Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-01-19

Except OF course just now," sug
gested, mildly.
Jack closed his eyelid. "Exactly, {"
he continued ''Well, this sort of
thing went on for some three weeks,
until [ was madly in love- 1 turned
the matter over in my mind, and de-
cided to make an effort. L had a little
money of my own-not much, you
know, but enough to marry on if we
did things quietly-and 1 thought,
somehow, that Dolly was aware of my
intentions, and did not altogether
disapprove 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 Saturday. 1t
was not 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 vascillating of men-"I
should certainly have put it off.
Nothing had gone well that day The
General had been altogether off his
play, and was not in the best of
tempers. L myself had fooled every
other drive, and you know what that
means. had beaten him, but there
had been no pleasure about the game
Even when we got back, a good deal
earlier than usual, L remember no.
ticing that Dolly was not quite as
pleasant to me as usual. However, I
asked her to come and have game of
billiards after tea, meaning to get the
job over"
Jack stopped, and there was long
pause.
''Well," I said, "what happened?
She accepted you, L suppose"
"No" he continued. "She refused
me point-blank. The fact was, must
nave hurried it too much you know.
| was determined to get it over. and L
suppose L was too abrupt. The poor
child was taken completely by sur
prise, or said she was. So, for that
matter, was l. 1t was all over in ten
minutes"
began to grow interested. "What
did you do them" [ asked
''There was only one thing to be
done. l got on my machine and rode
off. | can tell you was in a awful
state. L neither looked nor cared
where l was going. After about an
hours hard ridng-it was Just 7
o'clock, for L remember looking at my
watch-I found myself about fifteen
miles from home, and beginning to
get hungry. / sat down on a mill :
stone and reviewed the situation. 1t
was very sad. felt as if my life had
come suddenly to blank wall. 1t
was no longer worth living. These
are the usual symptoms, [ believe.
You will understand my sensation?
Like Marius among the ruins of
Carthage" [ suggested.
81 can afford to laugh at it now, but
/ can tell you that just then it was no
laughing matter L must have sat
there for more than an hour, think
ing. Then L realized it was time to
be getting home, for, after all, even a
disappointed lover must have supper.
| thought sadly of what l should do.
OF course, | had to go; could never
see her again, never play the old Gen
eraI at golf or billiards again. Well,
it had been very pleasant time while
1t lasted. The next morning would
witness my eparture-forever
81 mounted the old machine, and
set off wearily homewarl. Then a
sudden resolve seized me. Once more
| would go by her house. and cast
glance at the roof that sheltered her.
1t was q fine summer night, and /
should still be home well before dark.
| started, first slowly, then, as the
thought of my folly came across me,
faster and faster, until was riding a
good twelve or thirteen miles to the
hour-not such bad pace on one
of those old sky -scrapers.
"Close 10 where old Trefusis lived
there is long hill, with a sharp turn
near the bottom. 1t has now been
marked with a 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
"Ouit huNS ldJutr piedSeu me Ilun
otherwise. So at least | fancied as /
tucked my legs over the handle bars,
preparatory to good rush down.
She simply whizzled along. Never
before, or since, have 1 felt the air
rush past me with such velocity. |
had come to the bow of the hill at a
good pace, and made no effort to check
myself before the descent. There was
nothing for it but to keep cool, and
watch for the turn. felt intoxicated,
exhilarated to madness by the speed.
} L laughed aloud, and gave shrilI
halloo of triumph. 1 was nearly al
the turn.
| "a woman's scream for help rang
out as 1 negotiated the corner. Like
steak of lightning L shot round, the
angle judged to nicely, though
shaved a stone at the edge of the
grass by miracle. Fifty yards
further down were two figures, a maj
and woman, their backs toward m,
: running, The woman was in front