass. but the grass
grew too long, so his friends said they
would find the wires and put them
somewhere else. There was to be quite
a grand illumination with a cold spper
afterward."
Gold potato pie" murmured Tapson.
The silence that followed was so great
that we could hear Augustus eyelids
moving as he blinked at the sun.-Pall
| Mall Magazine.
HE REEIITED THE LIE