, 1898-12-31
AN ESCAPE.

look Of relief down the steps from the
crowded reception DOB into the garden.
Then he had left Philip Rutherford
and annexed Miss Phoebe Horton (much
the pr ettiest of the three Miss Hortons),
n now passed into the garden, look.
ing a. n who passed ont of the valley
Of the shadow Of death. Chinese Ian
terms twinkled everywhere. In a general
condemnation Of the "fddling'' in the
reception o Phoebe supported him
enthusiastically. and the walk in the
garden would not have taken more than
8 minutes 10 seconds by a respectable
chronometer. And that was all there
was against tho major - absolutely
nothing else. He returned Miss Phoebe
Horton to Philip Rutherford in excel.
lent condition and sought out Chris
tine. He found her, and he judged by
appearances that there was a storm
gathering. PROFESSIONALLY the best
thing to do with a gathering storm is
to take it in to supper. By the time it
has finished its supper it has probably
forgotten the cause of its storminess
and a holy calm follows.
So the major, who, though he had
few ideas, was not an impractical man,
suggested that he should take Christine
in to supper.
mo. thank you," said Christine, II
don't want any supper"
"Well," the major said vaguely,
lone must do something"
II don't want to do anything" said
Christine.
"Well," the major said again. sits
very hot in here, and this music doesn't
much appeal to me, you know. Will
you come out into the g%arden?"
Christine got up, sighed and said
that she only came because she was
tired Of saying mo" to everything.
They passed out together. The garden
was almost empty now. Nearly every
body WAS in the supper o
you like this garden, don't your"
said Christine.
"Well, yes" he said. "These Ian
terms and things aren't bad. If you get
right up to the far end, you can hear
the musio-xt least, not enough to mat
ter"
Ibid you go up to the far end just
now?' asked Christine.
"What do you mean?"
Nothing"
"Oh, come! One doesn't say those
things for nothing"
VERY we'll, then. For the last half
hour you've been hiding in the garden"
"Oh, comel You mustn't say such
thinga"
The passion deepened in her voice.
you've been hiding in the garden
with Phoebe Horton" She tried to
laugh. II thought you'd had time to
explore It,"
LAS q matter Of fact" said the ma
jor, II don't suppose l was out here
i've minutes. II I'd been out here for
I've fortnights. what would 1t have
mattered to your?
Nothing, " she said drearily. Moth
ing
Then he observed that things were
growing more serious. He took her two
hands.
"Tell me-" he said. "what is it,"
She began to cry.
An hour and q half later Major Owen
got out Of q hanson in Jermyn street
and went up to his chambers. He
changed his dress coat for a smoking
Jacket, mixed himself a brandy aud
soda, lit Q oheroot and sat down in an
easy chair. But his mind was too dis
turbed for inaction. He got up again
and paced the room, circling like a
planet round the little table on which
the tall glass sparkled like a star under
the electric light. At last he stood still.
IT have done for myself" he said.
Freedom wal at an end. His comfort
able chambers, that early in the evening
no had regarded as his permanent abid-
ing place, now seemed the u~nsubstan-
tial fabric Of q vision; the breath Of
Hymen, and they were gone.
The engagement was to be short. The
drudaery Of 1t began at once. He had
to 60 to many places where be had new
sr been before and did not want to go
again.
He waited, a perfectly CHASTITY figure,
in the shops of fashionable milliners,
feeling that every lady customer who
entered regarded him as an insult and
outrage.
He had to sit through concerts; they
were very good concerts. and a very
GOOD concert was, from the majors
point Of view, the very worst sort Of
concert. An ordinary tune, as he scme-
times observed, he could more OF less
understand.
He was made to, dance frequently,
and in the email hours Of the morning,
when respectable, middle aged GENTLE
men should be in their beds. 1t was
all very trying, but gradually it dawn
I'D On him that there were n or two
compensations.
Christine certainly behaved very
nicely to him. He bought her q ring
diamonds and sapphires), and her re.
ception of it gave him great pleasure.
he repeated this pleasure by buying
her other things. After . fortnight he
owned TO himself that things might
have been worse.
But he didn't fall in love with Chris.
tine definitely until she fell i'll.
Then the major went temporarily
mad, He became n source Ct wonder
and ,pained surprise to his friends and
= oourQe and .cbastisement to his valet.
He lived chiefly in telegraph offices,
han.om cabs and In the shops Of the
6osast snd fruiterer. BY o constant sue
cesnscn Of teleor~rrr he fept hin1eelf ~.
[V6r @caxcxIh
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