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CHAPTER 111.

It was moonlight in Saucelito — rich, sensuous moonlight. The bachelors had finished dinner, and George and Fred looked out on the silvered sea and reflected how aoon the enjoyment of those delicious surroundings must oorae to an end. With Charley's marriage it would all be over, and the hill incident convinced them thtt Charley was a lost man. There was Horatio's plot, and Horatio was cunning, but what scheme could arail against such a goul-absQibing passion ns that which

possessed the mind of their hoat. He and Horatio had gone to fetch the Primrose, and George thought with a sigh as he arranged the flowers on the table, and throw the windows open to allow the cloud of tobacco emake to escape, how soon those apartments would be occupied by another, and she the wife of their host. " She won't lefc'Jus come within a mile of the premises," he muxed. " She'll keep a savage dog, and net him. at na if we as much as whistle at the black gate. And after all we have done, too, to make the place delightful. Hello, here they hi-c, and the Primrose, too ; then Horatio's plot win not to push her over the cliff, as I had hoped. I'll put on that black c^at of ( 'hurley's which fits roe m> well, and let them in. Alas ! it may be the last time I shall ever wear it," and with trembling hand the dejected youth hui/ed the lamp and w.ilked to tho gate. The Primrose was indeed a Vcauty. Bat in her deep bluo eye lurked a fire which indicated that she had a temper of her own. George and Fred received hor with wcll-stiinuliited cordiality, set chairs for tho party on the verandah, and wailed anxiously for the development of the journalist's plot. Charley sat next her, and Qporge observed with a pang that he surreptitiously posspesed^hinuelf of one of, her fair hands. "So there will no war," remarked Horatio, when the] party had been completely settled,jaudj;he refreshments circulated. , " I am not sure of that," said the Primrose, briskly. " What do you think, Charley ?" ("She calls him Charley," groaued Georgo ; "'tis au engagement already.") " Well, I don't know much about it," replied the host ; " that is, I have not given the matter much thought." " Ah ? but Charley, said the journalist, insinuatingly, " you remember that at dinner last night you were quite severe on our British cousins because of I the tame way in they took the Russian seizure of Penjdeli." " I did say that they seemed disinclined to fight," said Charley, deprecatingly, with a glance at Primrose. "And pray, sir, what induced you to think so?" said that lady, hotly. "Did you not answer me a few days ago that you had the most unbounded confidence in Mr Gladstone's statemanship?" " Well, that is rather odd, Miss Primrose," interpolated the journalist ; " becaifse Charley told me— told us all, in fact — that Gladstone was a chump, and that he believed the Russians might take Herat and welcome, for all the old duffer could do." " Of course you did, Charley," affirmed George, uleefully. '• You declared he was an ignorant, antiquated whelp," said Fred, decisively The eyes of the British maiden flashed fire. ! "Did you make that remark about I Herat, sir?" she inquired in awful ac- ' cents. "No, no, not about Herat. I was talking About Penjdeli— no, I mean Afghanistan— why, you know, I only said that Gladstone was " '• Spare me your slanders, «r, on the hero of the age— a gentleman whoa. I respect, admire — nay, I might even add, worship," said the Primrose, coldly. "Mr Horatio, I'll trouble you for my wraps, and also beg you will see me to my house, Good night, gentlemen. I certainly did not expect when I came here to be compelled to listen to my host slander the foremost man of the age," and the haughty beauty swept indignantly from the room. "She is unworthy of you, Charley," said George, soothingly. "Oh dear boy, think what you have escaped ; think what a life you would lead if she occupied these premises, and your friends were far, far away ou the other side of the bay, exiled perhaps to the Western Addition." For some hours Charley remained in deep thought, and then reached in a mechanical sort of way fora goblet, which George had carefully filled. H« drained it with a sigh, and then said : " Boys, 1 don't think I'll «ver marry." •• Bless you, bless you," cried the happy conspirators, their eyes tilled with blisfull tears, "and here comes the faithful Horatio. Begone dull care. There's naught, but guile in woman's smile; let's make a night of it." . And they did, taking a good slice of the morniug. D. O'C., in The Wasp.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT18860424.2.34.2

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2152, 24 April 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

Word count
Tapeke kupu
797

CHAPTER III. Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2152, 24 April 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER III. Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2152, 24 April 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

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