SHORT STORY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 69, 14 December 1907, Page 12

SHORT STORY.

A DEBT OF HONOUR,

"I like- to make a man angry," said Lotty Fawcott, with a glow in her great dark oyes. "One really nover knows what a person is like until he has lost his temper. All his artificialities and little mannerisms go at once. One sees him as ho really is." Kaufmann frowned. Ho felt he had been trapped. He knew ho bad been very cross pror some unimportant little matter just now. She'had evidently introduced tho subject on purpose to vox him. He felt as if sho had been dissecting him for her own amusement, and was furious with himself for tho way ho had fallon in with her plans. Ho thought it better to ignore the fact, and not appear to understand that sho was talking about him. 'He stroked his long, silky beard meditatively. (He was very proud of his beard.) "It is all very well to talk like that." ho said, "but it is not always possible.' You would find it difficult to make some men angry." "Are you talking of yourself?"—sweetly. "No; I am not!" His tone was very sharp, and he controlled himself with an effort. Sho certainly had an extraordinary capacity to irritate. There is nothing more annoying than to be told'you have lost your temper, when it has gone beyond recovery, and there was a certain twinkle l in Letty's eye which intimated what her thoughts really were. She actually had the audacity to laugh at him! "I was thinking of Garston," ho said after a minute or two spent in calming himself. "Captain Garston, who is coming here to-day. He is such an apathetic beggar. I don't think anything could put him out. He would find it much too much trouble." "What a terribly dull man he must be!" sho exclaimed. "But then, I don't really believe such a thing is possible' Every man has some pet weakness, and you only have to attack that to make him fly into a rage." "I defy you to succeed with Garston," ho said grimly. "In fact, I advise yon not to think of it. It would only be wasting your time." She gave a low laugh of satisfaction. "You tompt mo to try," she said. "I think 1 will exert myself simply to show you how wrong you are." "I will bet you anything yon like you won't make him angry." _ _. "Dono!" sho criediwith animation. "What shall it bo?" . i "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 kissos," she said icily, and she .shuddered. To be kissed by this little Jew of Gorman extraction with that horrible black beard! Letty hated beards. Ho gave a short laugh. "How I love to make a girl angry!" he said with triumph. "I'm not angry," she' answered quickly. ''Only—it is such a foolish bet.". "What does it matter to you? You are so confident of your powers. You do not expect to lose—-you can take the bet'quite happily." "l'e —es," she said with hesitation. "I know I could, but—it is the principlo I don't like—it is horrible!" He shrugged his shoulders. "Very well," he said. "1 understand—you cry off. At any rate, that is the only bet I will make. You evidently haven't the courage of your convictions 1" And his last words • sounded taunting, and brought the colour to her cheeks. . ' ' "Very well—l will take it," she said, changing her mind more from mere bravado than anything else. After' all, she 'argued, it was so easy to annoy a man; she would nover havS to pay that obnoxious kiss. And sho would triumph—she would be able to say, '"I'tbld : you"sol""But you will have to take my word for it when 1 do make him angry. I can't promise that it will take' ; blace''beforb witnesses." _ "My'dear Miss'" Fawcett, of course I will take your word—l will trust you implicitly. But I shall be only here a week. If you '.don't make Captain Garston lose his temper before my departure, I shall olaim that kiss."' :'•/..-. "I agree," said Letty, rising from.her seat to go.' "If I don't manage it in seven days I shan't manage it at all. And Kaufmann smiled insido his beard as he watched the graceful figure walk away. He thought he knew something of girls, and "I don't sup'pose she will even try," ho said fatuously to himself. . , / . Captain Garston arrived that evening. He had dono great things in West Africa, for which lie had obtained the V.C, but no ono would have imagined that ho was a hero to look at him. He was far too lackadaisical, and had- the appearance of' something of a dandy. • , Letty was interested in him after her conversation with Kaufmanh, and was quite pleased to find herself seated'next him at dinner tho first night. Sho could begin her campaign at once, she thought. "I have wanted to meet you so much," sho began, turning her charming face towards him. "After the stirring accounts they gave of your doings in tho papers, it will be something to boast about that Captain Garston took me in'to dinner." It was a recognised thing, she cogitated, that heroes grew angry when their deeds of valour were mentioned to them. Even if he wero gratified by the adulation, at least ho must follow up tradition, and pretend to be annoyed. Besides, how tired he must be.of hoariug about it! He glanced at her calmly with his sleopylooking eyes. Sho noticed'that they wero unusually blue in contrast to his tanned face. "I hope," he drawled, "that I shall not disappoint you." •: Sho looked at him suspiciously, but thero was not a trace of sarcasm in his tons, and he seemed as if he were roally anxious for her answer. , ' "I am afraid you do, she said vntn a little laugh. '/You don't look a bit like a hero." If'the'man had any vanity this, at least, must move him. , But he went on calmly eating his dinner. "And hdw do you think a hero ought to look?" ho asked'indulgently. ■, < Letty was beginning to got cross herself. He was treating her as if she wore : a child. "He ought to look fierce, and—and noblo," she said, adding spitefully, not to appear so—so Indyrliko as you do.' ■ He raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Don t you think, then, that a lady couJd bo heroic?" he asked. ,' _ . "I don't think a man ought to be effeminate," she said. . • , ■ . "Or a woman masculine? No, I agree with you thero. It is bettor when each keeps to his and her own domain. They call the 'latter an homme-lette in France. Rather a good name for her, don't you think?" Letty laughed at her own discomfiture.. Sho had begun badly. His imperturbability had goaded her. on to being personal, and personalities were always vulgar. And tho worst of it was that they had not affected him—ho did not even take them to himself, but discussed thorn, generally. .She glanced ai hiin sideways; was it impossible to ruffle him ? He looked up at her suddenly, and as she met the clear gaze of his oyes sho felt ashamed of herself. She would ■ not try aiiy more to make him angry. After all, there was plenty of time to devote to that object. She would ceaso to be aggressivo now; she would enjoy herself, and show him how charming she could he. "Tell mo all about it," sho said coaxingly. I should so like to hear your account." "My account of—what?" ho answered slowly. , v "Why;" with some impatience, 'I want to hear all about your life in West Africa, and how vou won your V.C." Ho shook his head. "Tho papers have told you all you can want to know, ho answered decidedly. Sho chose to be offended that he should refuse her request. She turned' at once to the man on her other sido, and thoro was nothing visible to Garston but a pretty shoulder. But this could not last for long. It was not very manv minutes boforo sho was left free again. Her, other neighbour was old, and ho did riot like his dinner interrupted. But still Garston could seo nothing but tho disdainful shoulder. Ho leant a little nearer. "Aron't you going to talk to mo again at all?" he asked. Sho did not move, but remained looking straight in front ot her, "No," sho answered shortly. SM did not realise that.

she had due a 'pit for him and had fallen into it herself. It was she who had lost her temper. "What have I dono to offend you?" he asked, 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. It was unkind of you not to do as I asked you, she said. "I am so interested iu all you hove been doing.." He paused a moment. That pretty profile was something worth looking at. But it was not to see more. ~ >ou want to hear about my life in West Africa ? ho said slowly. "Well, if it really interests you. 1 will tell you." \ And then ho began, lie told her of long marches hi the tropical sun, of the grandeur of the nights when they camped out beneath stars so brilliant that they seemed suspended from tiro heavens nearly within reach; while quite a little way off could be heard, the roar of lions and of other wild boasts. Ho told her of the nativo soldiers, of dangers encountered, and of brave deeds performed: but he said nothing about himself—it was the courage of tho two white men who were with him which ho extolled. Nevertheless, she listened, fascinated, for there, was some magnetism about Garston when he talked—he compelled a person's whole attention. Sho sighed when the hostess at length gave the signal to go . She was sorry dinner was finished. "Thank you," she said. "It is all very interesting; but you have not mentioned that skirmish; when—vou won tho V.C." - He shrugged his shoulders. "The papers have given such a vivid account of that, and with such wonderful embellishments of their own," ho said, "you'would probably be disappointed if you beard merely plain facta, and—l would not disenchant you for : the world." i "Ah I" she said. "But you will tell nwi some day?" Ho smiled. "Some day, perhaps," he answered. "I can safely promise you that. So many things may happen before—some day." ■•' ■ ■ ' •

The days passed quickly, and Letty saw a great deal of Captain Garston. Thus was moro his doing than her own, for he continually sought her out;' and though, when by herself she invented several ways of making him. angry, they all failed, and she began almost ! to forget that horrible bet when she was in his company. '■ But the sight of Kaufmann would always bring it back and make her renew her efforts. She felt she must go any length'to prevent that kiss—oven run the risk of making Captain Garston dislike her, Oh, why would he 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 Kaufmana carped at everything, and only just cama short of accusing his opponents of cheating— for the little Jew was'a very bad loser, and could not > bear the fact of paying up—Garston only;smiled, and refused to take part in the noisy discussion. He merely spread out the cards to cut for partners in the next rubber. ■; 1 But tho week was drawing to a close; and the house-party,was to break up.the following morning. Garston 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 . Garston was leaving to-morrow, and; ah, when would she see him again P 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 hite the man. . Only this morning he had smiled at her is a triumphant way, and asked when the payment or their bet was to take place the following morning, and she had turned from him with abhorrence. Captain Garston found her out in the corner where she sat,, .' r Wha|,.is the matterP'' he asked, sitting down beside her. "You look so unhappy." ■ . A wave of! colour had come-over her face at the more sound of his-voices She tried to smile. "I don't feel very cheerful," she said. "I have lost a bet and I don't like the idea 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 timo, She shook her head, while her smile widened. "I am afraid Mr. Kaufmann would not like it paid like that." • Garston frowned. "Kaufmann?" he repeated. "That wretched little man I Have you been\betting with him?"' "Yes," 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 sigh. ■■•.'■■'■ "What was the bet P he asked suspiciously. "He bet me six pairs of gloves, to—to a' kiss." t ..... "A kiss?"'starting up angrily._ "Do you mean to say you are to give a kiss to that brute?" ' |. She nodded her head, but her listlessnesa fled, and a sudden brightness came into her eyes. He expects me to kiss him to-mor-row morning boforo he. goes, and—and I suppose I must pay the bet—it is a debt of honour.". ' • ■''<■.'■ Garston's eyes flashed like blue steel; the sleepy look had quite vanished, it. scarcely scorned possible that ho'was the same man. "There must be somV way out of it," he cried fiercely; "it shall be prevented how. The man is a coward to make such a bet—" And Letty. laughed—a laugh full of happiness and relief. "Oh, Captain Garston," she cried, "it is all right; 1 need not pay him now. , - Ho looked puzzled. "What has happened,'' he asked, "in the last three minutes?" . "Only that.l have won my bet. Listen," she said, "and I will tell, you about it." And she quickly gave him an account of her interview with Kaufmann on tho morning of his arrival. "And how I have tried and tried to annoy you," she finished, "and. yet nothing could ruffle you, and now, when I /had givdn up all hope—when I was not evon thinking of trying any suddenly flash out in a way that quite frightens me." . But his brow did not clear; his face had grown white, and' a very passion glowed ia his eyes. "And is this the only reason you have walked and talked with me?" he cried, his voice quiet through sheer intensity.. "Have vou been stealing my lovo and breaking,my heart only on account'of this stupid bot?" . "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, Lotty, how I love you?" he said in a gentler voice. "Ah. dear, don't say yon. don't care for me at all—that I ant nothing moro to you than a subject for 'experimenting on, to show your powers of maklug people angry." Letty was recovering herself. Her face was more beautiful than over, being transfigured with gladness. But her love of coquetry took possession of her. She would not give-her answer at onco. ■. "At anyrato Mr. Kanfm'ann can't claim that kiss now " she said triumphantly. "He has lost tho bet many times ovor." .Garston's face fell. Evidently this wretched bet was moro to her than tho happiness of his lifo. " Ho probably will," he said, gloomily. "Ho won't believe your word. Tho brute is capable of anything." - "But he won't bo able to havo it," she said demurely, "because—it • would he no longer mine to offer." ' She stood up on tip-too, and. placing her hand on his- arm, raised her face to his." "See I" she added in a whisper, "I am going to give it to —you." -Mabel H. Robins, in "M!a.P."