A DEBT OF HONOUR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 7 December 1907, Page 3

A DEBT OF HONOUR.

(I!y Mabel 11. Kobins.) j

"I like to make a man angry," said l.elty l-'awcett. with n glow in her dark eves. "One really never knows what a person is like until lie has lost his tern. I er. All his artificialities and littl--mannerisms go at once. One sees him as he really is." Kaiifiiiaiin frowned, lie felt he had been trapped, lie knew he had been verv cross over ,-oiue iiiiiiii|«irfai>! lit Ile matter ju-t now. She had evidently in troduced the subject, on purpose to vex him. lie felt as if she had been dissert-| ing him for her own ainu-emcnt. ami was furious with hiniselt for the way he had fallen in with her plans. lie thought it better to ignore the lad. and not to appear to understand thai she was talking about hiin. He stroked his long, silky beard meditativclv. He was very proud of his heard.' "It i- all very well to talk like thai." he said, "lint it is not always po —• i I ill-. You would tind it ditTieiill to make some men angry." "Are vou talking of yourself?''— "No: 1 am not!" His tone was very nhnrp. and he conl rolled himself with an effort. She certainly had an extraordinary capacity to irritate. There

is nothing more annoying than to be fold you have your temper when it has gniie beyond recovery, and llieru was j! i-i-rtain twinkle in ketty's eye which intimated what her thoughts really were. She actually had the auda

city to laugh at him! ''l was thinking of Carston," he said, after a minute or two spent in calming himself. "Captain (iarston, who is coming here to-day. He is such an apathetic beggar. 1 don't think anything could put liim out. lie would find it too much trouble."

"What a terribly dull man he must be!" she exclaimed. '"But then, I don't really believe such a thin# is possible. Every man lias some pet weakness, and you only have to attack that to mako him fly into a rage." ,l I defy you to succeed with Carston," he said grimly. "In fact, 1 advise you not to think of it. It would only be wasting your time." She gave a low laugh of satisfaction. '•You tempt me to try," she said. "I think I will exert myself simply to show you how wrong you are." "I will bet you anything you like j you won't make him angry." I

"J)one!" she cried with animation. "What will it be?" "I will bet you six pairs of gloves to a—kiss, that you don't succeed." She frowned. "Thank you, but I don't bet in kisses," she said, icily, and she shuddered. To be kissed by this little Jew of (lerman extraction, with hated beards. He gave a short laugh. '"How I love to make a girl angry!" he said, with triumph. "I'm not angry," she answered <p»ek|v. "(inly—it is such a foolish bet."

"What does it matter to you? You J are no confident of your powers. You j do not expect to lose —you can take the bet ipiite happily." "Ye-eS," she said, with hesitation. "I ' know 1 could, but—it is the principle 1 don't like—it is horrible." Tie shrugged his shoulders. "Very well." he said. "1 understand—you cry oil'. At any rate, that is the only bet 1 will make. You evidently haven't the courage of your convictions!" And his last words sounded taunting, and brought the colour to her cheeks. "Very well —T will take it," she said, changing her mind, more from mere bravado than anything else. After all, . she argued, it was ko easy to annoy a i man; she would never have to pay that I obnoxious kiss. And she would triumph —she would be able to say, 'T told you

so!" "Bui von will have to take my word for it when Tdo make liim angry. T can't promise tliat it will take place before witnesses." "My dear Miss Faweett, of course T will iake your word—l will trust you implicitly. But T shall 1m» only liere for 1 a week. If vnu don't make Captain (larstui lose hi* temper before my departure. 1 slmil claim that kiss." "1 agree."' said Letty, rising from her seat to go. "Tf T don't manage it in seven days, F shan't manage it all." And Kaufmann smiled fnside his beard as lie watched the graceful figure walk away. He thought he knew something of girls, and "1 don't suppose she will even try," he said fatuously to himself. Captain (iarston arrived that evening, lie had done great things in South Africa, for which he had obtained the V.C.. hut no one would have imagined that he was a hero to look at him. lie was far too lackadaisical, and he had the appearance of something of a dandv.

Letty was interested in him after her conversation with Kaufmann. and was quite pleased to find herself seated next, him at dinner the first night. She could begin her campaign at once, nhe thought. "J have wanted to meet you so much," she began, turning her charming face towards him. "After the stirring accounts they gave of your doings in the papers, it will be something to boast about that Captain Garston took mo in to dinner." It was a recognised thing, she cogitated, that heroes grew angry when their deeds of valour were mentioned to them. Kven if he were gratified by the adulation, at least he must follow up tradition, and pretend to be annoyed. Besides, how tired lie must be of hearing about it? lie glanced at her calmly with his sleepy-looking eyes. She noticed that thev were unusually blue in contrast to his tanned face. "I hope." he drawled, "that 1 shall not disappoint yon." She looked at him suspiciously, but there was not a trace of sarcasm in his (one. and he seemed as if he were reallv anxious for her answer.

"I am afraid you do," she said, with a little laugh. "You don't look a hit like a hero." Tf the man had any vanity, this. at. least, must move him. Bui lie went on calmly eating his dinner. "And how do yon think a hero ought to look?" he asked indulgently. Lettv was beginning to get cross herself. He was treating her as if she were a child. "He ought to look fierce H( ] —and —noble." she said, adding spitefully. "he ought not to appear so—so lady-like as you do." He raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Don't yon think, then, that- a lady could be heroic," he asked. "I don't think a mau ought to be effeminate," she said. "Or a woman masculine? No, I agree with you there. It is belter when each keeps'to his and her own domain. They call the latter an homme-lettc in France. Bather a. good name for it, don't you think?"

Lrtty laughed at her own discomfiture. She hail l>ogun badly. His imperturbability had goaded her on to being personal, and personalities were always vulgar. And the worst of it was that tliev had not affected him—he did not even take them to himself, but discussed them generally. She glanced at him sideways. Was it impossible to ni(lie him? He looked up at her suddenly, and as she met the clear gaze of bis eyes she felt ashamed of herself. She would not try nnv more to make him angry. After all. there was plenty of time to devote to that object. She would cease to Ik? aggressive naw. She would enjoy herself, and show him how charming rdie could be. "Tell me all about it." she said eoaxingly. "I should so like to bear your account.'' "My account of—what?" he answered slowlv.

"Why," with pome impatience, "I want to hear all about your life in West Africa. and how you won your V.C." He shook his head. "The papers have told you all you ran want to know," he answered decidedly. She chose to be offended that he should refuse her request. She turned at once to the man on the other side, and there was nothing visible to flarston but- a pretty shoulder. But this could not la-t for long. It was not very many minutes before she was left free again. Her other neighbour was old, and he did not like his dinner interrupted. But still Oarston could see nothing but the. disdainful shoulder. He leant S nearer. "Aren't you going to talk to me again?" lie asked. She did not move, but remained looking straight in front of her. c '*No," she answered shortly. She did not realise that >he had dug a pit for him'and had fallen into it herself. It was she who had lost her trmper. "Whai have T done to offend you?" lie a-ked. and there was something wonderfully attractive about his voice now the habitual apathy had left it. "What have 1 done?" She turned her head a little more in his direction, but she still would not look at him. "Tt was unkind of von not to do as T asked ynn." she said. "I : am so interested in nil von have been I doing." He paused a moment. That pretty j profile was something worth looking | at. but it was not to see more.

'*V<»n want to hoar about my 1 iff in West Africa?" ho said slowly. "Well, if it really interests you.T T will toll you." Ami (lion he began. He told her of long marches in the tropical sun, of the grandeur of the nights when they camped out beneath the star* so brilliant. tii.it they seemed as if suspended from the heavens nearly within roach; while quite a little way oft' could be heard the r<<:ir of lion* and of other wild beasts, lie told her of the native soldiers, of danger- encountered, and of brave deeds performed: but he said nothing about himself—it was the courage of the two I white men who were with hint which lie I extolled. "Nevertheless, she listened, fascinated. for there was some magnetism nlioiit Ciirstnn when he talked —he compelled ;>ersnn's attention. She Mghcd when the hostess at length gale the signal to go. SJlie was sorry d'liner was finished. "Thank yon," she said. "It is all very interesting, but you have not mentioned that skirmish when - yon won the Y.C." ITe shrugged his shoulders. ''The papers have given such a vivid account of tint, and with sueh wonderful embellishment s of their own." he said, "you would probably be disappointed if you heard merely plain faces, and -T would not di>eiiehant you for the world." "All!'' >he said. '"But you will tell nu some day?"

The days passed quickly, and I>ttv «;iw a «;rent deal of Captain flar-ton. This was more hi- dolnu lhan her own, for he continually sought her out; and, though when by herself she. invented bowrul ways of making Mm angry, they

al! failed, and she began almost to forget that horrible bet when she was in his company. But the sight of Kautl'niann would always bring it back, and make her renew her efforts. She felt she must go any length to prevent that kiss—even run the risk of making (larston dislike her. Oh, why would lie not lose his temper just for one minute, and then she would be able to enjoy his society as she had never done any man's before ?

But his sunny temper remained unchanged. Even at the bridge-table, where Kaufmann carped at everything, and only just came short of accusing his opponents of cheating—for the little Jew was a very had loser, and could not bear the fact of paying up—CJarston only smiled, and refused even to take part in the noisy discussion. He merely spread out the cards for partners to cut for the next rubber.

But the week was drawing to a clone, and the house-party was to break up the following morning. Carston and Letty had been together nearly all day. She had not once tried to annoy him, but had been simply her own charming self, and he had found her adorable. There was one thought worse even than the dreaded kiss, Captain Carston was leaving to-morrow, and ah! when would she see him again?" She was sitting by herself, looking very miserable that last evening. She had refused to play bridge, because it meant being at the same table as Kaufmann, and she had grown to hate the man. Only this morning he bad smiled at her in a triumphant way, and asked when the payment of their bet was to take place the following morning, and she had turned from him with abhorrence.

Captain Carston found her out in the corner where she sat. "What is the matter?" he askvd, silting down beside her. "You look so unhappy." A wave of colour had come over her face at the mere sound of his vioce. She tried to smile. "I don't feel very cheerful," she said. "I have lost a bet, and 1 don't like the i'lea of paying up." "Is that all?" he answered. "Is it more than you can afford? Let me pay it for you, and you can settle with me at any time." She shook her head, while her smile 1 widened, "I" am afraid Mr. Kaufmann would not like it paid like that." CJarston frowned. "Kaufmann?" he repeated. "That wretched little man! Have you been betting with him?" "Ye*',' she said miserably. "I did not want to, but he drove me into it by taunts—he doubted my powers"--and her voice died away in a heavy sight.

"What was the bet?" ho asked suspiciously, "JTe l>et me six pairs of gloves to—to a kiss." "A kiss?" starting up angrily. "Do yon mean to say you arc to give a kiss to that brute?" She nodded her head, but her listlessness tied, and a sudden brightness came into her eyes, "lie expects me to kiss him to-morrow morning before he gocts, and —and I suppose i must pay the bet—it is a debt of honour." Carston's eyes flashed like blue steel;

the nleepy look had quite vanished; it scarcely seemed possible that he was the same man. "There must be some way out of it," he cried fiercely; "it shall be prevented somehow. The man is a coward to make such a bet " And Letty laughed—a laugh full of happiness and relief. "Oh, Captain Oarston," she cried, "it is all right, I need not pay him now." He looked puzzled. ''What has happened," he asked, "in the last three minute*?" "Only that I have won my bet. Listen," she said, "and I will tell all about it." And she quickly gave him an account <»f her interview with Kaufmann on the morning of his arrival.

"And how f have tried and tried to annoy you," she finished, "and yet nothing could ruflle you, and now, when T had given up all hope—when I was not even thinking of trying any more—you suddenly Hash out in a way that quite frightens me." Nut his brow did not clear. His face had grown white, and a very passion glowed in his eyes. "And is this the only reason yon lave walked with me and talked with me?" he cried, his voice quiet through sheer intensity. "Have you been stealing my love and breaking niv heart only on account of this stupid bet?" "What do you mean?" she cried, with beating heart, a thrill of gladness running through her at his words. "What, do you mean?" "Don't you know, Lettv, how I love you?" he said in a gentler voice. "Ah. dear, don't say you don't care for me at all —that 1 am nothing more to you than a subject for experimenting on, to show your powers of making people angry." Lettv was recovering herself. Tier face was more beautiful than ever, being transfigured with gladness. But her love of coquetry took possession of her. She would not give her answer at mice.

"At any rale, Mr. Kaufi'mann can't claim that kiss now," she said triumphantly. "lie has lost the lint many times over." Clarston's face lVll. Evidently this wretched bet was more to her than the happiness of his life. "He probably will," he said gloomily. "He won't believe your word. The brute is capable of anything." ""Hut he won't be able to have it," she demurely, <f bceause —it would be no longer mine to offer." She stood up on tip-toe. and, placing lier hand on his arm, raised her face to his. "Sec!" she added in a whisper, "I am going to give it to—you."

CONUNDRUMS. What do wc often catch, but never see?—A passing remark; What dues every artist like to draw best? —His salary, When is last year's frock like a secret? —When it's let out. Why may a beggar wear a -liort coat? —He I ore it will he long <•;! ugh before he gets another. Why is ir. wise to tell an oyster a secret? —Because it knows haw to keep its mouth shut. What is the difference between a policeman and a three-penny piece?— A policeman being a "copper," the difference is twopence. What kind of a field is older than you are.—P,:>'ur;ige. How many slicks go to the building of a crow's nesl ?—i\onc; because they are all carried to it. Which peer wears the largest hat?— The « ne with thrc biggest head. Why is a hansom cab a dangerous | carriage to drive in?— Because the cabI man drives over your head. When should you nvrid'the edge of a river?— When the 1r are shooting. and the bull-rush" ou» Why must, a fwhenn-m ' • very wealthy 'Because i> ='ll u- 1 profit. Why is goosplif" , v jun like counterfeit money? —Beausc it is not current. Why does a daek put its head under water? —For i r vc<> reasons. What tret* of the greatest importance to hi'-tory?—The date. Why is a good resolution like a fainting lady at a ball?— Because it ought to be carried out.