Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-15
THE EVENING STORY.
THE CUP.

The cup had just been placed in thu
center of Mr.. Blake's window.
1t was about 4 o'clock in the after
noon. and the cup had obviously onl!
just arrived. 1t had been unpacket
speedily by Mr.. Blake, and Lord Mors
tons gift to the rifle club was dis
played In tremendous splendor. SO thai
all who passed up and down the High
street could look and long.
The news soon spread through tn.
little town The cup had arrived a.
last, and all the members of the loca
rife club, together with their friends
were thronging the window of the sta
toner's shop. What a splendid cup-
We'll. Lord Morston has really shown
his interest in the rife club at last
the calculations Of the crowd.
Mr.. Augustus Pearson, head sales.
man of the boot shop which supplied
footwear for all the villages around
Morston-on-the-Wa was told tina,
utes OF shutting UP the shop. He
affected a quiet disregard of the news
while, at the same time, his eagerness
was throbbing through him.
Augustus Pearson meant to win the
cup. as some doughty irregular in the
something which would achieve the
Victoria Cross.
Augustus was a leading member OF
the rifle club. but he was not the
most popular person in the little
town He had ideas" SO the people
said. He thought too much of him
self: his life was occupied in far toe
strenuous way with Augustus Pear
son.
AT the same time he was somebody
in the town, AMI though he was not
generally liked, he still had a position
one which he was determined to
maintain and even to improve.
At $3.50 Mr.. Pearson sauntered out
Of the Boot Emporium, and strolled
down the High street. His duties for
the day were over; he had waxed his
mustache with great care. and he was
now a young gentleman at large.
When he got opposite to the brill
1iantly lit window of Blake's shop he
stopped, and, hoping that nobody OBJ
served him. Joined the little knot of
loiterers in front of the plate-glass
window.
Certainly the cup was a desirable
trophy for any one. 1t stood foot
and a half high. 1t was obviously, SO
Mr.. Pearson deduced. hall-marked in
side and out, and the four rifiemen in
solid silver" which supported it upon
the plinth were a quadruple incentive
to patriotism and greed.
Lord Morston had certainly fulfilled
every promise, and Morston-o the
Wash could undoubtedly congratulate
itself upon beneficent patron and an
excellent opportunity.
Mr.. Pearson turned into the shop,
and asked Miss Blake II the London
evening papers had arrived or not.
He knew perfectly well that the Lon
don evening papers never did arrive
there, but he felt it his duty to say
something of the sort.
ooh, Mr.. Pearson" said Miss Blake,
surely you are going to win this tro-
ply. His lordship's butler brought 1t
down this afternoon. and. talking with
him. he mentioned your name"
Mr.. Pearson twirled his mustacEe
and looked kindly at Miss Blake. who
was a dear. wizened old thing. We'll. .
he said, "of course. Miss Blake, sport
Is sport"
Miss Blake nodded. cit is, indeed"
she answered.
'rm SO glad you agree with me. Miss
you say about winning the cup Is, OF
course. of course. Orwell. on the
knees Of the gods. you may say"
Indeed, Mr.. Pearson" answered the
lady who presided over the stationer.s
shop. indeed. it must be SO. But II
i
tenders, you. Mr.. Pearson. will win It
..If I do, Miss Blake" replied Mr..
Pearson, IT hope
AS he was framing a pretty speech
a short, thick-set man bustled into the
shop, and asked roughly for penny
racket of notepaper and envelopes.
HALO, Gus" the man said to the I'M .
maculate Mr.. Pearson, What about
tomorrow" ,u..
.That remains to be seen," said MISS
Blake. Here's your packet OF note
paper, Mr.. Jarvis"
"Well. I'll say good night" said Au-
eustus Pearson, and left the shop. fol-
lowed toe upon heel by the newcomer
It was a quarter to in the evening,
and the lights in the few shops IN the
High street did not Illuminate s ina
GENTLY to make it plain to the casual
snectator that Mr.. Pearson and Mr
Jarvis Immediately and without
word diyed down a side street ana aHtc
a small public house known as inc
Rifeman." They sat down together In
the odd little paneled place. and a
hiowzy girl brought them each pint
NOW. then, Gussie." said Mr.. Jarvis
about tomorrow. What's 1t worth u
me?" +>
Won" Pearson answered-"provided. o.
course. that win the cup-it's wortf
a couple Of quid to YOU"
"That.s ali very we'll Jarvis re-
piled: And. YOU know. Gussfe. "a o.
pleased to help you to any sportin a,
to he done Waddington's a bettel
shot than you, and Thorne Is De.tel
shot than either. I place you tnlro ~
the. competition, and third you VII
Jolly well be- So I don't see
.'of course. you don't see. Bob" rear
son replied. And that's why I'm LAX
ing to you now. You're chosen al
marker tomorrow, aren't you?"
eyes. and my brother Bill arr
arkinr for the competition"
every well, then. What I'm going t.
do il, to show you how
The two men were sitting close 10
eether in the little taproom. Behin'
then was a window which command
ed the private bar. This window
which was hung with red curtains
hannened. to be ajar. Neither Of tn
two men noticed it at all.
THAT'S Just what want to know
How I'm going to earn that TWO quid'
Mr.. Jarvis replied.
I'm this way, answered MT. Pear.
son. You mark. you pull the cord
and the whitewash brush goes over
the target. You're chosen to mark
down the score as the bullets hit the
target. Therefore. what you put down
on your sheet STANDS IN 1he competi'
ton for the cup"
"Of course 1t does" Jarvis replied
"rnt what silly juggins you are
Gussie. You see, I shan't know who's
firing. I shall simply record the shots
upon the sheet. and ! shan.t know
whether it's you; Waddlngton OF
Nj. Augustus Pearson threw the enc
of his cigarette away, and looked