The Opelousas courier., 1901-10-12

down beneath the elm trees TOWARD
the park gates. Along this stretch O
road o tandem bicycle was being rid
den at q hot pace.
"Great Cesar!" I cried, on catchin.
sight of the distant scorchers; sthat't
Bertha, isn't it? And the other-no
it can't be"
'Is Captain Moston," i%nterposet
Joan, eagerly. "Every morning the.
go for a spin as far as Bralesley ant
back. Mustn't it be just glorious
The n of freedom, of buoyancy, O.
swift JOY, of life and power, of-of-
Oh, how I envy them!"
every morning?" I repeated, con
fusedly. "Bertha and Captain Mos.
ton? don't think I quite under
stand"
"Hasn't Bertha told you? She and
Captain Mostonhave been great friends
ever SO long, and they have become
- But, there, now, I'm betraying
strict condolences. I ought not te
have said a word about it, but I made
sure she would have told her own
brother"
"That's her way of informing me
of the fact" replied I, pointing toward
the flying figures. "And, all things
considered, she might have chosen a
worse method. Bertha possesses
more tact than I aver gave her credit
for. I only hope I may hit upon an
equally pleasant and original plan for
acquainting her with my engage
ment-"
"Your engagement /" murmured
Joan, with a manifest effort to control
herself that set my heart humping
with Joy. Electromagnetic"
"To teach you cycling"
"Oh! thought you m~Sant-some-
thing else"
''Since it's clear your regular in
structor will not be available today,
may I ask youto consider my proposal,
Joan?"
cts good of you to offer, Tom.
Tn afraid you'll find me a terribly
backward pupil, and [ know [ shall
lever be able to get on by myself"
"Then allow me to help you. First,
you place your right foot on the pedal
so; now I lift you to the saddle and
keep you there firmly, securely"
ooh, but I didn't mean that, you
stupid boyl And need you hold me
quite so tightly? My other teacher
did not"
by George I should hope not, in
deed! He couldn't put his whole
heart and soul into the matter as I can
that is, if I anY t. consider myself
definitely engaged
'~Well, not definitely, Tom; say tenn
porarily, until I see how you suit"
-sh IaSfy prospect Of a permanent
y, Joan?' asked I, u~nsteadily. "I'm
serious now; you cannot have misun-
derstood-"
sob, Tom-hold me! I'm go-go-
going! There, you nearly let me
tumble ove that time! Why, I don't
believe you're a bit ADLER instructor
than the other one, after all. You
may be stronger and have better the
cries as to Why, here's Harold
himself! Now, isn't that tiresome?
Just when we were managing SO nice
~, tool"
AS Joan spoke, my uncle's young
hopeful came Looping along the path,
breathless and spent with the haste
he had made.
lawfully sorry I'm so late, Miss
Pellinger," gasped he. "Some silly
idiot fastened me into my bedroom
this morning, and it took me a beastly
long time to screw off the lock with
my penknife. I've half a notion it
was n of Captain Moston's jokes"
Captain Moston?" said I, my hand
going instinctively into my pocket,
where lay the discriminating key.
eyes; III rooms are close together,
you know-his two rooms to the right
of yours, just as mine is two doors to
The left. But TIL find some dodge to
pay him out for this lark before
I'm a day older, you bet. And now,
Miss B~ellinger, if it isn't too late to
begin"
II rather fancy it is, Harold" I has
tened to put in.
"For me, you mean?" exclaimed he,
grinning. "Well, I guessed some
thing of the sort when I saw you here.
I'd better clear out, eh? So I'll ta-ta
and leave you. Go ahead, old
chap! I neve like to spoil sport"
Journal.