Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-02-11
The Wrong Note.


and found that no one was there to
meet me / was surprised. Twice l
walked around the station vainly peer
ing into the gathering darkness in
search of the Torrington trap. was
nonplussed, for / saw nothing but a
rickety public hack, with rickety
horse and a rickey driver importuning
me to become his fare. Loath to be-
lieve my eyes, sought the station
agent.
Wasn't Mr.. Torrington's carriage
here to meet this train?" asked.
The man shook his head. ut was
down for the 3 O'clock" he replied.
"Took gentleman of. "
This announcement served to in
crease my perplexity. Here /, hav-
ing been formally asked to spend Sun
day at house and having formally
accepted, was compelled to make my
way thither in a public conveyance,
while another had been met at the
station and carried off in comfort.
Over this unusual condition of affairs
I puzzled my brain on the drive out
to Torrington's. The discomfort Of
my position was heightened by the in
creasing darkness, for the rickety
horse made no very good speed, and L
realized that the dinner hour was rap.
idly approaching. But length we rat
tied through the gates and up the
drive to the house.
Maria Torrington greeted me on the
veranda, which was 80 lily lighted
that l could hardly see her face; yet
it struck me that there was confusion
in her tone.
"I'm very glad to see you," she
said "It's surprise, indeed,
"Surprise?" said. "You knew /
was coming"
"Er-yes," she murmured, hesitat'
ingly. "But it's so late we'd given
you up. You must hurry for dinner.
Hobson, show Mr.. Bottomley his
room"
Here tall figure doomed ont of the
darkness into the foreground, and be-
fore I could follow the servant who
had taken my bag my hand was seized
and heavy voice said Hello! old
man; glad to see YOU"
"Why, hello, Brooks!" I exclaimed.
I'm glad to see YOU"
"Glad to see you-glad to see you, u
repeated, as l followed Hobson into
the hall and up the stairs to my room.
Glad to see Dick Brooks Glad tc
see the man with whom had been
racing for two years for the fair prize
below. When the servants had gone
and 1 was alone stamped the floor
vigorously aud tore open my bag Will
such violence as TO send the contents
scattering in every direction. This
thing was getting unpleasant. 1 coult
overlook the lack of hospitality in al
lowing me to make my own way tC
the house; could forget her evident
surprise tiny coming after had beer
formally invited by her mother ant
had as formally accepted; but could
not forgive her asking Dick Brooks
and myself at the same time and driv
ing him home in triumph, as it were
; was angry-so angry that crum
, pied three ties in dressing and started
down to dinner with tan shoes on, ant
when l finally entered the drawing
room to find the family awaiting me
| remembered that l had forgotten t.
brush my hair aud was conscious tina
it was all standing ont Mt the back. l
seemed that, fustered and dishevelled
/ was making very poor showing il
nttl M
I Brooks. ..
a ~ am very glad to see you" SAT-
Mrs. Torrington, cordially. Its
special pleasure, as we understood
D you weren't" Maria glance'
( sharply at her mother, and the kindl.
woman stopped, flushed, and added
GAS we were afraid you weren't com
ing. The train must have been late
But come"
: Tshall never forget the dinner tina
: followed. 1t seemed as though ther
was a pail over the little company, or
rather, over all but Brooks. He is
clever fellow, admit, and, seeming
1 to realize that the rest of us were EN-
q barrassed and hampered by some sc
cret which could not be his, he pro
: ceeded to make the best of things an
to bear the brunt of the conversation
t But at length it was over, and MI
t Torrington cornered my clever RVS
4 over coffee and cigars, while / slippe
:, away aud, though it was late in Octc
Der and a stiff breeze was blowing froI
J, the sea across the bleak meadows
t cracking cheerlessly through the dy
y ing leaves of the trees, l succeeded i
inducing Maria to take walk on tn
veranda.
4 "Now, tell me why there is oil TIL
uurprise on the part of you and you