The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-19

| conspicuous now. and these horrid people
on the back have no manners"
They are applauding you. Listenn'
They have no right-it doesn't concern
them. The main point is. where shall
| Il" and he paused. You were on your
way down the river. were you not?"
| Yes, to Kingston; live there
You live at kingston"
Yes"
"Ahi will you permit me, then, to
! There really seems to be no alterna-
| tive'-and she laughed again. I'm afraid
| my dear old boat has gone over the weir
] In search OF my hairpins. and, IL I'm not
putting you to an Inconvenience
Observation-Disclosures his laughter in
turn was pleasantly ironical. Why I'd
- Confound these people,
By this time they had neared the lock
and had become the objects Of an en-
barrassing amount OF attention-Teddy
Jones did not Ike 1t at all. Suddenly an
inspiration sprang into his mind, and, di-
vesting himself of his coat he threw it
over her shoulders.
That's better." said he What an
idiot l was not to think of it beforei
Once out of this. nobody will be the wiser
for your misadventure" Five minutes
later they were clear of the lock. and for
a time there was a silence between them.
Possibly a sense OF their now being alone
and unobseryed led to a mutual feeling
of constraint. More probably, the move ty
of the situation was row borne in upon
them with all the force of a reaction from
moment of strong excitement and peril
in which conyentionailties bore no part
Teddy Jores undoubtedly felt it to be a
pleasantly bewildering sensation to find
himself in almost intimate association
with a lovely woman whose name was I'M
known to him of whose very existence he
had few minutes before been totally
ignorant. she. too. doubtless had begun 10
reflect that whatever might have been her
recent peril, she. very propsr young lady,
was row sitting in practical dIshabllle
her very boots full OF water-with a
/ strange gentleman. whose hat and coat
she was wearing. 1t was an absurd, almost
grotesQue, situation. and at last, as she
lifted her eyes demurely and saw an I'M
mistakable twinkle in his. there was a ST.
multaneous burst Of laughter, and the mo-
mentary embarrassment was at an end.
1T is really too ridiculous" she said.
"A homicidal steam launch is quite new
thing in my experience.
1T has expiated its sins, at all events"
said Teddy Jones. did you observe that.
in tie finish. 1t strove to destroy that small
boy as well?"
Poor little fellow" she said compass
sionately. He, too, is wet
That brings me a sense of my delin-
quencies with rush upon me-" said
Teddy resting for moment upon his oars
and scanning the near horizon. 1T should
have occurred to me before that glass of
wine-here is Thames Ditton. and there
is The Swan'-that a glass Of wine might
prevent you from catching a chill"
the sun has anticipated your kind in
tention." she replied. with the sweetest
of smiles. And then too" she added,
were l seen drinking wine with
strange man. what would Mrs. Grundy
say?''
Bother Mrs. Grundy! 1 should like to
see her in the stocks
That surely would be the death of
heri"
Just so-she wouldn't have leg to
stand on then would she?"
A merry twinkle in her eyes was the
sole response, and he rowed on in 81
ience. Suddenly he looked up and said:
What a strange thing"
ITO see me wearing your clothes?''
mo. no--oh. dear. no! but to think that
you live at Kingston"
is there any harm in my living at
Kingston"
"of course not: only. another girl lives
there. and for my sins I must go aud be
introduced to her tonight"
Isn't she nice?''
Il don't know. 1 wish I did,
What have your sins got to do with
it?"
"Ha! ha, Merely figure of speech,
that is all. / wonder now, if you know
her. Possibly you mdght"
Possibly. If you care to mention her
name. That. perhaps. world be an in
discretion. Pardon me for the sugges-
ton"
He at once unshipbed tie oars and per-
mitted the boat to swing along on the
current.
I'll tell you all about it," said he.
Why l am doing 1t, l don't know-and
don't care. It's just this. My name is
calls me-ard I've been out in the Indian
Civil Service. and L didn't like it; and
I've rich uncle-tons OF money he has
got-and he wrote and said, Come back
to England, and chuck tie service. I've
something good in hand for you So, Of
course back came by the next steamer.
and what do you think he wanted me &c
do?''
Spend some OF his money, 1 suppose.
That's nice way these rich uncles have,
am told. l am not blessed with rich
uncles.'
We'll, you needn't pine for one like
mine, for found him chocK full Of sentl-
ment; and he wants me to marry this
blessed girl down here in Kingston |
daughter of an old pal of his-take her 1
on trust, like. and then hand me over his |
business. which is worth. l believe, some |
thing like c 70. 900 year; but l won't DO |
it-not mel" and he grasped the oars and |
rowed vigorously again until she spoke.
But why should you throw away such |
brilliant opportunities"
I'm tell you" he replied. Would you
care to marry a man you didn't like, es
pecially if you CHANGED to meet somebody
you liked better?"
She paused a moment before replying.
There's something In that, of course, -
she said, but as, upon your own adInis-
sion, you have not yet met this lady, how
do you know that you would like this
chaA'ce somebody else better?"
The swift current was bearing them rap
idly down, and Kingston Bridge soon loom
ed in the near distance.
How shall put it?" said Teddy Jones.
with his hand to his chin. We'll, say It !