PRESSED FOR TIME.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 52, 11 February 1911, Page 4 (Supplement)

PRESSED FOR TIME.

' You arc married, I thick, Mr Tempest said the head of the department, beaming on the First Attache in embryo as he looked np, before signing t:w« appointment papers. “Excuse me,” said Chancy Tempest, smiling back hopefully; “1 am not yet- 9 “Oil?"- the head waved his goosec.uill in thin air and seemed reflective. “I bad quite thought- hum—quite had the impression -very singular, indeed!’*

“S'es; it's singular,” as ented ClnrJey as innocently as he dared. (What Lad the chief got hold of?)

‘‘As a matter of fact,” continued tlse Head “this post may be said to require a married man; so in considering your claims and service I had — eh?” and the Head raised his eyes to the ceiling. Tempest had horrid visions of the coveted pest being disposed of to a married advantage elsewhere, and he made np his mind to act. "That need not stand in the way,” he said struggling hard against a feverish demeanour. “For. as -as a matter of fact. I’m -engaged.” “Come, come; that's better!” with tenewed affability. “Well, Mr. Tempest, settle the matter ns quickly as yonr inclinations”— with a slight smile — “doubtless suggest And I think we aiay then consider everything else as arramred. Good-day Not at all—not at all! Good-day.” ‘■Whew!” Tempest raised his hat to cool a deservedly fevered brow when the official portals closed behind him. A HANSOM FLASHED PAST. There was a bow, a smile of bright recognition, a start on his side, and the chic little bonnet went by. He put on his hat, still rather distraught, and turned into Queen Anne's Gate. “Now, who in the name of Euclid was that girl? I’ve met here somewhere, and—” Ha stopped and looked down into the bottomKMs lake of St. James’s Park. A dtwk waddling briskly under the bridge was struck with the poesibility of a bun. It slowed progress, and r riled up at Tempest interrogativeUnconsciously kind, he threw it a penny, and walked on. The bird felt outraged, but he never knew. “Engaged. ami to whom? Well, of all the eenfomaded situations? A month to do it m/tofi.”

*&bH* to talking to yourself, old boy? Twjt’s had.*' and a stick touched him familiarly on the elbow. “Is it love or liberty this time, eh?” Tempest found himself oiHside White’s. “Oh, its’s you Doncaster. Coming; mv way? No. 1 can’t go in. Got to order mv kit for N . I’m off next month.”

“You don’t ear so? Congratulations, old man. It’s a nice sung thing. But don’t they always give it by preference to the married fellows?’’ "Well of course; f.ut I’m engaged, you see. - ’ "Hal sly dog. What a twilight yon have wrapped tho whole thing in. Do 1 know the lady?” Charley thinks it possible, but remembers that he has promised to hi neb. ‘■•Foor old Tempest !*’ chaffed the other; “ami you used to have A PUNCTILIOUS MEMORY FOR MEALS. This looks very cardiac, very. Going to the Pomfrets to-night? They've got those Americans staying, that we aU knew at Biarritz last yeai. You remember?” Remember! Why, of course! That was where he had met the girl of the hansom, after all. Little Dolly Drummond, with whom he had frivolled so often. "Oh! staying with the Pomfrets, was she?" Tempest stepped into a hansom and, drove home, turned over a dozen invi-’ tations, and found Lady Pomfret’s That was all right. He would go The rooms were crammed with sultry, suffering society that evening, but Tempest presently annexed h : s hostess. “Oh, Mr Tempest, w|ptt a late person? You don’t deterve it, but perhaps Miss Drummond will give you this ! extra. You have met before, have you not?” I “You, looked ns if you had seen a j ghost when I drove by this morning,” i she remarked, demurely. I "Or an ang-1." corrected Tempest. | "That glimpse I got of you going by | filled me with despair and determination.” “Indeed’ You have enlarged even on your Biarritz vocabulary. I notice. But why both?” I “Well, one was that I might not meet vju again, and the other that 1 trust.” “I finish! but. meanwhile am rather hungrii Arc you shocked at female nppetWe? ’ “Infitiitelv Let me take you down to snpner and appease it.” Between such aids to SENTIMENTAL DIGRESSION ' as fee anck'ing and distant waltz music Ten: pelt led mournful’y up to hia ap i preaching exile • \Vhee I go.” n* , said, “I ehall at least leave the best i part «rf mys.'lf beh*nd.” i “OM Baggage lestricted?” asked the I pracfeJnl Philadelphian. > ‘ Now you are cruelly flippant.” he stud: ‘and I was hoping, for old I times* sake that you might have been | {x-rsuaded to pity me.” j “It was a good time,” she said, with t a reflective nir.

“Not co pood but that it might be improved upon.” “1 4*>n’t see how. So many of the pleasant people are ’’ ' Oh! n< tas a chorus, perhaps. But what about a duet*”

‘I am not musical.” she asserted; “and they take so long to learn.” “I have an unemployed month.” he told her, “and would hope fn>- nothing

happier than teaching vc»- May I besrin to-mnrrow—**h. swee‘ Dorothv?” “I tqplk it might he arranged.” she esid, pall in j her hand away. “And now, will you take me upstairs, please*”