The Opelousas courier., 1898-03-19

ing into the gathering darkness IL
search of the Torrington trap. / was
nonplussed, for [ saw nothing but a
rickety public hack, with a rickety
horse and a rickey driver importuning
me to become his fare. Loath to be-
lieve my eyes, I sought the station
agent.
"Wasn't Mr.. Torrington's carriage
here to meet this train?" I asked.
The man shook his head. "It was
down for the 3 O'clock" he replied.
"'Took a gentleman Off"
This announcement served to in
creas my perplexity. Here I, hav-
ing been formally asked to spend Sun
day at a 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 blythe in
creasing darkness, for the rickety
horse made no very good speed, and /
realized that the dinner hour was rap
idly approaching. But att length we rat
tied through the gates and up the
drive to the house.
Maria Torrington greeted me on the
veranda, which was SO lily lighted
that I 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. cts a surprise, indeed"
"Surprise?" [ said. "You knew l
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.. B%ottomley his
ROOM"
Here a tall figure doomed out of the
darkness into the foreground, and be-
fore I could follow the servant who
had taken my bag my hand was seized
and a 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,"
I repeated, as I followed Hobson into
the hall and up the stairs to my room.
Glad to see Dick Brooks! Glad to
see the man with whom I had been
racing for two years for the fair prize
below. When the servants had gone
and / was alone [ stamped the floor
vigorously and tore open my bag with
such violence as to send the contents
scattering in every direction. This
thing was getting unpleasant. I could
overlook the lack of hospitality in al
lowing me to make my W way to
the house; I could forget her evident
surprise atmy coming after l had been
formally invited by her mother and
had as formally accepted; but I could
not forgive her asking Dick Brooks
and myself at the same time and driv-
ing him home in triumph, as it were.
I was angry-so angry that [ crum-
pied three ties in dressing and started
down to dinner with tan shoes on, and
when I finally entered the drawing
room to find the family awaiting me.
I remembered that [ had forgotten to
brush my hair aud was conscious that
it was all standing out at the back. 1t
seemed that, fustered and d~ishevelled,
I was making q very poor showing in
comparison with the immaculate
Brooks.
81 am very glad to see you," said
Mrs. Torrington, cordially. 1T" a
special pleasure, as we understood
you weren't" Maria glanced
sharply ct her mother, and the kindly
woman stopped, flushed, and added:
Gas we were afraid you weren't com
ing. The train must have been Lite.
But come"
I shall never forget the dinner that
followed. 1t seemed as though there
was a pail over the little company, or,
ra her, over all but Brooks. He is a
clever fellow, [ admit, and, seeming
to realize that the rest of us were en-
barrassed and hampered by some Sc
cret which could not be his, he pro-
ceeded to make the best of things and
to bear the brunt of the conversation.
But at length it was over, and Mr..
Torrington cornered my clever rival
we coffee and cigars, while [ slipped
away and, though it was late in Octo-
Der and a stiff breeze was blowing from
the sea across the bleak meadows,
cracking cheerlessly through the dy-
ing leaves Of the trees, | succeeded in
inducing Maria to take a walk on the
veranda.
"Now, tell me why there is all this
surprise on the part Of you and your
family said, once we were out of
hearing of the mother, the small
brother, the father and the shining
rival.
81 thi TX we had cause to be sur
prised," she said, coldly.
"Cnuse!" I cried. 81 received a
note from your mother on Thursday
asking me down for Sunday. I &C
copied"
"You declined" she said, in q tone
that brooked no contradiction, land SO
1 telegraphed to Dick to come down.
See what a position you placed me in.
I couldn't let him know he was second
fiddle"
We had stopped walking, ind she
stood facing me in the light Of a win
dow. Her glance was one of deep
reproach. eve are always glad t,
have you, as you know, but this time
it is just a little embarrassing"
"But I accepted" I maintained,
stoutly.
''Your note said plainly, I regret
that another enoaoement pravapts