LOVE AND LARDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11368, 10 May 1900, Page 3

LOVE AND LARDER.

It was 'Sunday morning, and Vincent Ray. burn; as usual, intended passing an easy time of it.

When an eligible man has reached the mature age of 35, and lias successfully eluded the wiles and charms of woman, and settled into the bachelor groove, he is generally regarded as a hopeless case by designing members of the opposite sex. In fact, Rayburn had on mora than one occasion openly and sovorely denounced matrimony as a hollow fraud, and expressed his intention of permawallowing, with tho assistance of an assure income of £250 a year, in selfish sinelo blessedness. However this particular Sabbath morning ho was not in a remarkably good humour The previous day he had moved into new rooms owing to the recent secession from tho bachelor ranks of a bosom chum, with whom ho had shared apartments for over seven years in the south-coast town of Seaborne ed «m! T ° mm y was ™ idiot!" ho remarkhlll lie strolled ,nt his sitting room for and a faded blazer. But there was an nnpleasant surprise in store for him at the outT„ His .coffee and eggs and bacon were hero waging and had been for the past two ami a-half. hours! Vincent muttered something under his breath, and rang the bell vigorously. His landlady answered tho summons.

b,„ Look here," he began, ' I-I-er-ahvays breakfast late on Sundays, Mrs. Hatch. This stuff is stone cold. In future, please remember 111 ring for it when I'm ready." He spoke not unkindly, nevertheless with firmness.

In my ouse." retorted Mrs. Hatch, "rosneckable folks alius breakfasts at nine a Sun- <!£; a ?, l onos ' Mr. Rayburn, as W-" «tl-, t? ! " POsed Vincent decisively. 1 think I ,T 8 explained sufficiently what "l want Kmdly send me up some fresh coffee and toast, and I'll manage for this once. I wont rouble you after next Saturday: so please take this as formal notice of my'leav-

Ho moved towards tho door, and held it open significantly. Mrs. Hatch lingered for a moment uncertainly, and then departed with a defiant sniff to leisurely fulfil bis requirements Coffee and toast ultimately arriving, and being disposed of. Rayburn put out_ his pipe, lay back serenely in his armchair, and commenced to caress and talk to his terrier,

By Jove! job, wo must alter this, Dick! It won I S "'*, V 8 after M these wil | it, old chap?" ho remarked to the doe. Diek «ve a squeaky ynvm and stretched himself « ome: nimn tin. von rascal!" Hut Dick cooked his e.nrs, pave a littlo whino ami then sought the door, which ho om moncetl to assail with hi(( paws_ Oh. I see; want to have a run. eh?" siid Rayburn. mine lazily. « Come back when Von are satisfid. and can settle dot," he remarked. And the dn ff disappeared. door .an?' ? If ', P . r '' as ''« »W the mo and S * n -° hMd * ' ,£r? '° n,t quito m " a co™ of hke master, like dog!" He oh-ckled producing a wa-map pinned to a board from a oorner of the room "r me see, now. Roberts J, hora. and _ 01, vou stop tilt get Ld?" half -~ to 'onser, till I do? SI"!? 1 I,n / r : wio " sl V readmitted the lew and took refuge under the sofa " Presently fto banging of doors and other sounds of feminine unrest i n the lower re, on, floated np, and a minute later, to Ravhurn', intense surprise and disgust, ' t h° re ™, S -remntory knock at his door.' awli "^ aflame ' W ' th mm ? ™* ohoeh

,!' Oh, what nowwhat now?" he ejaculated vexedly "cine tho excited female. ' 3jip ThaHheredorgo' you,,, Mr. Rayburn-" "All right: don't distres yourself," began m w r at ' s ~e ,ieen «p to *™i After tho cats, I suppose? Ho won't hurt em'

Thorn was an ominous crack from under m sofa, which Vincent took no notice of for he first time, and a malitmant smile of rniinnh lighted up Mrs. Hatch's futures. Ho telt called upon to concede somo little point, in order to appease. "Here, como out of it, Dick," ho said, and let s hear what it's all about! Nothing 111 warrant, when it's all told!" The miscreant tardily stolo forth, licking his chops, and glanced apprehensively at his accuser.

"Nuthink, indeed!" piped the indignant lady. "Tho front-parlour lodger's Sunday dinner! Nuthink!"

Ravburn whistled. "You younir scoundrel, Dick!" ho said, repressing a smile. Then he dived under tho sofa, and pulled for tho fragmentary remains of a cold partridge. Ravburn was nonplussed for tho moment. " Never known him to do such a thing before," he remarked, a trifle sheepishly. " 'F,r —you cave him his breakfast this morning?" "I didn't bargain to eater for no dorgs!" returned Mrs. Hatch haughtily, Vincent bit his lip.

_ " Then that explains it," ho said conclusively. " Rut how did it happen? You must have left the bird in a very unguarded position"

" Nuthink of tho sort!" put in Mrs. Hatch aggrievedly. "I lays the front-parlour dinner earlicr'n usual, 'cos I'm going out to dino with a friend, and won't be back till four; and when I goes in just now, to see as nuthink else was wanting afore I leaves, I finds the bird was gone! Then I says to meself, I says, 'That there dorg upstairs were prowling round jest new, and he ain't here now, which means a lot,' I says!" Vincent cut her short with an impatient gesture, "Then I must go down and apoloorfso to tho front-parlour lodger, and make Dick do so as. well," ho said resignedly. "By the way, what's his name?"

" 'Er name, if you please, is Miss Gibbon, Mid she drors picters!" answered Mrs. Hatch. Vincent started. " And," contirued the woman, " she is where all good Chrischuns as is able to get off is on a Sunday morning-at church I"—this last with a defiant toss of the head. "Indeed?" remarked the sinful one curtly, and ignoring this reforenco to his religious shortcomings. "You'd better put on your bonnet and see if the butcher can find you a chop, or something of that sort easily cooked. If it had only boen a man, I wouldn't have minded so much," he added to himself. Mrs. Hatch threw up her hands in pious horror at this suggestion. " Mo go a-buving or a-solling of a Sunday? Never!" sho ejaculated. This annoved Rayburn. " Look here." he said testily, all I can do is to offer Miss Ribbon what you have of mine, and I'll go out and get something at an hotel or somewhere." "A bit of cold mutton as was left from last night! You said you never look dinner of a Sunday, and was going out to supper. " Exactly," he remarked. " But you do as I ask'you, and I—l'll write a note to Miss Gibbon explaining the unfortunate position ot affairs, and trust to her generous instincts. I'll make doubly good the bird to-morrow. Then ho sat down and hastily scribbled a short note of apology for his dog's behaviour, and the unfinished state of his commissariat, and handed it to Mrs. Hatch for delivery just as the street door gave notice ol: Miss Gibbon a return from worship. • "Thank goodness that's over or tho present!" he muttered, with a sigh of relief, as Mrs. Hatch departed. Now to get dressed and keep out of the way for a few hours. I'll bo abio to face tho artistic damsel better with a brace of birds to-morrow, and cut the meeting short." It was striking ten when Vincent returned to his apartments, but on anything but good lerma with himself. Somehow or other ho was experiencing qualms of conscience that ho had not acted in a strictly gentleman V manner that morning, and was debating with himself as to the best future policy to sustain without unduly lowering himself in ho sight and estimation of the grim female that occupied the front parlour. That she must be a, grim female, Rayburn had not tho slightest hesitation in imagining. _ However, as ill-luck would have it, as he stepped into the passage and quiotly closed tho street door behind him, the front parlour door on his right suddenly opened, and Miss Gibbon appeared, with a candle in her hand. She hesitated for a moment as she perceived Rayburn, and ho simultaneously stepped hack to allow her to pass upstairs. It was then his mental picture of the artistic damsel" was instantly dispelled by the reality _a vision of youthful beauty and piquant charms that took his breath away for a moment. . , , , " Er—l must apologise for my rude, and, perhaps, cowardly behaviour of this morning -more especially for-for the dog, he blurted out, making a rough grab at the hapless cause of his misfortune, and dragging him forward. . '' • Miss Gibbon smiled, bent down, and began to softly stroke the thief. "Poor littlo fellow! Ira suro hos forgiven I" she said kindly, looking up. Dogs will be dogs, Mr. Rayburn. Besides, I had a good dinner, after all or which I must thank you very much. I know you robbed y °llayburn laughed rolievedly. Miss Gibbon was acting like a brick, ho told himself. . r ; . "Th-thanks," ho muttered.., "If it hadn t been Sunday, it Wouldn't have been so poor a substitute. ; But, I'm afraid you re letting me down easier than 1 deserve, Miss Gibbon. Anyhow, wo'll retrievo our characters jointly in the morning. But 1 am detaining you. I

Ho bowed, and Miss Gibbon moved to the foot of the,staircase, where she paused. Then she turned, and held out her hand somewhat bashfully. '•■'-• ' • "Good-night," she said. "And pleaEO, please promise me to forget all about the partridge,' and' leave Dick's punishment to mo."

"I—l promise," replied Vincent, with hearty fervour, congratulating himself on having got it over so satisfactorily. 11. Tho following evening Mrs. Hatch sent up a plump bird for his delectation—ono of the brace he had purchased that morning to replace Dick's depredation. Rayburn demurred at first, but in the end did justico to the delicacy, and eventually proceeded downstairs, intending to "acknowledge the littlo attention personally and briefly, mentally reproaching himself meanwhile for his foolhardiness for undertaking such an un-called-for expedition. He would have retired thankfully after a couple of minutes, but Miss Gibbon insisted on his remaining to examine her portfolio of sketches, and other artistic trifles from her pen and pencil, with which her sitlingroom was adorned. It was then Rayburn learned that his hostess' work was in great request by several leading periodicals, and that her presence in Seabourne was principally 'owing to her being unable to live in London during tho winter months.

"I'm afraid I've bored you terribly," she said, as Rayburn, after communing with himself seriously, rose to take his leave. "I—l'm no judge of art," he stammered, nervously; "b-but I've had a ripping time of it, all tho same. M-may I come in and see this picture when it's finished, before you send it off?" he faltered, indicating a sketch under treatment.

"Oh, do! You've no idea how a little chat brightens ono up after a heavy day; and criticism is always beneficial," she replied, gratefully. "Vincent Rayburn, you're an ass!" remarked that individual, as ho lumbered upstairs to his own quarters. On Friday Rayburn informed Mrs. Hatch that ho had reconsidered his decision of the previous Sunday. He had been unable to securo suitable accommodation, and would remain another week, if convenient—in fact, under certain conditions, ho was quite prepared to stop where ho was. The lady generously concurred, and domestic matters progressed peacefully for three weeks—a satisfactory compromise having been arrived at on tho Sunday question. Rut it proved a restless, critical period for Vincent— ally the last four days, during which Hiss Gibbon had been absent in town on business.

The evening Miss Gibbon was expected to return to Soahourno, Rayburn sat moodily liofore bis fire in the twilight, thinkingthinking. Dick, as usual, was absent, but he seemed neither to notice nor care. Ho heard Miss Gibbon arrive, pass his door on th" way to her room, and afterwards descend to her evening meal. " I never dreamed if would como to this," he soliloquised. " And what would a clever little woman like she is have to do with a lazy, useless chap such as I am? No; I won't risk it—l won't insult her. I'll clear out in the morning. ' Presently ho his chair with a sigh, removed bis boots, and poked around fruitlessly for his slippers. Then ho suddenly recollected ho had left them downstairs in the front passage. He passed from his room, and stealthily descended the stairs. At the bottom ho halted, as lie caught the sound of Miss Gibbon's voico addressing someone in tho front parlourthe door of which was a couple of inches ajar—in unquestionably endearing terms. Rayburn was not, as a rule, inclined to indiscriminate eavesdropping, but on this occasion it must be confessed he became curious as to tho idontily of her visitor. Cautiously ho made his way towards the door, and peered through the narrow aperture. His view, however, commanded only the gimcrack choffo,nier at one end of tho room; but the cheap wavy mirror backing of that piece of furniture reflected a scene that afforded a momentary relief to his mixed feelings, It depicted Miss Gibbon lying back in her chair, toasting her feet before the fire, and on her lap, basking in the delights of the cheerful blaze and an occasional caress, lay the truant Dick!

" So you'ro the lucky beggar, and that's your little game, is it?" thought Vincent. But-

"Dick, you darling doggie," Miss Gibbon began again, softly, "I'm afraid—awfully afraid— don't love your master as ho deserves, Dick. If he knew yon came hero so often, what would he think of me, eh?" Rayburn grasped the moulding of tho doorframe tightly, and set his teeth. Then, lowering her voice to a dreamy coon: " Dick, if I had a master like yon have, I'd— I'd never, never leave him! Ho left your punishment in my hands, doggie, but I can't hurt you. because, because you belong to him. And if you hadn't stolo my poor partridgo I might, perhaps, never have—"

At this moment the handle of the kitchen floor rattled with' perilous signification. Thero was only one course open for Rayburn to pursue. " It's all up with me now!" he gasped. He accordingly swiftly pushed open the door in front of him, entered the room, and then quietly closed it. Miss Gibbon looked up with mingled fear and surprise. "I— come for Dick," ho blurted forth at last, advancing towards her uncertainly. "Miss Gibbon-Nora—l-I didn't think I had a chance till I overheard what you said to the dog. I couldn't help listening—indeed I couldn't! Say— you forgivo me, at any rate!" he added, passionately, seizing her hand. " You're fond of Dick, and have weaned him from me. Is there any hope for his master?"

Ho dropped the little unresisting hand, and held out his expectantly. Ho had not long to wait for his answer.

"Yes," sho said, huskily, with a tearful, happy smile, moving towards him; "I'll throw in my lot with Dick, if I may."