Short Story

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 376, 23 July 1903, Page 7

Short Story

• I suppose,' said Mrs. Woodhead, looking up from a foreign letter, * that paople do these things abroad!' Her white fordhead was puckered in small, worried teases. * Wcatfs the row ?' inquired the young man, who eat upon the arm of a chair beside his mother's invalid couch. 'Why, Mrs. Cana —you've heard me speak about a talkative little woman with yellow hair and ready-made clothes I met two years ago in Winnepeg—actually asks me to take her daughter in for a fortnight!' 'H'm! Pretty cool, considering you've not kept up the acqiaintance, have you ?' What's the idea P' •Kept up the acquaintance? My dear Laurence, what do you think ? I've never even seen the girL 'She's coming'— Mrs. Woodhead consulted her letter again —' yes, coming to England en her way to a cousin in Germany," and her mother's very anxiou3 that she should see London thoroughly, because it's her first visit to Europe. M -s. Cane—really these Canadiins are moat extraoidinary '.—says that she has written to a photographer to send me Selina's photograph. I don't want her - photograph! A3 if it wasn't bad enough to have her!' Laurence Woodhead threw bask a handsame fair head* and laughed heartily. . SeliaaM' he said. a womanwith a mission you bet! Prison gates or blue ribbons. Fr'aps the photograph's a delicate hint that' you should send to meet her in Liverpool. I'm blest! Why don't yon cable her not to come V . * Laurence dear, she's actually started! She'll be here in a week. I don't know what to do!' Laurence whistled an amused but ■lightly indifferent whistle. • Hopo you and old Syd will enjoy yourselves, he said. 'I shall be at the Dabenhams'.' 'But, my dear boy'—Mre. Woodhead's cheeks flashed an anxious pink—' I don't see how you can P You know what Sydney is Nothing short of an earthquake %ill dislodge him*from,bis nasty books and instruments. And Pin a prisoner now with this rheumatism. The Debenhams have given you a choice of dates. Yon said so.' The dear bnf "frowned. His friends in „ the Midlands have certainly given him a choice of dates, but they have mentioned the fact that if he selected an early one his visit would coincide with that of a girl whem he doubtless remembered meeting at their house before. Therefore, he had decided to accept an early one. Therefore at this moment he frowned- There are bo many things that cannot be explained to one's relations. ' Sorry/ he said. * I'm going on Friday. Sy dll see you through, i oily good thing they haven't asked him toor I think they had enough of hiß proeiness last year/ - ' But Laurence '—the invalid was growing tearful—'can you imagine Sydney's going to meet Miss Selina at all? He'd board the wrong boat or bring tack the stewardess. I declare 111 never get friendly with a woman in an hotel again —never.* -' ' Skittles!' said Laurence; rising to his feet. 'Don't you say there's a photo coming P The Fossil can't go wrong if be stands on the landin?-stage with it. Here he comes! I'll break it to him.' The man who walked into the room at the moment was a dark edition of his younger brother, with dreamy brown eyes, and an unexpected firm mouth. : He was perfectly used to the epithet of 'Fossil' nor did he ever take the trouble to con- • tradict impressions about himself. He was a scientist to his finger-tips, and among a certain few his name was mentioned with marked respect. He treated his mother with gentle, sheltering affection, and he told himself during the Oxford vacations that his younger brother , would grow -older. 'Treat for yon, old man/ said Laurence, sauntering towards the door. ' Pretty girl coming to stay. She's sending you her.photo, too. Fr'aps she'll give you a lock of her hair, and you can make a microscopic slide of it!' ft The Fossil looked inquiringly towards his mother's scfa, 'My deaif :she said, with a rapid blinking of troubled blue eyes, 'it all comes of leaving England. It's one of those dreadful American girls. She may even smoke, and cell me 'ma'am.' And Laurence won't stay at home. Bead the letter for yourself.' Laurence banged the door as he departed, and his brother aat down. He read the letter, and he listened to irrelevant comments upon it for half an hour. Then he shrugged his shoulders, * No use worrying,' he said. «But, Sydney dear, will you meet this —this Miss Amelia ?' 'Miss B-lina,' said the Fossil. 'Oh, yes; I den't mind going to Euston. Can't manage Liverpool. She n.ustcome from there by berßelf. N,> use v orrying, you know.' Laurence Woodhead starred for the Midlands on the following Friday. The photograph came on Siturday, having scurried serosa country from M ntreal, and caught ,a New York steamer. M-s. Woodhead handed it across the breakfasttable to her eldest son, who studied it as he might have examined a botanical specimen There wse an odd little pucker about the corner of his eyes, but if he was surprised he did not say so. The face that confronted his own was ■mall and big eyes that laughed into his as if tbey eaw and appreciated a certain humour in the situation. Its nose had an indefinite tilt, its mouth curved with suggestions of sheer mitchief, and small fair curls strayed from under the large picture-hat overshadowing them. •She's quite pretty, Sjdnej/ said M■«. Woodhead. 'Much better-locking than her mother,,. But, of couree r if eno use talking to "you btout such thing;. Njw Laurence is so different. Dj you know, Sjdney, much troubled because I've discovered why he wouldn't put eff going to the Dsbenbams'. That Miss—l never can*eaember nanK-s—but that designing gad who was with them when you both atajexf there last year is going again, too. I asked him straight out if sfce'd be tuere. Siie was American, or Spanish, or something, wasn't she P I remember Mi Debenham wrote me that he seemed

Selina and the Fossil.

dreadfully impressad with her, and from things he let slip I fancy she was with him. I'm sure he's never been quite the same since last year.' The Fossil set the photograph down by his plate, and looked at his mother for a moment without speaking—possibly, of course, because his mou'h was full of bacon and eyg. When it was empty again, he said,.though a trifle uncertainly, 'No use worrying.' He set cut for Euston at five of the clock three afternoons later, and betook himself, with Blow deliberation, to the platform at which a certain Northern train was expected. He had the photograph in his pocket; but when, at length, the carriages discharged their passengers he seemed to have no difficulty in selecting his woman. She was hailing a porter, and convoying him excitedly to a distant van, when a touch on her shoulder arrested her. Th»n her cheeks grew scarlet. • Wbj—Mr. Woodhead!' she exclaimed, 'this is really nice! Fancy meeting some-, one I know already !' There was just enough of a nasal intonation in her voice to render it attractively characteristic. The F.sail laughed the laugh of a man ten years his junior. He was forty, by the way.* 'Are you glad to see me?' he said. Look here, I don't understand ' 'Of course I'm glad to see you,' interrupted 'Mies S-'iina' hurriedly. 'I was just beginning to get Lomesiek. I'm going straight ito the M vndeviJle Hotel. Can't you come along and have some tea ? Wait a minute while I see to my trucks.' - Sjdney Woodhead's lips screwed themselves oddly as she disappeared. He was evident y puzzled, and his express ion that of a man at a losb how best to tackle a difficult situation. Sometimes when a mortal stands thus uncertainly the gods grow tired of waiting. *Wa have a proverb to this effoct. A moment later the Fossil was tearing along the platform and forcing his way through a little knot of people, who clustered round something: on the ground. A slight porter, struggling with a heavy box, had collided with a passenger, who now lay limp and unconscious at his feet. • S;and back!' cried the scientist authoritatively. ' Give her air! I know something of doctoring ! L°t me pass ! I had come to meet this lady!' He was on his knees in an iustant, touching a small head with tender, skilful fingers. But 'M ss Selina' was wholly unresponsive. 'Cort 'er 'ead, pore thing! My sister's ' 'nsband was 'urt the syme wy, an' never *' spoke agine/ said an interested spectator to an eager, pushing audience. But a man, suddenly strong, had come among them. Sydney Woodhead lifted the Blight figure as it might have been a doll, and signed to the driver of a fourwheeler. • The lady is Btunned/ he said, ' She« must be got home as quickly as possible. I hardly think she will be any the worse. 85, Hope Gardens, Bays water. Dave as smoothly as yon can.' He deposited Ids burden across the seats of the vehicle, which moved forward before the astonished little company behind him could find voice. When, fifteen minutes later, he peered through the open window at his Bide into the Bayswater Road, the arrival from America opened her eyes. 'Bless me!' she said. 'Where am IP What's happened ?' Then the Fossil began to talk.

* Beally, Sydney,' said Mrs. Woodhead, ' I don't know what I should have done without you!' It was ten days since Miss Selina had arrived, white, shaken, but otharwise little the worse for her fall, at 85, Hope Gardens. The Fossil had deposited her in the care of his mother and a servant who still called him 'Master Sydney,' and driven, back to Euston for her boxes with an odd little smile on his face. Since then microscope, specimens, lectures, and other things of the kind Lad been as though-they were not. 'Old Syd' had been showing London to an American girl, while his mother looked on with undisguised amazement. She had always endorsed her younger son's opinion of his brother somewhat as a matter of course, and M'SB Salina'a enthusiasm concerning the efficiency of his escort puzzled her not a little.

Laurence, having announced his safe arrival by wire, was keeping silence, which, fact caused Mb parent to reflect -with some anxiety upon the designing girl who was also staying with the Ddbenhams. Sie mentioned the fact once or twice to the Fossil. He said it was m use worrying. Oa the particular afternoon that she expressed her gratitude he had just brought his charge home from a matinee which they had both enjoyed extremely, i Muss S Jina was upstairs at the moment, experimenting- upon an unruly fringe, and S/dney bad drawn a chair to the sofa and established himself upon it in meditative silence. ' I believe it has done you good,* continued his mother. * It's taken you away from all those Keatings' things you loot at through your microscope, you know. Sie's turned out such a dear girl, too. I couldn't have believed I should have enj yed ' The dear girl opened the door at this juncture, and made straight fer the sofa. • "We've had a really lovely afternoon,' she said. ' Has he beeß telling you about it? Sikes,M-a. Woodhead, however many posts per day do you get? Yes, please open th ;m.* A servant followed her into the room with letters on a salver. Miaa Sjlina and the Fossil moved and discoursed in low tones as Mrs. Woodhead addressed herself to the correspondence. They were deep in a discussion of the point of M ss Spina's matinee hat—though ten davs before the- Fossil couldn't have told : whether women wore hats at matinees or not—when they were startled by a sudden iZxxT the Mi3B S3l « aB P«"ig ■ «D~3 you feel bad ?' she cried anxiously. •Let me ' J ' And then she fell back, and the colour tusaed to her face. Mrs. Woodhead was waving her away with a photograph-a photograph of a girl with a snub hose, and tightiy strained straight hair, and small eyea. On the sofa by her side lay a closely-written foreign letter. «Sidney V Bhe called in frightened tones. • Who is she ? Whafdoes it mean ? It's from Mcs. Cane! She says she quoted a wrong number to the photo-

grapher, and he's sent me somebody else's photograph! And and her daughter laid np with tonsillitis, and caa't even sail for another fortnight! Sie evidently cabled to me at the time. Sydneyl' The Fossil moved towards her. If his mother had been less agitated she might have noticed that his left hand had stretched suddenly behind his back, and laid hold upon slim, brown fingers. *Oh, yes!' he said hurriedly. «Oh, yes! she cabled! That's all right. Opened the cable myself.. I didn't want you to be startled.* •Sydney!'—Mrs. Woodhead was staring at her sober son in horror—'are you quite madP Who is this girl? What does it mean P' Mss Selina dropped suddenly on to her knees before the couch. 'I told him!' she cried. «I told him it was real mean to take you in. He said you were prejudiced against me, and that it wis the only way. I just about hate myself. You see I'd been spending tbe summer in Montreal, and my name's Cane, and I'd had my picture taken at Lavelle's, the same as this Miss Cane apparently; so I guessed at once that the man had muddled us up, and sent you mine along to you instead of yours. Of course, if he'd got a wrong number that accounts for it still further. But I don't see how you'll foreive me! We were going to tell you to-night—Sydney and I. You won't blamo him, will you ?' Mrs. Woodhead fell back upon her cushions. The familiar use of the Christian name was too much for her. Moreover, her self-contained, scientific, middle-aged offspring''—with one hand about the kneeling penitent—was calling himself hard names, and offering voluble explanations. 'Sydney,' she said feebly, 'tell mo quietly. I—l don't know what on earth you both mean!' * Wall, you see, mother '—the Fossil stood upright and raised Miss Sslina to her feet—' I met Mas Miry Cane ' ' But my second name is Sslina/ interposed Miss Sslina, with a sob. 'Of course it is, darling. I met Mss Cane, mother, at the Dabenhams', when Laurence and I stayed there last year, and I asked ber to marry me, and she refused mej but I didn't think she meant it.'

* Of course I didn't mean it,' interposed Mies S lina indignantly. ' Then—then you don't mean that tbia is ' 'The designing American girl whom you're afraid has entrapped Laurence,' said the Fossil cheerfully, squeezing a small hand as a * Liurence!'—very satisfactorily Ecornful—escaped its owner. 'So I waa going to America this autumn ' 'To look rousd the hospitals/ murmured Ms. Woodhead faintly. ' M'ycß! That and other tbings. However, when I saw Miss Cane's photo I thought you must have met someone belonging to her abroad without our having found it; out. No affair of mine, of course. Oaly too glad she was coming, and that I was here. As a matter of fact, the Dsbenhams did ask me to go with Laurence; bnt I saw that he didn't wish it. Didn't know why, then. You hit .upon the reason,' •Then, she's not at the Dabenhams' with Laurence ?' faltered the incredulous m.ther. ' Ob, I was coming to the Debenhams!' interrupted M.sb Silina, dropping down by the sofa again, 'only I'd written-to them at the last moment to say I'd go a fortnight later, because I wanted to look round this city a bit first. And when S—he met me at the station I was real astonished, and just asked him to come along for some tea to my hotel.' ' And then a porter knocked her down, and I put her into a cab and drove off here, and persuaded her to stay and listen to me when she came round,' said Sydney the unabashed. * Mifc the cable from the other girl's mamma on our doorstep, so I knew it was all right. No use worrying you, was it P' Mrs. Woodhead put out her hand and said, * My dear, I think I'm very glad. You'll take him away from his flies and roots and thing. He's a good boy.' It was at this moment tbat the form of Laurence was to be seen standing in the doorway, and staring blankly at the scene before him. ' Miss Cane!' he gasped. 'Laurence, dear boy!' cried Mrs. Woodhead, with one arm still about her daughter-in-law elect. "Why did you never write to say when you were coming home ?' ' Told you they'd asked me for a fortnight,' said Laurence a trifle sulkily. He was staring at Miss Sdlina. ' But Miss Cane,' he added, 'I don't understand 1 What are you doing here ? The Dabenhams told me when I got there that you weren't coming to them till later on, because you were-*—' ' Engaged,' put in the Fossil cheerfully 'Sd she ie. Lots to explain. No use worrying you before. Didn't understand things myself till she got here, either. M)ther'll tell you. Come along, darling.' Aad he pulled Miss S.lina from the room. 'I say,' Baid Liurence sullenly, 'what are they aiming at ?' 'Oh, my dear boy,' said his mother with a half sob,' ' I'm very Borry —I mean I'm very glad; but can't you see P Your Mies Sdlraa has dug our Fossil up!'—Evbltm Glover,