The Morris County chronicle., 1907-05-21
CHAPTER III.
Continued.

university examinations; but 1t was
curious, considering the rudeness
with which the man had been treat
ed, he should have been eulogistic at
all.
Scarcely had he left the hall, and
ere the attendant had closed the door
against the driving rain, when a sec
ond young gentleman from the ball
room demanded his cap and gown,
and, snatching them from the attend
ants hand, followed on the others
heels
We'll, he is in a hurry!" ejacu-
lated the custodian. "Blest if he
amt gone and left his great coat be-
hind him"
why, yes," replied the porter,
peering out into the storm; "and to
see the way in which he is cutting
after Mr. Perry yonder, one would
think he was his lady love. They
don't look much of muchness neith-
er, do they? I should say that sec
ond one never feathered an oar or
doubled his fist in his life"
"a mugger, that's what he is"
said the other, contemptuously; "a
mugger" Ga comprehensive term un-
derstood to include all persons with
an ambition for university distinc-
tion).
Though Adair had pursued his
rival (for such, it was clear, whether
with good reason or not, he consid
cred him to be) with such precipi-
fancy, it was only to make sure that
he did not escape him at the outset.
Directly he caught sight of him strid-
ing rapidly in the direction, as he
had anticipated, of Trumpington
street, he slackened his pace, con-
tenting himself with keeping him in
view. He was wet through, but,
though that was a somewhat novel
experience for one of his indoor hab-
its, it affected him not the least. The
wind blew "shrill, chilli" in his face,
and cut through his thin garments
to the bone; but of that too he was
unconscious. The one thought in his
mind was, will she come to meet
him, and where?" That any assigna-
tion could have been made between
these two seemed indeed most un-
likely, or Perry would have not have
been so disappointed Gas he undoubt-
edly had been) at not seeing Miss
Gilbert at the ball. but it was pos
sible-for anything seemed possible
to the young scholars jealous soul
that they had some means of meeting
whenever they pleased. If so, he
was resolved to find it out. That, he
had persuaded himself, was his sole
motive; but if he could have exam
ined his heart he could perhaps have
found another.
AS to what should be the bearing
of young gentleman bound upon
clandestine interview with his be-
loved object there may be different
opinions, but Mr.. Herbert Perry's
manner was certainly unlike any
thing one would have expected under
such circumstances. At first he in
dulged in very bad language, snatches
of which were borne upon the wind
to the ears of his pursuer; whereas
1t is surely usual to husband ones
oaths for the presence of the young
lady, and even then to use only those
of fealty and devotion. Instead of
cautiously keeping under the shadow
of the houses, he took the middle
of the pavement, and that with the
swagger of dragoon in spur. So
far from looking like an evil-doer,
his air gave the impression of one
who suffers under a vehement sense
of wrong, and who is resolved to take
the remedy in his own hands. Even
when the wind and rain had cooled
indignation disappeared, there was
nothing in his behavior to suggest
passion or secrecy. Once, indeed, he
suddenly vanished from the eyes of
his pursuer, who himself kept far
aloof and as much out of sight as
possible, in case the other should
look behind him. but in a moment
or two he emerged from his conceal
ment more conspicuous even than be-
fore; he had only taken advantage Of
a doorway to light up huge cigar.
Suddenly the moon came out and
shone upon his face. The traces of
wine and of anger had vanished from
it, and certain necessity for caution,
which he had now begun to expert
ence, gave it an expression of
thoughtfulness. AS his pursuer
shrank into the hedge to avoid the
effulgence, his own keen face, full
of intelligence, but also of stealth and
hate, looked very poor beside it. 1t
was the case of Hyperion to satyr,
and Adair felt the contrast. 1t was
no wonder, he confessed to himself,
between his teeth, that the fancy of a
foolish girl, ignorant of the higher
mathematics, should have been taken
by such man. And there was no
doubt that it had been so.
AS he had all along suspected, his
rival was going to the Laurels, where
she would probably give him secret
interview; it should not, however, if
he could help it, be an unseen one.
Perry had stopped, and for the first
time was looking suspiciously behind
him. Then he left the road, and
passed through the gate that opened
upon the gravel-sweep before the
house. The moon was now obscured
again, and Adair, emerging from
the hedge, followed close upon his
footsteps. In his haste and excite
| ment the gate which the other had
| caution. was torn from his less pow