The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-05-26
MATED BY A PAWN

avery charming girl whom heis
anxious to impress and suddenly finds
that, with the exception of a few cop
pers, he has no money in his pocket, he
may surely be forgiven the use of a few
strong CALCULATIONS. Such was the
plight Of Everard Hamlyn at ten min
utes to One on a certain Saturday after
moor. He had been so absorbed in
reading the brief of an important case
which was to be heard in the courts on.
Monday that he had forgotten the
emptiness of his pocket. At one o'clock
Alice Valentine, an American girl with
whomhe had formed a deep friendship,
was coming to see what a baTrister's
chambers in the Temple looked like,
and she was also to be taken out to
lunch.
The worst of it was there was only
ten minutes to rectify the mistake, He
wrote out a check hurriedly, and then
remembered that time would not per-
init him to go to the bank to cash it.
Hisclerkwasgone and the Temple was
wrapped in its usual Saturday after
noon peacefulness.
Without a hat he rushed over to Har-
court building to see if his friend An
derson was in his chambers. He could
rely upon him fey a couple of pounds.
But the fates were against Hamlyn.
Anderson was out and the doors were
locked.
Realizing that there was nothing for
st but to 60 to the bank, he hurried
along up the court into Fleet street,
meaning to hail a hanson. But as he
arrived there the clock struck one, and
he knew that he could not get to the
bank and back under 20 minutes. Alice
would never forgive him if he were not
at his rooms to receive her.
Suddenly his eye was caught by the
three brass balls hanging over a shop
almost opposite. The sight suggested
a new idea to his mind, and he prompt-
ly acted upon it. In another moment
he rushed across the road, and, enter
ing the shop, handed his SO-guinea
hunter oyer the counter.
How much?' said the clerk, cycling
the hatless and breathless Hamlyn
somewhat suspiciously.
"Oh, 1 only wanted a flyer" replied
Eyerard, hurriedly.
Have you got a card onyou?" asked
the clerk, thinking he was on the
track of a swell mObsman,
IMMERSED in the ways of pawnbrok-
ers, Hamlyn pulled out his case and
handed him a card.
San right, sir" said the clerk, see
ing the name and address, andnoticing
it eoTresponded with the initials on the
watch. Il beg your pardon, sir" and
he hastily filed up a ticket and count
ed out I'VE pounds. "Have you a'penny
for the ticket, p~Iease?'
Hamlyn impatiently threw down a
copper and fairly bolted out of the
shop. The people in Fleet street stared
at him with amazement, and a gutter
arabwith whom he had colIided shout
ed: who r yer shown OFF," as he
crossed the road.
Now it happened that Alice VaIen-
tine was just at that moment passing
down Fleet street on her way to the
Temple. She had arrived somewhat
earlier than she had intended, for she
upheld the traditions of womanhood
with regard to unpunctuality.
1T would never do she said to her
self, ito be quite punctual. He would
I was too impatient"
So timing herself to arrive az the
Temple about 1918 O'Clock, she was
stroLling leisurely along when she
caught sight of Hamlyn rushing wildly
out of a pawnbroker's shop. For a mo-
ment the ludicrous side of the situa-
ton struck her very forcibly, and she
laughed softly to herself. But grad
ually, as she realized the full signif-
canoe of the action, her amusement
gave place to pity.
Poor boy,' she murmured. "I had
not the faintest idea that he was hard
up. And to think that 1 have let him
spend such alot of money in taking me
about. I must get even with him,
somehow
There was a very tender spot in her
heart for the tail, clever young bar
who had shown so plainly his
preference for her above all other
women. Alice Valentine and her aunt,
Miss Stafford, were making a tour of
Europe, and had met HamIyn first
of all at a hotel in Geneva. He had
rendered them a number of civiIities.
and as he happened to be doing the !
round Of Switzerland as they,
for a month he was their almost daily
companion. With the frankness Of
American women, they accepted his
attentions graciously, and finding him
a pleasant attendant, enrolled him
in their services without further ado.
Miss Stafford generally accompanied
Alice wherever she went, and showed
quite as much eagerness to ado" every
place thoroughly as her niece. It was
oaly on rare occasions, when the
elder lady was obliged to admit that
was "too tired for anything" that
damlyn had a chance of taking Miss
Valentine ont alone.
The constant companionship. how
ever, had brought about the usual re-
suit. Hamlyn was not an infam-
man He had reached the ma
lure age Of 9O-not unsought after
having succumbed to femi.
line charms. But there was some
hing about the fair American which