The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-09-23
THE EGIS AND INTELlIGENCER,
BEL AIR. MO-, SEPTEMBER %, 1898.
A MAD FLIGHT.

Day by day l had found myself growing
more impatient for the dinner gong TO
sound Had the bracing air OF Llandudno
put such u ravcnous edge on my appetite?
1t vas hardly that, for breakfast and
lunch had no corresponding attractions
They were simply scampercd through as
necessary formalities. Was 1t, then, that
the entrees were SO excellent, the wines SO
choice. the liqucurs so piquant, the con
Nrrsa;iun So sparkling?
asked my self these questions as stood
looking down into the placid waters hich
softly Tapped the tall black pillars Of the
pier Then 1 turned on Ray heel and Tor
answer laughed u knocking negative to
them all.
Il have seen her at table d 'hote every
night for week, | soliloquizcd, and l
believe laughed again, and went all hot
Can you gucesS why? Somehow L fancy
Won can, and that you are laughing at me
How lovely, how divine, Il creature she
was. or at any rate how lovely shS seemed
10 me. l cannot tell you in cold print.
should only make myself foolish IN the at
tc,npt. Let me ask you to take her beauty
for granted-the rich black hair, the large.
Iustrous brown eyes, the rose tint of her
tnGeh, INC pIOIlOlS-bNS iiNAN L go ''A-
ming into rapturcs. Let me simply set
down once and for all that, as Christinas
lover says in Browning:
She should never have looked at me
If she meant should not love her.
For n week, as have said, gazed 1t
her where she sat, near the corner nj the
far end of the table. And meanwhile l
slipped my wine, and now and then re-
lncnbcred that l might Us well eat some
thing.
The buzz of conversation was lost upon
me- l took no heed of aught save her lair
face | was as one cntranccd. III some
one asked me to pass the mustard, found
myself replying, No, thank you, or IL
the waiter murmured, 'Clarct or 'ock'
sir" l absently rejoincd, "A few pota-
toes, please.
1t was a bad case-a very bad casc-and
toward the end Of the week L began To
realize where l was drifting. So Tor the
first time deigned to speak to my right
hand neighbor, a spry young fellow who
had an air of knowing everybody and CIV
ervthing. l startled him out of his omnis-
cience when l spoke, for l think he had
wagercd 90 to l that l couldn't utter u
dozen words consecutivcly, but he recov-
cred readily from the shock, and we pratt
tied awhile concerning various matters.
l didn't want to breach the subject near
est my heart too quickly, and we had got
as far as the sweets ere l said, Who Is the
lady Mt the top corner yonder:
1.-The brown eyed lass with the sheeny
locEs?" he rejoincd
l could have kicked him for his irrerer-
encc
Yes"
"oh, that Mrs.-Mrs.-ah, yes, Mrs.
Faulkner"
oh. And the dark, disagreeablc look
ing gentleman who always accompanies
her?'' / added in trcnor He is Mr.. -
Exactly, Mr.. Faulkner, her No;
champagne, please Yes, he's her.
oh, thanks. thanks awfully," l stam-
mered precipitately, and L rose from the
table and hurried from the room with Il
lump in my throat and a mist before my
eyes.
l crushed hat on my head and walked
or stumbled somehow out into the street.
Anon 1 was pacing the pier, and right ut
| the end in the darkest, loneliest corner
could lind sat me down. smoked four
cigars in half an hour, and all l said was
- But kept repeating it.
1t was very late when l returned to the
| nOtel. anu Ill lIC llOIllllle lOsS bSNAAliSo
| and was off On my bicycle for a day
| awheel in the Conway valley. l am afraid
| | scorched terribly at times. Il must get
this fever out of me somehow" l mutter-
| ed, and so rode hard the day through and
toward evening was near Conway on my
return, going AS kcenly ever. Could it
lie that l was hurTying to be back i'll time
| for that dinner gong:
Suddenly looked up and saw before me
! the figure. the face, which had haunted me
all day She was standing by the roadside
| holding her machine. L leaped OF mine,
| discerning her plight.
| Can you oblige me?" she said in u
| voice that tingled in my ears. Il am So
| sorry to bother you, but l left my pump
| behind, very foolishly."
i am delighted to be of assistance" /
| replied, starting to repair and initiate the
| tire. Would only that the other had been
puncturcdl The job was too soon accom-
| plished.
| You are staying at the - hotel,
| aren't you2' she qucricd as sho got ready
| to remount. Il have seen you ut dinner.
| Oh. shall we be in time for dinner, do you
| think"
rather like the I'VE" 1t seemed to
| imply that l need not raise my hat and
| clear off. So | mounted and rode beside
| her.
| I'VE can Just manage it, l fancy, -
| quoth l, looking at the timc-"thaU is, if
| you ride Il little quicker.
You pace me-, said she, laughing
gayly.
And l laughed gayly, too, as if it were
capital joke.
She sat next me at dinner that night,
and did not glance ut the top far corner
once during the whole meal Mr.. Faulli-
ner somehow did not put iii an appear
ance We chatted lncrI'ily and increasingly,
and the dapper youth, still on my right
hand, looked at me with more astonish-
| mGnU than ever.
She overlooked with mirth and bright
| ness, and did too. Only now and again
| Fly inner conscience would say: You are
A,rLiur n fool Of Yourself, and YOU will