The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-12-02
~ IgoIIy UnaC evening Tor Tno nrsI IlITI

row I,plIy vnaU evening Tor Jno nrsr uInc,
and need not tell you that | lost no on
purtunity of seeing her again. Soon it he
came quite the regular thing for mr 20
ride over lit the morning Tor luncheon
1t was about five miles Otf-and driv"
back with tho general for ii game in rho
afternoon. Then we would return tu an
ncr and l would ride back on my ma
chine after cheruot and il game of bill
lizards at about midnight. 1t was perhaps
the jolliest time ever had in my life"
Except of course just now," l suggest
ed mildly.
Jack closed his eyelid. Exactly" he
continued WELL this sort of thing Went
on for some three weeks, until was mad
ly in love l turned the matter over in my
mind and decided to mako an effort. l
had little money of my own-not much,
you know, but enough to marry on if we
did things quictly-and l thought, some
how, that Dolly was aware of my intcu-
tons, and did not altogether diSapprovc
of them. My holiday, too, was coming to
an end, and 1 could not prolong it for
more than few days further So l made
up my mind to propose on certain Sat
urday. 1t was not IL fortunate choice, and
if l had not been one of those men who
hate changing their minds''-I smiled,
for Jack was known at Cambridge for the
most vacillating of men-''I should GER
tainly have put it off. Nothing had gone
well that day. The general had been alto
gether OFF his play and was Hot in the best
OF tempers l myself had fooled every
other drive, and you know what that
means. l had beaten him, but there had
been no pleasure about the game. Even
when we got back, Il good deal earlier than
usual, l remember noticing that Dolly
WAS not quite rs pleasant 70 me as usual
However, | asked her TO come and have Il
game of billiards after tea, meaning to get
the job over. "
Jack stopped, and there was long
pause.
well, said, what happened? She ac-
ceptcd you, l suppose.
"No!" he continued "Shc refused me
point blank The fact was. l must have
hurried it too much, you know. l was de-
tcrmincd to get it over and l suppose l
was too abrupt. The poor child was taken
completely by surprise, or said she was
So, for that matter, was /. II was all over
in ten minutes"
! began to grow Interested what did
you do thcp:' ] asked
Illtlt W az tlilN 'i.G ~ W ~ N'iit.
got on my machine and rode of can tell
you l WAS i'll IL devil of IL state. l neither
looked nor cared where l was going. Aft
er about an hours hard riding-it was
Just O'Clock, for I remember looking Mt
my watch--I found myself about fifteen
miles from home, and beginning to get
hungry. l sat down on ~ milestone and
reviewed the situation. 1t was very sad. l
felt as if my life had come suddenly to Il
blank wall 1t was no longer worth liv
ing. These are the usual symptoms, | be-
licye. You will understand my scnsa-
tions?"
Like Marius among the ruins of Car
thage," l suggested
Il can afford to laugh at it now, but I
can tell you that just then it was no
laughing matter. I must have sat there
for more than an hour, thinking. Then
realized 1t was time to be getting home,
for, after all, even Il disappointed lover
must have supper. l thought sadly of
what l should do OF course, had to 90;
l could never see her again, never play
the old general at golf or billiards again.
Well, it had been very pleasant time
while it lasted The next morning would
witness my departure-forever.
Il mounted the old bicycle, and set off
YEARLY homeward Then IA sudden re-
solve seized me. Once moro l would 90
by her house and cast II glance at the roof
that sheltered her. 1t was "a fine summer
night and 1 should still be home we'll be-
fore dark. l started, first slowly, then, as
the thought of my folly came across me,
faster and faster, until l was riding y
good IL or 13 miles to the hour-nUt such
bad pace on one of those old skyscTapCrs.
how ,1l -Al tI,f,p,
is long hill, with q sharp turn near the
bottom. 1t has now been marked with n
danger board, but at that time there were
but few of those useful inventions about.
In any case, had there been dozen, it is
not likely that would have stopped for
them. was reckless that night, and to
have broken my leg-perhaps even my
neck-would have rather pleased mo than
otherwise. So at least fancied as tucked
my legs over tho handle bars, preparatory
to good rush down.
''She simply whiZZ2d along. Never be-
fore, or since, have I felt the air rush past
me with such velocity. l had come to the
brow OF the hill at good pace, and made
no effort to check myself before the de-
| scent. There was nothing for it but to
keep cool and watch for the turn. l felt
/ intoxicated, exhilaratcd to madness by
the speed. L laughed aloud and gavo u
shrill halloo Of triumph. | was nearly at
the turn
"A woman S scream for help rang ont
as Negotiated the corner. Like streak
/ OF lightning shot round, the angle Judged
to "a nicely, though l shaved IL stone at
the edge OF the grass by miracle. htY
yards farther down wcro two figures, Il
man and Il woman, tier backs toward
me running Inc woman WAS IN front
10 was chitse.
: saw at once my game and held en-
without sound. me bicycle was rae
ing along at close on 10 miles an hour
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