The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-04-09
CHAPTER III
Continued,

and broad shouldered, with curly
Hght-brown hair; and but for a soft
brown beard, and look in his eyes
that suggested imperiousness of dis.
position, might have sat-or stood
for Antinous. Except for his frame,
however, there was little of Greek
about him, and certainly none in his
head. His complexion was not only
fresh, but flushed; and as he care
lessly nodded to his male acquaint.
ances, who were numerous enough,
they now and then nudged one an
other and shrugged their shoulders.
None of them ventured, however, to
tell him what was in their thoughts; /;
fo- Herbert Perry was not man to
whom even the most intimate friend
could with prudence have limited that
after a boating supper it is inju-
dicious for some people to come to a
ball. His glance roved with bold in
quiry from one young lady to an
other; and as they revolved in the
may dance before him, his disap-
pointed expectations seemed to give
way to anger. He stood at the op-
posite corner of the room to that in
which Adair (his watcher) had taken
his stand, stroking his beard and
was disappointed too, seemed to de-
rive great pleasure from his discom-
fiture.
''She is not coming, my young
friend he scornfully murmured to
himself; "and even if she does come.
it is a wet night and there will be
no wandering with her in the Round.
about
Once only their eyes met. On
Perry's part recognition was not i'm.
mediate; his perceptions, never very
quick, were dulled with his recent
potations; but under the others con.
tinued gaze memory awoke within
him. His face blazed with wrath
and he stepped forward as If about
to cross the room: then, as Adair
withdrew his glance with a pretense
of Indifference, and fixed it upon
some other object, his anger seemed
to give place to contempt; he NUT
tered to himself: ''The man is cur;
it will be time to throttle him II ne
ventures to give tongue
If he thought that Adair we7
coward, Mr.. Perry's judgment was
even less acute than usual. The
former had actually had it in his
mind by that long-continued stare at
his rival to goad him on to quarrel.
If he could have induced Perry tc
disgrace himself in public he would
have cheerfully run the personal risk
to which it would have undoubtedly
exposed him. AS the night wore on,
the other grew more impatient; once
or twice he passed into the refresh.
ment room, from which he emerged
with heightened color, only again tc
scan in vain the countenances of the
dancers for her he sought. At last,
with a smothered oath, he left the
place, and, shouldering his way with
out much courtesy through the
throng, reached the outer hall. A
wind had arisen and was driving the
rain in sheets through the deserted
town.
s'Will uu have a fly, Mr.. Perry?"
inquired one of the ticket porters,
who knew him.
Course your flies!" was the curt
lejoinder, as in his thin patent boots
and evening dress he stepped into
the street with nothing but his cap
and gown to shield him from the
storm.
That's a queer chap observed
the custodian of the hats and coats
to the ticket porter.
''Ay. but a good plucked one,' OBJ
served the other admiringly.
The eulogium was correct in mc:e
than one sense, for Mr.. Herbert Perry
had been far from successful in his
university examinations; but it 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 sec
ond young gentleman from the ball
room demanded his cap and gown,
ants hand, followed on the others 5
heels.
Well he is in hurry!" e5acu-
lated the custodian. 'Blest IL he
amt gone and left MS 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
cont look much of a muchness neith-
err, do they? 1 should say that sec
ond one never feathered an oar or
doubled his fist il his life" "
"A mugger, that's what he is,
said the other, contemrtuously: "a
nugser" "a comprehensive term un-
Gerstood 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 cons1d-
cred him to be) with such precipi-
fancy, it was only to make sure that
he Q1Q not escape Hill dL Ino Ou'o0
Directly he caught sight of him stfld-
ing rapidly in the direction, as he
had anticipated, of Trumpington
street, he slackened his pace, con-
teuting himself with keeping him in
view. He was wet through, but
though that was a somewhat move
experience for one of his indoor hab
it's, it affected him not the least. Th'
wind blew 'shrill, chill" in his face
and cut through his thin garment
to the bone; but of that too he wa
unconscious. The one thought in hi
mind was, "Will she come to NEE
him, and where?" That any assigna
ton could have been made betWeer
these two seemed indeed most un
likely, or Perry would have not have
been so disappointed Gas he undoubt
edly had beenl at not seeing MIS-