The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23

GROSSLY. II understood was to mend
steady on" said the Bounder very
quietly, bending down and looking at the
machine
4 didn't know you wanted to stop every
man that came along" said Mr.. Champion,
suddenly exasperated to insult.
STEADY on, said the Bounder, again.
Mr.. Champion replied with a look of
When you We're rude to me-" said the
Bounder, looking up, i let you alone. But
If you're going to be rude to this young
lady shall just punch your cad. See l m
an engine-fitter, and it don't take that TO
see you've been pretty near knocking all
the quality out of a vally bic machine
Mr.. Champion was GREATNESS with anger
I'm quite prepared to pay for any dam
age I've done" he said .,,.-
swer, though he stood quite minute
Trembling with Indignation, Mr.. Cramp-
to picked UP his machine mounted a little
clumsiy and rode off, he rode very last
until he was round the bend-Just TO show
how angry he was. For space he was
boiling with rage. Then he laughed aloud in
a sardonic fashion "Of all possible expert
ences, he said. "Ha! Ha! And this comes
of trying to help fellow creature!
The sardonic mood remained He hated
every human being on the road and every
human being in Crawley, both on the right
hand side and on the left. Most of them,
from their manner, seemed to be aware OF
his recent indignites. He rested at CraW-
steadily and thinking Of alternatives to his
savings and dOings with the Bounder and
the young lady 1t was when he rode on
again. and the sun was setting. n mile out
of Crawley he came to a long dark nil.
Twilight came as surprise ana with 1t
came an acute sense of fatigue. lie as
mounted. Presently he mounted again. 1t
was difficult to decide which progress was
most tiring-afoot or awheel And this was
pleasure. An acute realization OF the IN
describable vulgarity of cycling came into
his mind A dirty. fatiguing pursuit that
put at the mercy of every impuden ut
cad one met. He began to stamp with ms
1a. hot 1g ~ nor q
care had not prevented his learning The
road before him was dark interminable,
impossible. He saw milestone dlmly, ana
went to it with a lingering nope THAT Prov.
dence might have interposed on MS behalf
and cut out dozen miles or so, but there
it was; Brighton, twenty miles.
And then comes a mystery. Within
ninety minutes Mr.. Champion was alight-
ing outside the best society hotel at BTlgh-
ton. There is q railway station at Three
Bridges, out l hold that an author should
respect the secrets of his characters There
was no incriminatory ticket ON his ma
chine, and he never gave any one the
slightest ground for supposng that he did
anything but cycle the whole way. HIS nat
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 caresslng lat
hands upon his shoulder
Don't" said Mr. Champion, briefly, and
flung himself into chair Sowing,
you might give chap something TO
drink, he said instead of standing
there"
But after dinner he recovered, and talked
to her. Among other things he admitted
he liked Madge, and seemed to take his
mothers timid suggestions in a sympa-
thetic spirit. But I wish she didn't BIZ
cycle" he said; its bit-conlmon."
They lunched next day with the Fcntons.
He waited for his opportunity to score his
to n
and so it did not come off until late in the
afternoon. Mrs. Champion would have
boasted to Madge of his manliness in rid
ing the whole way but for his express pro-
NO" he said quite calmly. in answer to
some remark. Il didn't train wheeled
Madge looked quite surprised FIFTY
two milesi" she said
Il don't know the distance said Nj.
Champion. 1T didn't seem so exceedingly
long"
The increase in her respect was swift and
evident. How long did it take you?"
"Six-seven hours. I started about mid
day. But I didn't scorch, you know. And
I stopped about half an hour mending a
He tried to look as though he had done
nothing extraordinary.
Here's Ethel, Of all peoople?' said Mrs.
Fenton. rising MY dear!'
Mr.. Champion looked up, and there in the
doorway was the heroine of the pupctured
tire & Madge rose too to welcome
| here is Cousin Cecil" she said, introducing
Mr. Champion The newcomer advanced
brightly, stared, hesitated, and bowed
coldly.
Mrs. Champion never quite understood
the business, because her son was not only
reticent, but extremely irritable when ques-
toned. Evidently the young people had
met before, and were under considerable
constraint. She is in 10 think from
the subsequent incidents that Ethel was a
designing sort of a girl, who set Madge
against him with the idea of securing him
appointed. But the Brighton gathering was
certainly failure. and Mr.. Champion is
still not engaged Yet seeing his position.
Madge SILLY girlD married young doctor
three months ago.
H. G. Wells, in the Woman at Home.