The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-07-29
bright as this together" and ss he


remained discreetly silent. But Bul
wer made no further remark; and
settling to work with the scuIls; pad
died the boat down the stream.
Presently he broke the silence again
"Y6u will find the people we are stay
ing with yery different from the Brix
tonians; Mabel" he said f'Is will b'
quite a new experience of life for you.
He seemed somewhat at a loss to eX
plain his meaning in reply to the girls
question as to where the difference
lay.
SIS Mrs. Walls q very clever wo
man." asked Mabel, referring to the
hostess she was about to meet
"No; oh, no." replied Bulwer
'Clever, of course, but nothing ex.
ceptional, you know. She is just like
the rest of them, and you must pre-
pare to be shocked little. You see,
in Brixton people take such narrow
views of life. Men and women of the
world are accustomed to take much
broader outlook upon things"
"What things?" demanded the
girl.
Things generally, you know" re-
piled Bulwer; vaguely.
Mabel began to wonder little. She
wondered still more during the next
two OF three days she Spent on board the
houseboat Irene, and Something very
much like distrust began to take pos
session Of her: In two days her eS-
perience of the manners and customs
of the society to which BIlwer had
introduced her led her to some very
curious conclusions. She decided
that the ladies consumed more cham
pagne than was good for their health,
and she found that brandy and soda
was invariably considered the thing to
drink in the early morning She
learned that it was correct to address
the most casual male acquaintance as
"dear boy" and to refer to a lord
otherwise than by his Christian name
was to confess oneself outside the pale
of civilization. She learned, too, that
the only subjects upon which society
lady could converse with any degree of
| fiuency was upon matters theatrical or
sporting, and when deeply interested
in either of these questions her Ian
guage had an adjectival facility which
was somewhat alarming to mere
Brixtonian.
Still Reginald was very attentive,
and laughed away Mabel's scruples.
She had very little time to think,
feither. Each day was full of incident,
and IN one continual whirl of light
and life, seemed to end before it had
well begun. Before breakfast was
finished it was time to take the punt
and make their way to point of want
age on the course. Scarcely an hour
seemed to pass and it was time to re-
turn to lunch. Then the punt again,
tea at another houseboat. and finally
drift down the river and reposeful
half-hour in the backwater before
Hambledon Lock before dinner
After dinner, gossip aud music, with
ont and within, filed the evening,
until eyes refused to remain open
longer. That was the order of things
until the last day of the regatta.
Meanwhile Jim Todd had been
going disconsolately about his bust
ness in town. At first he had deter
mined to remain away from Henley
altogether; but, as each day passed,
he repented of his intention, and at
last, on the morning of the last day,
he donned his fannels and followed
the rest of the pleasure-seekers. At
least he would be able to get glimpse
of the girl who had thrown him over.
He did not bear her any ill-will; there
was not particle of malice in the |
whole of his body. If she seemed un-
happy, well, he would bear it as best |
he might, and take up Loyalty the
position of friend, if he were allowed |
to do so. In spite, however, of the
fine day and the life and movement
Jim Todd felt the reverse of happy.
The general gayety only increased his
gloom. He was outside it all, and, to
crown everything, he did not catch a
glimpse of Mabel. So at length
of the babble of laughter
and music, he got out his sculls and
left the course behind, determined to
find some secluded spot where he
might rest and brood over his lost
happiness.
The quiet spot was more difficult
to find than he hal anticipated.
Every sheltered corner had its boat
md its pair of lovers. It was very
to Jim, in hit particular
mood. He went on, however, pull
ing doggedly until he reached at last
4 little backwater which promised re-
5irement, and there he pushed his
BOAT in under the shade of tree and
made it fast to one of its branches.
He was not undisturbed for long,
however, for within half an hour a
second boat pushed in within few
7ards of him, and, though the leafy
'creen prevented him from seeing who
he occupants were, snatches of their
reached his ears. He
vas about to move, when suddenly he
heard a woman's voice mention the
lame of Mabel Courthope coupled
With that of Reginald Bulwer.
Jim lay still and listened, and as he
ay his blood began to boil in anger.
But not for long did he lie quiescent.
'utting the scraps together convinced
lin that his suspicious were more
han correct. Hepushed his boat out
nto the river and once ore settled
imself to the sculls. A shout made
i'm look over his shoulder. He had
een working off his anger by strenu-
us exertion and driving his light out 4,
igger fast against the current He ,
'as going straight back to Henley
nd the Irene to confront Bulwer and .
D take Mabel home. in one glance
e saw punt narrowly escape being $
un down by big launch only to be {
aught in the swirl Of the water and |
snominiously capsized. {
Half dozen vigorous strokes took i
- D. II