AS TO AMY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 278, 25 May 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

AS TO AMY.

COMPLETE STORY BY JOHY F. LEEMING.

Jim emptied his glass and scowled aggressively, -if peop ] e w . uit to kll( themselves, let 'em do it," he said- "I should no more think of stopping amone than 1 should of telling the CO what I really think of him. Thcv don't thank you if you do save them." 1 don t know," I interrupted, "it you saw someono drowning . '■ Then I remembered and coughed hurriedly J.or Jim Had once pulled a girl out of the river, and—but that is the story.

I hey were staying at the same hotel • she tor a month or so. with iier motherlie or a few days with a cold. The weekend rush crowded them to the same table, and he spoke for the first time when a waiter stumbled and slipped some hot soup down his sleeve Afterwards ho apologised for his exclamation, and attributed his lack of control to being in tue Army. Her mother admitted the soup incident .was annoying and related at some length a similar experience of her own. He saw something of them the next day, and Irs decision that Amy was the prettiest name in the world I*regarded as biassed. ° _ After dinner the girl and ho went to sit on the balcony T was sating on that balcony myself, behind the palms, so I couldn't help hearing tit first he talked a bit about the Armv and the moon; then ho began to become more intimate. "You know. I can never think of you as a Lancashire girl. Somehow 1 always fancy them as people who drop their 'hV -md wear woolly underClothing New I h avo noticed you ciont drop your h's, and I have observed " "Mr Crossley: 1 ' she interrupted, hurriedly. •'Hello," he said, waking uo with a start. ' *

I went away for a walk then and left them to it. Later in the Hall I heard him toll a subaltern, who asked him to have a game of billiards, that it was February 10th. The bewildered subaltern seemed to conclude he had not properly understood his invitation. Ho was about everywhere with her after that, and what with walks, motor runs, and bathing, he saw a good deal of her. Charitable people said he seemed very much in love; the majority put it a little more plainly and said she had hooked him and could land him at anv time.

She was one of tho.«e girls who say they believe in letting people see plenty of them. Apparently she succeeded, for one dear old lady described her dresses as '''scandalously inadequate." Tilings went on for nearly a week: then ho proposed. They had rowed down the river to Furniss, and while repairing an oar at the bank on the way he risked it. She refused li'm, of course; the first time you a-sk them, girls always do. It means nothing; just a sort of habit they have, like being late for an appointment; they think it makes them more desirable. He must have lost his herd and taken it seriously, for on the way back, I gather, they had words. Unpleasant ones, I mean. She sa'd ho had spoilt their friendship; they were going to bo such good friends she had hoped, and now he had ruined it all. He replied thta she had led him on, which was true, and so naturally annoyed her. Perhaps he called her a coquette; anyway when I met them at the landing stage things seemed a little strained. He said: '"You'd better wait until I get hold. I'll help you out."' 'I can manage quite well thank you. - '

'Half a second: let me have your hand."

'' Will you leave mo alone! I can get out rmito well."

He stepped out then and watched her. Sho put one dainty foot on the gunrail, and the boat at onoo began to d'p side-ways. All of a sudden the haughty smile seemed to ho wiped off her face; for a moment she clutched at the air, and the nest second she was sittin« in the stream. It wasn't dangerous, only very muddy—black, clinging mud, like thick glue. She just sat up to her waist n 't and said: "On—ah—ah!"

Jim never moved until the last gurgle :then he stepped off the stage, put his arm under her shoulders, and lifted her clear.

You might have thought she would bo grateful. Not a bit. Wlixui back on the landing stage she raved. You see ang.'r at tho picture she made didn't mako her speechless. On the contrary. I issumed from what she said it was all Jim's fault.

There was a good crowd round bythen • about half of it asked her if she was wet, the remainder if she had fallen in. We hurried back to the hotel, and met almost everyone we know. She was vexed when wo started, but by the time we got in she was irritated almost to tears.

I didn't worry. I knew by to-morrow she would be reasonable again, and probably accept him as a sharp lesson. She went up to her room to change, and a minute later the crestallen Jim followed to his room.

While I was waiting for him to come down I met Mac. He is a good-heart-ed, blundering sort of fellow, and was much distressed to hear Jim had also been in the mud. Perhaps Mac lacks a sense of humour. I told him clearly where J-m's room wps, first on the right roun dthe .stairs, and he went up to sympathise. He knocked at the donr. "I'm sorry you've fallen in," he called; "1 Van lend you r. pnlir of trousers if you haven't anything else." For about two seconds there was no reply: then a girl's voice said acidly : •t can manage quite well, thank vou." The fool had mixed it up and knocked at Amv's door.

It was no use explaining after that, although Jim tried hard enough; but s<ho just swore it was a jokc„ and so insult to injury. She seemed undecided as to whether his greatest crime, was in lotting her fall in. pulling her out. or in ridiculing her afterwards. Anyway, when we left two days later, she never even said "Good-bye" to Jim.