The record-union., 1898-09-18
THE MAN AND THE EDITOR.

Ihey sat at the opposite ends of a
Dench on the Marine Parade and OBJ
served each other furtively. His eyes,
weary with the contemplation Of a sue
cesSlon of sartorial failures, rested ap-
| proVlngly on her white drill skirt, her
immaculate collar, and the sailor hat
/ OF the right shape set in the right
place on'her brown hair. She told her
| self that he was very presentable, and
decidedly unexpected in EastOn-s super
Mare, where in August the voice of
| the excursionist is loud in the land,
and the accompaniment is of con-
certinas. Both were bored and in want
| of companionship; she was young and
he barely middle-aged, and was it quite
| inexcusable when, her book having
slipped from her knee and been re-
stored by him, she not only thanked
him, but observed:
| There's a wretched library here"
You don't go to the best he re-
Piled with a glance at the label on the
volume. There is quite a decent one
up the street. They get a book or two
from Nude occasionally. I don't fancy
there is much demand for literature
here, though
/ I1C Ids d llce VOICE., SHe lOlO her
| self, trying not to be frightened at her
own temerity, "and nice eyes, and he's
a gentleman, and he isn't young, and
it doesn't matter"
| But her remark had been the result
of impulse, not of resolve, and the re-
action caused her to say rather stiffly:
| THANK you. 1 must try the other
place"
She almost decided that she would
! go now, but reflected that she had
started the conversation, and that such
a course would be an unmerited snuh
for him, SO she remained. and presently
made an observation on the heat of the
weather and the glare from the sea.
"Oh, it's an awful place. he an
swered; Il shouldn't stay here a mo-
ment if I hadn't got to-
Nor II
-Four hours by rail from London, -
he groaned; the only place worth liv-
ing in
Yes she assented.
Brass bands and Christies, and
nasty little steamers with yellow fun
nels disgorging at the pier all day
Ugh.''
But it's healthy" she said
"Oh, yes. When I'm not eating
sleep, and I'm getting fat. l ought
not to grumble but l do"
Il ought not to have spoken to you
| but 1 did, she observed with sudden
audacity, and then blushed so hotly
that he saw it through her thick veil.
Il am very grateful to you for hav-
| ing done so,' he said. Il have seen
you about several times during the last
week, and have felt that we We're both
aliens in the land, and might find that
much, at least, in common. But there
was no one to murmur a few words of
senselesS introduction over u.s."
Poor Mrs. Grundy," she said with
a smile, as she looked at tiny watch
| belt. Il must CO." she added; Its
| quite late
we shall meet again, I hope" he
suggested.
Possibly; I'm often about" And
with a nod she left him.
| Easton is specially dreary on a wet
day. They met in the library that he
had recommended, and told each other
So She wore a thinner veil to-day,
which showed him that her eyes were
pretty and her mouth sweet-tempered
| looking The gray hairs on his short
| pointed beard inspired her with conf
dence. She ignored the fact that his
| eyes We're young.
1t was too depressing indoors, and
| had nothing to read" she said as
| she pulled the first volume of THE
Amazing Marriage" out Of it's place.
'Ah, Meredith? Allow me; rainy day
| literature is a thing apart, and, charm
ing as Meredith is, he is not for you
to-day. May I recommend
Don't I am not the sort of person
to require funny book to keep up my
spirits on a dreary day. 1 dislike
farce"
You shall keep your Meredith" he
returned, Il will confess that 1 have
been revelling in Richard FevereT all
the morning myself"
After ten minutes gossip on books it
seemed quite natural that when she
moved toward the door, he should fol-
low. The discussion on the merits of
the Kailyard school was at far too in
teresting stage to be abandoned, and,
once in the street, they discovered that
they were both going the same way
That way was along the deserted and
windy parade; but somehow when they
parted Easton did not seem quite so
dreary to either of them.
Il feel as though 1 had known you
forever instead of a week. he said.
And l as though We had been prop
erly introduced" she replied demurely.
1t was hot afternoon, and they had
wandered into the wooded path that
skirts the hill and overlooks the bay
The tide was in, so the mud that is a
distinguishing feature of Easton was
not in evidence, and the brassiness of
the band on the pier was tempered by
distance. They had dropped a little
way down the hill; she sat on a large
stone and he at her feet. In spite Of
his words he knew little of her beyond
the fact that she was charming (Which
he had found out for himselG. and that
her name was Grace (Which she had
told him). She had chosen to surround
herself with mild mystery; the reason
of her residence in Easton was un-
known TO him. In return she asked
nothing, and he vouchsafed little save
that he had Knocked up from overwork
and been sent to Easton for rest
You are so very good, you take me
on trust" he said.
AS you have to take me. I believe
you want me to ask you questions. and
l won't"
You are a very mysterious person. I
incline to the belief that you are a
princess, and that some day you will
rise UP and crush me for nv nrorr.,,