The record-union., 1897-06-27

viii you come in to tea?
This mystery may have made the
General more interesting to Mrs. Whin,
as to the world at large. However thai
might be, she took him under her wing,
which meant the Duke also, when that
lazy person was anywhere about, and
upon that the whole world was civil.
One dull afternoon, when there were
few players and the wind was cold,
Mrs Whin's partner took alarm.
I'VE must finish,'' said Mrs. Whin.
but you are cold" the General said
anxiously, coming forward to help in
turning I'D the high coat-collar that
nearly reached to her ears. His hands
touched the small chill fingers that
Mrs. Whin put up; and the collar was
very stiff
The General did not button up his
long military coat, neither did he take
up his driver; something seemed to be
on his mind.
II am going SOUTH" he said at last.
with the swallows?" said Mrs.
Whin.
Il think they are gone already" the
General answered, gazing abstractedly
out to sea.
The wind had blown into the widows
cheek a scarlet to match her coat. She
put her head on one side thoughtfully,
making believe to look at a hole, and
then seemed frightened to find that she
had not spoken.
Il have sometimes wondered what
brought you all the way up here" she
said hastily. 'It is not as ifryou had
come up to see old friends, or-any-
thing"
Mo-" said the General awkward
ly. mo, I-drifted l will tell you
about it some day, when 1 have cour-
age"
You forget" said she, that you are
going south"
There was a queer shake in her voice.
1t might be cold, but it was not laugh
ter. The General took a stride nearer
to her and spoke.
Il am running away" he said 81
thought I was hardened to being lonely,
chums who would say Poor chap
when they read of my death in the
English papers. / did not know that
was a fool. Will you say good-by to
me kindly, and let me go?"
Don't co." said Mrs. Whin. He had
taken her hand, and involuntarily her
fingers closed over his. There was a
little silence while they looked at each
other, and Mrs. Whn's color rose
L am weather-worn," said the Gen
eral.
80 am t. said Mrs. Whin.
Then Dow rose up in alarm, and
traitorously signaled to one or two
men who were seeking the General
high and low, and who promptly came
up and interrupted.
Hi, General, what about our
match?"
Come along Milne is neither to
hold nor bind; come and play that four
some.''
Mrs. Whin and the General started
dropped each others hands, and the
General bent his brows.
L am playing with lady" he said.
''The last hole. sir!" put in Dow, rum
ming forward to pluck out the flag
Unwillingly the General sent his ball
into it, and the game was over. He
paused for an instant, looking at Mrs
Whin, and she gave him one glance
that was not for, the spectators.
I am going home" she said.
- May l come UP and see you Iater?"
he asked. This unhappy foursome, a
great and solemn thing, posted up in
the clubs arrangements, must over
ride everything, since the others had
come to fetch him.
Gomez Mrs. Whin said smiling; and
they went their ways.
She stood looking after the men, still
smiling TREMENDOUSLY, and then tripped
over the hillocks in hurry. At the
pavilion gate she turned round and
beamed on Dow, who was standing be-
hind her, glum and silent.
Run across to the Gordon Arms
and tell Andrew to bring my cart" she
said, taking the clubs from him, and
running in to shut them up in her lock-
er. Dow stopped at the gate and
whistled.
Here you, Sandy" he said with a
lordly air, run round to the Gordon
Arms for Mrs. Whin's dog-cart You'll
get ride back in the Cart
One of his understudies rushed off
obediently, and Dow marched himself
up the steps and arrived at the thres-
hold of the pavilion. Mrs. Whin was
struggling with the keys at her wrist.
She was all in happy flutter
There was to be a tea-party that af-
ternoon, and there We're signs of it in
the smoky stove and the baskets
against the wall. Mrs. Whin was one
of the committee; but she would not
wait. She must go home. She was
eager to get away to sit in her house
and think; and afterwards she would
lean to the window beyond her chair,
and watch for the General coming along
the road. She shook her wrist with a
laugh and the keys jingled and were
confused; there was no fitting the right
one into the lock-
Gould / speak to you, menu" said
Dow. There was something porten-
tious in his air and the way he spoke.
with a painstaking English voice. When
he was not upon his dignity he spoke
like the other lads, and when he was
plotting southern strangers about the
green he was apt to exaggerate the YER
nacular, by way of putting them in
mind of the fact that they were out of
their own country, and in a despot's
hands. This kept them humble But
when he had solemn things to say he
put on a mincing English, and this af-
ternoon his speech was pitched in the
key appropriate to an awful revela-
tion.
What is it ?" asked Mrs. Whin.
AN impostor men," said Dow, look
ing up to her with a groan. "I have
been holding my peace this while,
thinking if he pleased to set himself up
with the lords and ladies it was not
my business to interfere. But
threshed it out with myself this morn
ing, and / think it's my time to speak"
..yEelIi,, Said Mrs INhir,