MOLLIE'S BET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 284, 5 December 1904, Page 4

MOLLIE'S BET.

» Two to one iu dough-nuts you *j£* Bernard stopped to Krten, but couW see no one. Who hud dared to SaUm»M»? He was perched on ft S bough ofanoldapi>le-tree to his father's orchard, a nd was vainly Endeavouring to swing h.msel from that particular tree to the next one. Twice he hod tmed and failed when he was greeted with the above challenge. "It can't be Mollie Maynard, for die hasn't returned from school yet, he said to himself. But Mollie it was, sure enough. She waa lying in a low hammock hung up between two Btout trees on the rectory lawn, had Been Jack's ineffectual efforts to upon the distance between the trees, and,.being unable to restrain herself any longer, had dared to bet him two dough-nuts to one. These two had just come home from school for the long vacation, ithe one from Eton, and the other from Girton. They had been neighbours and playfellows all their lives, and were the best of friends, quarrelling one term and making it up the nest.

Although stilt at Eton, Jack Bernard was more tnan a mere boy. He .was in his nineteenth year, and had dialed 'many a time at the unreasontblenesd of being kept at school after ell bis class had either passed into the University t«u Imsdness of one kirn! or another. Truth to tell, he v, at, not a very bright specimen of the genus man, and his father knew it, and was determined to keep his nose at the grindstone, as his son termed it, until he was made fit for his place in ttte world: **-* Wihat's the use of grinding and stowing when the pater is well off, and I "am his only son and need never ■oil my little finger?" was his constant cry. And in Mollie Maynard, the rector's daughter, he found a ally, or thought he did. She, on the other hand, was fai and away the cleverest girl in her class, and could give her friend points in everything relating to les-l soma As she lay in her hammock she made a very pleasing picture. Her long blue-black hair was neatly plait-] ed, and tied halfway down with a i WjSi knot sof black velvet ribbon; she wore a white cambric frock with touches of black velvet; and on the grass beside her lay bier hat, a large straw affair covered with red fKippies. Not much wonder Jack .wanted her for his very own. She jwas sweet to look upora, and, what j Was.more, such a pal. I All the same Miss Molly was a Dreadful tease, and when inth»mooa could make her victim squirm, and she dhose pretty often to be in that particular ' mood. And this afternoon, when she saw -her chum trying to do what she thought impossible, she thought she would like to give film a very bad giianter-of-an-hour. .She had always called him " Bowwow • —his name suggested it, she saidr-and 'although she knew he resented, being; taken for a canine friend, she still per sifted, declaring' that no other nickname suited him half as JR3I,

i' Does ' Bow-wow ' really think he can manage it?" she cried, tanitaUg&gly. "Well, try again-! Remember Bruce and the spider, and perhaps you may have the same success."

Jack had spotted her by this time, bufcttade no attempt to get through or over the hedge which divided them. He remained in his leafy perch looking, down on her slight form as she lay gently swinging to and fro, and Xhjnfcing that erelong some city chap, WQUldbe sure to find out his prize,! even in this remote part of the country, and carry her off to grace his drawing-room and make her forget y» friends of her youth. r* 5 (Jiris, especially rectors' daughJers! ought not to bet," he said, severely. ;

.. '•' What ! Not even dough-nuts ! " she cried. " Why, at Girton, we used to bet the bed we lay on, 'because it wasn't ours; and our boots even, ■when we knew full well that our op--.ponent couldn't get in to them. I (.couldn't make a dough-nut to save ; my life, and we are much too far from -Shops to buy them if I lose the betSo I feel quite Bafe," she concluded. " You are the most provoking girl I know," he exclaimed.

'■' Which goes to show that your acquaintances are few and far between," she retorted. .''l'm not so sure of that," he

, answered, and proceeded to tick o9 on his fingers the names of all the girls, young and oM, he Knew in the Country, and added a few from his - own imagination to make the list ijook more imposing, and to scare, il jjßOssiblej this impetuous but altogether desirable girl, who came so provokingiy near his grasp, and who kept him 'at arm's length whenever she felt he was becoming sentimental. "'All right, ' Bow-wow ; ' go t« your Katies, Lilies, and Gerties, and leave me in peace d.unng my holidays, so that I may return to my . work refreshed. Studying as I do," she continued, with a Great show of dignity, " I require rest and pleasant companionship during, recess, and I am-not likely Jo get either if I remain in this hammock while you try ■balancing feats in these old appletrees with such conspicuous non-suc-

cess." This was too much for Jack. With one mighty eflort he made the necessary sprang which landed him salely, but albeit a little shakily, in the next "tree. " How's that ? " he cried triumphantly, as he wriggled down through the smaller branches, snap-

ping and cracking them in his descent. " Not out," shouted MoMie. "But you shan't get your dough-nuts." " Why not, pray ? " demanded Jack, as, making a bound through the hedge, he arrived breathless at the side of the hammock. " 1 told you distinctly I couldn't make a dough-nut to save my life. So Trow can I pay my bet ? Besides," she continued, " a woman isnev»r supposed to pay a debt, un- ■ less sue likes; and on this particular occasion I don't, and 1 won't ! " she added, decisively. '■' So that ends the matter." "Oh, no, it doesn't," said Jack, determined to make her see reason. "If you can't pay your debt in the manner agreed upon, then you must pay an equivalent. So let:s make a bargain." " Very well," said Mollie, resignedly falling back among her cushions and gently Swaying herself backWards and forwards. "Go on. You have caught me tripping this time ; but beware. There is such a thing as digging a pit for one's fellow and falling into it oneself." He took no notice other remark, but, falling on his knees beside the hammock, he seized her hand iu his own big brown ones, and 'bringing his face very close to hers, said, passionately, '- Mollie, my little darling, will you promise that you. >"i" wait for me until w<< ire Uotli a little older, and Ui-ii marry me ? Oh, promise rue Mollie ! " he urged. " When I am twenty-one, I shall have an income of my own; and you have no one to consider but your father, and I think he likes me and would approve of me for a son-in-law. Do say ' yes ' Mollie, and put me out of this suspense. Oh, how I have longed for this recess !—dreamt of it, and thought it would never come—all to catch a glimpse of you, Mollie ; to hear your sweet voice, and if possGibjle, to ask you to wait for me. Will you give me some hope?" Mollie's eyes were downcast, but there was a suspicion of amusement in their depths. Turning slightly towards her. would-be-lover, she said, " Bo I understand that this promise takes the place of the dough-nuts ? '' " Put it in that way if you like," . be cried, impatiently. " Only promise that you will stick to me and give no other fellow a thought." She hesitated for a minute, as if turning something over in her mind. " Wilt you give me till to-morrow to decide?"

''" Yes.you dear girl ! he cried, delightedly ; " longer if you like ; but do let your answer be ' yes.' Let me see," he ooputauea ; ■'■' it's four o'clock now. This time to-morrow Ij shall come to this very spot for my answer; and," he drawing her] tiloser to him. ■'-' I know what your answer will be."

"Promise not to bother me then till to-morrow at this time," said] Mollie. '•' I must consult father, you know, and he may not look at things in the same light. Now 1 must run in and give him his tea. He always looks for me along with the teatray, you Smow ; and I must not fail him to-day."

She sptwng out of her hammock, caught up'her hat, and, with a wave of'her hand and Au revoir, ran lightly across the lawn and disappeared through the library window,

Next morning found Jack in a decidedly restlesß mood. His father commented on the lack of appetite he displayed at breakfast, questioned him as to his arrangements for the day, and asked him if he would drive with him to a friend's house some dozen miles away in the afternoon. But Jack paid little or no heed to his questions. He didn't want to go anywhere, or do anything Jwt '•' moon around," he said.

Would the hours newer pass ? What was Mollie doing ? What had Mr Maynard said when Mollie spoke to him over the tea-cups about the proposal, or had she waited till this morning, and was she perhaps at this moment putting in a good word for him ? He would go and peep over the hedge and see if she was anywhere in sight but he wouldn't speak to her. Had he not promised neither to look for or hold converse with her till this afternoon ? His search revealed nothing. The hammock was there, but no Mollie. He returned to the boujse and looked out of every window that overlooked the rectory ; but all to no purpose. After lunch he 'decided to stroll as far as Studley, a little village a couple of miles away, and kill an hour or so in that way. Along the dusty high road he strolled, his Panama tilted well over bis eyes to keep out the glare of the sun. A farmer's cart and two tramps were all he met until, within a stone's throw of the village, he saw a cyclist coming towards him at qujjtc an alarming rate. Were his eyes deceiving him, or was it Mollie ? Moliie with flushed cheeks and untidy hair, with a host of tiny parcels securely fastened to the handle-bars of her machine. Surely when she recognised him she would stop. But no. Witi a mischievous smile, and " According to pu-omjae, • Bowwow ?' " she fled past him like a streak of lightning.. On entering the village the first person he met was an old chum, Stedman by name, who had been in the same class at school.

_• How do you manage to endure we down in this sleepy hole, Bernard ? Not much society, is there." " Society , did you say ? Why, ii it wasn't for the rector and his ■daughter, I would never exchange a word with a living soul." " So you know Miss Mollie, then''" queried Stedman.

" A little," admitted Jack, while he eyed his chum suspiciously, "She was in the village this afternoon," went on Stediwan. "I ran into her as she was coming out of the confectioner's at the corner. She's a lipping girl and no mistake."

"Very," said Jock, dryly. And, thinking that ho had heard quito enough about Mollie's charms from another fellow, he wished him good afternoon,

A trifling purchase at the tobacconist's, a look ait the shop windows, a yisif to the little country postoflice, and he was quite ready and willing to return home. An hour to spare still. What could he do to fill in the time ? Happy thought ! He would get into the new kmickerbockor suit his tailor had sent him that morning; that, along with the red tie Mollie had given him on his last birthday, and a white silk handkerchief, also Mollie's gift, and he felt and looked fit for any emergency. A knock at the door. "A parcel for you, sir," said the neat parlourmaid.

'■' A parcel ? Oh, yes. Thanks." And the maid withdrew.

"What in the world can this be?" said Jack, perplexedly. "Now I know," he added, as his brow cleared. "The box 0 f collars which ought to 'have come along with my suit this morning. Better make sure the Johnny has sent the right sire before I go out."

The string was cut in a jiffy, the paper covering taken off, and'the lid removed, and there, nestling among folds of soft white tissue paper, lav two dehciOTs-sugiary-dough-rmts ! "