The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-30

/ me unless ! desire it,"
still / wished she had stayed at home.
| The worst Of stopping at an hotel in Cairo
IN tho hight of the season is that you make
an sorts of undesirable acquaintances
whom you can't shake off
Batters was such an idiotic little ass.
/ Nobody seemed 10 know anything about
him lie had plenty Of money, ana had a
I hired barouche. I'm not saying he "swag-
gered.' but it would have been well if he
had gone to an hotel where those of his
own class were 10 be found instead of
putting his half-crowu cigars about Shep-
! heard s. veranda
The very next morning there he was
, just as ! foretold, smiling and bowling and
biushing before Beatrice, who was laugh
[ ing i'm return and behaving in an outra-
/ geously coquettish manner.
Batters put out his hand, and / was
obliged to take it and wish him a suriy
good-day.
isn't il strange Ted?" said Betty; "Mr.
! Batters is also going 10 the Pyramids"
| / knew he had never thought of it till
that fool OF a sister of mine had mentioned
! we were going.
And" she added don't you think Mr..
| Batters might join us?"
"Of course replied, with a frown, I
should be delighted If Mr.. Batters would
honor US with his presence"
Batters shuffled his feet and looked
pleased.
The delight Will be mine, +" he added.
The delight win be NINE he said
You don know, Mr. Batters how aw-
fully | am indebted to you" said Betty.
looking down on the little man. a. don't
know what / should have done if you
hadn't come to my assistance yesterday
afternoon"
Batters muttered something about it be
| ing an honor, and felt / would have liked
to kick him.
There was a loss of dignity in having
such a little cad dancing after my sister
Still / couldn't be downright rude to the
man. ! supposed 1t was one of Beatricc's
little jokes She intended getting amuse-
ment somehow, and it pleased her to have
this upstart son of draper making him
self ridiculous in the eyes of everybody
The ass was in love. He took no pains
to conceal it. An irritating smile was
ever on his little face, and his eyes Col
lowed her wherever she went.
1t was necessary to introduce him to
the Hill-Greens and old Willoughby, ana
the Travers. and Miss Hamerton. Miss
Hamerton, who is a very superior sort OF
girl, and reads all the advanced novels,
measured him at once. Mrs. Travers
inspected him leisurely through her tor
toise shell glass, the Hill-Green men nod
ded How dor' but old Wioughby in
sisted on shaking him by the hand.
Where did you pick that up?" asked
jim Hill-Green, giving a look over his
shoulder.
Il didn't pick 1t up anywhere" l re,
Piled, savagely.
Then did the Nile wash it up?"
"Oh, l don't know; better ask my sis
ter. He's staying here and yesterday
Betty got lost somewhere, and he founo
her; that's all. And now he's sponging
on to us. and going with us to the pyra-
mids."
Now, Ted how can you say that?" said
my sister, looking at me archly; 'you
know very well that you invited him to
come with us"
Because l could do nothing else. I'm
hanged if ! want him"
"Oh, | daresay he won't trouble you
much with his company"
NO. expect not. You'll take good care
of chat. If you must fiirt, why on earth
don't you flirt with somebody else?''
"Flirt' repeated Betty. I'm not hirt-
ingp suss
"oh, no." I said, Struggling my Shout
ders' you're not flirting. You're quite
serious, aren't you?' t.@
quite" And she tried to look solemn.
but | saw laugh lurking behind.
mo doubt" | said, annoyed. 'ft will
be very delightful having love made 10
you by that little-that little commercial
traveller"
Very" she said.
1 declared.
lie must be a clever man to look like
a draper, a commercial traveller a groom
and-What else?''
did not intend to play to her frivolous
mind. SO ! said; "Oh, very well; do as
you like. Only If the little brute goes ana
ploWs out ms Drains when you refuse him.
remember that | warned you"
And then Alfred Batters. ESQ. of no
place and no family, came up and offered
me4a cigar He hardly said two words 10
me but began by paying compliments to
my sister who blushed and looked down.
! had to walk away.
VINO on earth was heZ / tried to re-
member if there was a family called Rat
ters. l couldn't. If he had belonged Ia
any decent folks he would have told ms
at once. But he did not. He never Of
iereu any information as TO who he was
or what he was doing in Cairo.
l was, however, determined to find ont
So when the carriages drew up. ana he
was about TO follow Betty, / touched his
arm. ''''
Let us ride together" said land have
smoke. Those are very good cigars of
your, Mr.-Mr. Batters."
Yes" he said, they are not very
Wen known brand, but took a fancy to
them when ! was ian Havana
He was a little disappointed At being
dragged away from Betty.
are You staying long In Cairo Mr.
Batters"' | asked casually. after we had
been Whlsked over the Nile bridge ana
were hurried at galloping pace under
the avenue OF trees towards Gizeh
Wei Mr.. Thompson. 1 really can't
say" he replied.
do YOU know many folks in town."
lie looked at me, perplexed.
NO, ne said, mot very many. that is
OF course know lots OF folks. but-hut-
er J don't think you're likely to know
them.
! didn't think / was
II travel great deal" Batiors added
'no-and To ten you the truth, ! don't
care very much for society"
could quite understand why ne did not
go much into society.
You stay In London. ] suppose. WHOM
YOU are IN England" / inquired
YES, that u.s. sometimes But [ an, MS
ually down in Yorkshire"
OF course! II was quite evident that he
WIS uncomfortable under my questioning
The pyramids appeared hazy through me
hot glow Of the day. and NO the eonyer-
satlon was turned
All the time / could not get rid OF the
J INpN fnprn WIS L. rttxaggrV nt,,t.t ~.