Blind as a Bat...

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 165, 29 August 1903, Page 25

Blind as a Bat. . .

HAVING gazed alternately, ioi the space of an hour and a-quarter, through the w indow on his left, at the wall m front of him, and upon the blank foolscap under his nose, Professor Norman suddenly slung his dry pen across the room so that it stuck quivering m the panel of a cupboard, and rose with, such violence that his chair toppled and came to the floor with a crash. "I was mad to come here," he muttered angrily, as he jerked the chair to its legs, and recovered his pen, which he flung on to the writing table. 'T was an ass to accept Harland's imitation. I might ha\e known I wouldn't be able to work here, although I must say Hai-land has given me every help in the way of peace and opportunity. But, I wish to goodness he had given me a hint that Louie- — Miss Lorimer — was one of his wife's guests It can't be any pleasant* r for her than for me — this meeting morn, noon, and night — after what happened a year ago " He sighed, and went over to the window. "However. I suppose she's enjoying herself with Wilson to-day. Thank heaven I had work — which I haven't done — as an excuse for not joining the picnic party. It's twelve o'clock, and I'll have the place to myself till seven. Perhaps, a turn in the garden will put me in wwking trim." A minute later he was pacing the lawn in front of the house, endeavouring to frame m his mind an opening sentence for the fourteenth chapter of his "History of Precious Metals " But the sun beat upon him mercilessly, and presently he sought the shade of the trees on the edge of the lawn, and, lighting his pipe stretched himself on the cool turf. It is possible that during the next twenty minutes he succeeded in composing the sentence desired, for at the end of that time his thoughts were busy with another subject. "She's certain to marry Wilson," he said to himself, laying aside his pipe, "and I—lI — I almost wish she would do it quickly. Lord ! what a fool I made of myself that night last year when I fancied I had a chance. But never again." At twenty-five a man, thinks he knows women ; at thirty-five he wonders if he does , at forty-five he realises that he doesn't. Douglas Norman was beginning to wonder. An exquisite butterfly settled close to him and when it rose fluttering he felt for his glasses — he Avas extremely short-siohted — so that he might follow its flight. But he found he had left his glasses in the house, and lazily decided to do without them. Just then he thought he saw one ot the maids at the door and he sang out, "I say, would you mind bringing my glasses from the writing-table in my room — and, please — get me a lemonsquash if you can." The girl addressed disappeared, and the Professor, having re-filled his pipe and lit it altered his position slightly, and lay comfortably, waiting in pleasant anticipation of a refreshing draught Five minutes passed, and then a voice behind him said quietly, "Your glasses and squash Professor^ Norman. He was on his feet in an instant. "You, Miss Lorimer ?" he stammeired. "I hope you like it fairly sweet," she said calmly, holding out the tumbler. ''B u t — but. — I don't understand. 1 thought you had gone to the picnic with the others." "No, I didn't go. Will you take your glasses, please, and your squash p " Pairdon' Thank you, thank you! But I don't see why you should have troubled. Why didn't the maid bring them herself 9 " "What maid?" "Why, the ma-id I spoke to a few minutes ago — the maid — good gracious, you don't mean to say that it was you I was ordering about?" "Oh well, I saw you had made a mistake, Professor Norman, and it — -it seemed easier to obey than explain ' she said, smiling slightly. , "You should have taken no notice, he returned, rather ungratefully. "Should I ? And then you would have concluded that Mrs. Hadand kept very rude ar.d inattentive «eryants. She spoke somewhat stiffly, being annoyed by his last remark. Besides, the couraee whiih had made her seize what seemed a last opportunity of making friends with the man — an opportunity lone desired — was beginning to ebb, and a sense of shame was taking possession of her. "I'm sure I'm very much obliged to you, Miss Lorimer," said the Professor, after a pause. "And I—lI — I hope yon will accent mv a,r>ologies." "Oh, it's of no consequence," she replied, and turned to go. He stepped after her looking rather a helpless figure, with his eye-glasses in one hand and the tumbler in the other. "Are you going back to the house ?" he asked.

Yes " But you wete coming out into the ga.rden when I saw jou hrst." Was I 3" 'I think so. Oi, perhaps, I should have said when you saw me." I didn't see you — at least, until you called. I understood you were in your room. Mrs. Harland told me you weie a,t work, and would have lunch in your room, as you did not wish to be distuibed." The girl spoke almost as if sheweie defending herself. ' You mean that you would not have appeared if you had known I was m the garden," he said, bitterly. "It is a large garden, Professor Norman and I'm not greedy," she leturned flippantly. "Then, why go indoors?" ' For a book." Anything but his company, evidently! The Professor winced. But he said gently, "Let me pet it for you. Er—one good turn, you know, Miss Lorimer " ' Pray don't trouble." "What is the title, and where shall I find it ? " he asked, fancying her voice less cold than her words. ' I think I left it on the drawingroom sofa," she replied, regarding the chimneys with apparent interest. "And the title* 5 " He Jaid the tumbler on the lawn. "It's — oh I never can remember titles — unless they are attached to people, and then I forget them." She seemed a little confused. Norman smiled. "I'll bring the book from the sofa," he said, and moved off. 'If you can find another on the table in the window, I think I'd rather have it," she called after him. ''All right "he called back. Somehow he felt less depressed. He found a book on the table in the drawing-room window and, as he was leaving with it, he noticed another on the sofa. Something bade him look at the latter's title. It was "A Patch-ed-up Affair." The Professor shook his head. 'Ah! she wouldn't have that'" he sighed. Then he glanced at the book in his hand. It was called, "A Fresh Start." "That is also impossible," he murmured sadly. lieioininer Miss Lorimer on the lawn, he handed her the volume, and at the same instant kicked over the tumbler of lemon-souash. "I'm as blind as a bat," he muttered crossly. She laughed. It was just what he w as ' ''And you made it for me, he said ruefully. ' What has been done once may be done again " she said kindly. "No no. I'm not going to bother you any more, Miss Lorimer. I'll retire with my pipe, and leave you to enjoy your book. Which part of the garden do you prefer 3 " he inquired, with a faint smile. She appeared to consider the matter deeply. Norman thought her lovelier than ever. "Why did you stay at home to-day ' lie demanded abruptly. "Why did you not work in voui room to-dav 3 " she retorted lightly. "I bee; your pardon. I shouldn t have asked such a question." After a brief silence "Are you annoyed with me for staying at home, Professor Norman?" she asked, opening her book at page 137, and reading it carefully upside down. ''I'm surprised." 'Are you 0 " She lifted her eyes to his foi the fraction of a second, and his heart seemed to skip a beat. "Couldn t you guess why I stayed at horne ••> Because you wanted to, he answered shortly. Of course. By theway, why don t you wear your glasses 3 " ;; ' I only use them for distant objects, he replied, wondering at the question. Not for things right under a our nose 3 " , „ "I can see such things well enough. "Can you 3 " She was still apparently engrossed in her book. ''Can you she lepeated under her breath "Yes. I can see that your book 's upside-down Miss Lorimer." "I was just waiting to learn if you would notice th? + " she said coolly , but a faint flush came to her face. "I cam see also " he went on, a curious hardness in his voice, "that if I were to stay here another minute I d make a fool of myself as I did last year. Good-day Miss Lorimer " He raised his hat and strode towards the house. But if the Professor was blind, his hearing was perfect. A faint sound reached his ears — a faint, choked sound, which was followed by a little crash. He stoPDed. and looked back. The girl had dropped her novel, and it had fallen on the tumbler. "Mv fault again " muttered Norman, letracmg his steps, and picking up the book "I «hould have removed the tumbler. Don't you want it, Miss

LoinnorP" lie' asked, holding out the volume But she seemed neither to see nor heai him, and her face was white. What is it s "" he cried, and the anxiety in his voice brought the colour back to her face. But he was still blind, and she knew he would go for ever from her, unless — unless . But how Mas she to tell him ? She held out her hand for the book, and, with a great effort, lifted her eyes to his. 'Louie!" exclaimed the Professor, as if ho had made a wonderful discovery. And so he had. — J. J. Bell, in Glasgow ''Weekly Hciald."