Year: 1876




The scene of this deadly encounter was
neither gloomy nor romantic; it was fair
and pastoral and the time was May; and
all the sweet influences of the spring-time
were shedding soft idylic sweetness
over our English dales. We had with US
at this time young American lady, who
was on her first visit to the country; and
one evening, when various plans were
being proposed for her amusement and
editicatlon, one of us said to her,


Now, wouldn't you rather get away
from London. and 60 straight down into
one of our quiet valleys, and see real
old English town that has been slumber-
ing there for many centuries, and is likely
TO sleep tor many more? You will see
strange old place. with quaint houses of
red and white, and here and there gar
den between the gables. Then you will
60 down to the side of a broad and smooth
river, flowing by under some beautiful
woods. You will live in an old-fashioned
inn-called the Complete Angler'-and
just outside your window you will see the
smooth blue river break white over long
weir, and you will see the trees and lawn
and veranda of the miller's house on the
other side; and beyond that again the
soft low hills and hanging woods Of one of
our English counties"


Our young friend was much pleased
with the notion; but hesitated. or course
she said. this quiet and beautiful place
must be far away and difficult to reach.
When she was told that it was something
less than fifty miles from London. she
agreed to go; and hence it was that the
desperate conflict which have to describe
took place in one of the most peaceful
hooks OF Berkshire, ut time of the year
when the human bosom should have been
tull. not OF angry passions. but of the sing
ing OF nightingales.


For this was the secret of 1.-TWO men
had overheard this proposal; and each of
them had inwardly resolved to outwit the
other by Immediately telegraphing to the
Complete Angler" for rooms, so that he
should be installed there when this young
lady and ourselves, her guardians for the
time. should arrive. One of them was q
slender young gentleman, fair.haired.
large-eyed and rather petulant in manner,
who had just made some stir in literary
circles by the publication of volume of
metaphysical verse; the other was con-
siderably his elder, inclined to be stout,
comely of face, and made welcome
among US chiefly by sort of sly good
humor which sometimes led him into say
| ing good things. but in any case and at all
times seemed to make him very we'll con-
tented with himself. This Mr.. Humphreys
was understood by some to be in Gov
ernment office; but no one could ever
precisely say what it was, and his duties
certainly never interfered with his pleas
ures. His rival, who had the privilege of
being styled by the Court newsman the
Honorable Philip Sturmere Maurice, was
the youngest son of an impecunious noble-
man, and was believed to be waiting for
some colonial appointment.


Now, these two men, from the moment
that our pretty Amy Newton came among
US, began to pay her series of more or
less occult attentions. all in friendly sort
of way, of course, and generally through
the small and gentle lady who was her
hostess. BY this means they could present
her with boxes for the opera, they
could lend her new books, they could
even offer to escort herself and her two
companons to an exhibition OF pictures.
All this was smooth sailing. Little did
we perceive in it the elements of q trage-
dy. The young lady accepted these marks
OF friendliness with sweet impartiality
doubtless they were merely little acts OF
courtesy extended to a stranger from q
distant land.


And of the young American lady her.
self? Well, she was neither very wise
nor very learned; but she was exceeding
v pretty, and she had curlously winning
and fascinating manner that drew women
as we'll as men toward her. Perhaps it
was kind of pileous look in her dark
gray eyes; but anyhow, people liked to
get near her, and when they got near her
they got interested in her they Immediate
ly went and asked everybody else what
was her story. No one present knew. 1t
was supposed to be rather painful affair
had she not been engaged to be mar
ried to a young man who was drowned
within sight OF shore, Paul and Virginia
fashion ?-but in any case she always re-
ierred to it in vague way. and apparent
" wished to keep her sorrow secret.


For the rest, Miss Amy was rather tall
and pale; she wore great many rings,
and when she travelled she displayed to
the other inhabitants Of the railway car
riage bag filled with all sorts Of curiOsi-
ties in the way of scents and other toilet
requisites. One might have laughed at
the fashion in which she played with these /;
only she was so pretty and child-like one
had not the heart to laugh at her. She
seemed only to pet herself because every
body else petted her.


We drove to Paddington Station. There
was young man there, looking furtively
up and down the platform. He came to
us and said, with an amount of confusion
in his face that seemed to make him =
trihe sulky:


"Oh, are you going into the country
Really What beautiful weather | took
it suddenly into my head to run down and
see Marlow--it must be looking so pretty
just now"


Miss Newton said nothing at all, though
she seemed surprised; but the small lady
beside her-who managed all such thing:
with an infinite tact and discretion-smiled
demurely, and thus remarked.


"What an odd coincidence We are go
ing to NARROW also. We shall make quite
a little party--how very nice r


When once the awkwardness OF the meet.
ing was over, Mr.. Maurice was apparent.
ly highly delighted with his good fortune
| - 2 ia h;s hast all the wav dOwn IN