The record-union., 1899-11-26
A MATTER OF TEMPERAMENT

Major Owen passed almost with q
look of relief down the steps from the
crowded reception-roOmS into the gar
den. He was not a musician, and, al
though all that was best and most un-
pronounceable on the London concert
stage was at present performing in her
ladyship's drawing room, the only COM
ment he could find to make to Philip
Rutherford was that there was too
much of this beastly fiddling."
Then he had left Philip Rutherford,
and annexed Miss Phoebe Horton
(much the prettiest of the three Miss
Hortons), and now passed into the
garden, looking as one who passed out
of the valley of the shadow. Chinese
lanterns twinkled everywhere. The
garden was no wilderness. London
gardens are not big enough for that
and at the moment parts of it were
densely populated, but the Major and
his companion passed through the
groups near the house into the compar-
ative solitude beyond. There, as it
was necessary to say something to
Phoebe, he said that he didn't care
for the violin. He was a man of few
ideas; when he had got one he never
made the mistake of expressing it in
the same way to woman as to a
man. In a general condemnation of the
violin Phoebe supported him enthusias-
tically, and the walk in the garden
would not have taken more than three
minutes fifteen seconds by a respect
able chronometer. And that was all
there was against the Major-absolute-
ly nothing else. He returned Miss
Phoebe Horton to Philip Rutherford
in excellent condition, and sought out
Christine. He found her, and he judged
by appearances that there was a storm
gathering. Unquestionably the best
thing to do with a gathering storm is
to take it into supper. BY the time it
has finished it's supper it has probably
forgotten the cause of it's 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
NO, thank you," said Christine, 81
don't want any supper
WELL" the Major said vaguely, zone
must do something"
Il don't want to do anything" said
Christine.
WELL" the Major said again, "it's
very not In here, and this music doesn't
much appeal to me. you know Will
you come out into the gardeni"
christine got up, sighed, and said
that she only came because she was
tired OF saying mo" to everything.
They passed out together The gar
den was almost empty now; nearly
everybody was in the supper-room
You like this garden, don't you?"
said Christine
We'll yes" he said; "these lanterns
and things aren't bad. If you get right
up to the far end you can't hear the
muslc-at least, not enough to mat
ter
Did you go up to the far end Just
now?" said 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 gar
den.'
"Oh, come! You mustn't say such
things"
The passion deepened in her voice.
You've been hiding in the garden
with Phoebe Horton" She tried to
laugh. Il thought you'd had time to
explore it,"
AS matter of fact" said the Major.
don't suppose l was out here five
minutes. If I'd been out here for five
1ortnlghts, what would it have mat
tered to you?"
Nothing she said, drearily. Moth
ing matters to me now"
Ihen 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 half later Major Owen
got out of a hanson in Jermyn street
He paid the man his legal fare, added
ahoener smiling because the man didn't
grumpie at 1t, and went up to his cham
oers. On an ordinary occasion, being
middle-aged gentleman of some dis
cretion, he would have gone straight to
bed; this was not an ordinary occasion
He changed his dress coat for a smok-
ing jacket, mixed himself a brandy and
soda, lit a cheroot, 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 star under
the electric light. At last he stood
still.
I have done for myself" he said.
freedom was at an end His COM
Portable chambers, that early in the
evening he had regarded as his per-
manent abiding-place now seemed the
unsubstantial fabric of a vision: the
breath OF Hymen, and they were gone
Then came second thoughts Had he
really done for himself? Christine was
charming; she had distinctive ways OF
her own, but she was none the less
charming. She would, he considered,
do him credit. The money did not
happen TO matter much in his case but
he remembered vaguely that there was
money. What seemed much more i'm
portant was that she looked very pretty
when she cried. A few hours before
he had never dreamed of marrying. GER
tafnly not marrying a girl like Chris
tine. AS 1t was, he had proposed to her
Tor reasons that he was totally unable
to analyze, and he must go on with it,
Half an hours further reflection hay-
ing still Shown him that he must go
on with 1T, he finished his drink
switched off the light and went to bed,
and the next morning, having dressed
himself with great care, and grumbled
profusely at his very excellent valet,
he called on Miss Blake, in Bryanston