Reconciliation.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 154, 20 June 1908, Page 3

Reconciliation.

jßamoiEßs: ADI Watkbs AXD JAOI THousfc* r BCXNK FmsT-ouss carriagk OF THE HFBESB. Mzss Watehs tuoksix into k y 00BNEB WITH A PLENTIFUL SUPPLY 0V (t XLLUSTBiTKD PAPESS. JACK THOMSON TV THKOWN IN BY THB OUABD JUST AS 30V TRAIN STEAUS OFF. Jaok (picking himself np and getting at his dressing-bag): Oonf 0,1 beg ycur pardon. I didn't Collapsing on e>ia'i)* Miss Waters Ada (looking over hor paper serene/) : Jack 1 1 mean (lamely) Where are you going? Jack (shortly): Well, as this is the exp 'en • < (Politely I'm awfully sorry, but l' n afraid you'll have to put up with me ; it doesn't Btop, you know. (With a nertmfl laugh) At the station none of your Ada (composedly : No—no one you k) o ? at all; friends we made last autumn. Jack (coldly): 0 1 and you are visil Ir j them I Ada (her chin in tbe air): Why not, pri 7 } Jack (quickly): I beg your pardon; y t aunt used to be so exclusive. Ada (haughtily): Really, Mr. Thomsoi» I don't understand— Jack (hastily): Pray forgive me ; it's 0, business of mine, but—— Ada (frigidly): I am sore no one 00 lit object to the Luttrella Jack (aghast) : You are not going to Ihi Latttells ? 9 Ada: Excuse mo (Suddenly TlaJ isn't where you are going? Jack (witli a groan): It is I Ada (drops her paper): 0, how vory utfortunate 1 , Jack (blankly): What shall we do ? 1 0 you think they'll meet us ? Ada (dolefully): Of course they will; K a Luttrell promised he'd bring the dog-cart ai d let me drive it back, and Connie Jaok (interrupting): She'll come on h r machine, naturally. Ada (sharply); You know their character! 1* iics pretty well. I didn't know they wei) friends of yours. Jack: Thay weren't then. I came aoroi 1 them up the river. Ada (shortly): I Bee. Can't we do anj • thing Jack (hopefully): We might pretend *ft don't know each other., Ada (shaking her head): We might; on) f I told Connie—you know. Jftok (curtly): 0,1 should rathor like ti know what you told her. Ada (drawing herself up): Really, Mi. Thomson 1 Jack: I beg your pardon; only, well, if ! rather rough on a fellow Ada: I know. I fear Connie may guesi and > Jack : 1 daresay ; Miss Luttrell is so eyn ■ pathetic. Ada: Sympathetic? Poking her nose int. other peoples business 1 Jack (saUvely): Do you think so ? Wei t it's a charming little nose. Ada : Charming? Why, it is a perfei I snub 1 Jack (Sotto voce): " Tip-tilted like a peti I of a flower." Ada (ironically) : Unfortunately quotir g Tennyson won't get us out of this dilemma Jack (ruefully): Don't yon think perha *o we'd better tell the truth ; I fancy Rex wou ,i be equal to the occasion. Ada : Itox Luttrell always is equal to ant occasion ; lie's never at a loss Jack (disagreeably) : }so ; I fanccy h t always got a plausible fairy tale on hand - be needs so many.' Ada (angrily) : How can you "say si" *,h things? I ought to tell you that ltox L ittrell is Jack (interrupting): Pray sny no maei How idiotic of me—l beg your pardon, ) ought to have thought Ada (impatiently): 0, don't apologse. Do think what we are to do.

Jack : I see wo couldn't possibly take ihe Luttrells into our confidence. .

Ada (decidedly): Of course wo couldn't! WecannottP.il them that we—thatl—thai jo\x broke off an engagement and Jack (quickly) : That would not be tvu3 to ftegin with, ana Ada: Not true! You don't mean to insinuate thai I Jack (warmly): You threw me over like an old glove, after you had kept ino on the moral rack for months. Ada (hotly j: I threw you over I And what about your letter ? Jack ; After your behaviour I had no choice but to write it ? You made it bo evident to me that our engagement had become irksome to you Ada: Jack !—(correcting herself.) And after such n letter what cocldyou expect mi to do ? Jack . Nothing—as things were. Yoj didn'r, care for me and you were well ric 1 . ol me—it's dene with now. and it's no ude our quarrelling over it; only vhat are we going to do about the Lultrells? Ada {testily) : 0, bother the Luttrells 1 Jack (arching his eyebrows): 0? Ada (hastily) : I mean they're very charming, of course ; but some people haw no tact in gritting up their house parties. Jack (smiling): Come, that ia'nt quite fair Miss Luttroll h hardly to blame. Ada (opening her eyes): 0, am I to ooi' gratulate you ? Jack : Congratulate me? (Laughs.) It might be a little previous. Ada (laughs uupleasantly) : My dear Jack, when a girl takes to going to Jones 1 for he;i evening gowns and to Smith's for her com plexion, there is no such tiling as being ten previous. It's a forlorn hope with her. Jack (quietly): Really? I shouldn't havi thought you'd have known so much about it Ada (flaming) : What do you mean. Jack : 1 (bursts out laughing) Yoi know I never could resist making you flan up, Ada—that little jerkof your head is delightful. Ada (subsiding) : You certainly always seemed to have the knack of bringing it out then ! No one ever teased me as you did. Jnck (eagerly): Iteallyl It used to be rather jolly, though, didn't it ?—the making up I mean.

Ada (staring out o! the window): I don'l recollect. (After a pause) Couldn't you have a telegram to-night, or something ? Jack (absently): Yes. (Pause.) I say, 3 should like to ask you something, may I ? Ada (still staring out of the window): It you like.

Jack (drilling a hole in the scat opposite with his stick): I'm afraid you'll think il awful cheek, but I'd rather be prepared. Will that fellow Luttreil—l mean—that is—(desparafcely) will he kiss you at the station 1 Ada (facing round suddenly); How dare you ask rue such a thing ? Jack (penitently): I know, but, hang it all, it's pretty rough on me to have to stand by. Ada (with an icy composure): lam scarcely in the habit, Mr. Thomson of allowing myself to be embraced by mere acquaintances. Jack (suddenly): Acquaintances? "Why, I thought you said—l mean I understood you were engaged to young Lufc.rell ? Ada (tossing her head): Every one is not ro infatuated with the Luttreil family an you aeem to be. *

Jack (drawing a little nearer): And you &re not engaged to him—nor to anyone ? Ada (staring obstinately out of the window): I am not.

.Tack_ (drawing still nearer) : Ada, ,don'l you think we were ratber fools last year ? Ada (not tarninyg); Thank you.