A LOST GAME.

Otago Witness, Issue 2241, 11 February 1897, Page 42

A LOST GAME.

It was a moist, unpleasant day. The rain had begun immediately after breakfast, and now at 11 o'clock it looked like raining till the crack of doom. I had wandered up and down seeking congenial company, and, finding none, had finally cast anchor in the billiard room, where I practised the spot stroke. I had made a break of nine, and was beginning to feel more cheerful, when suddenly the door opened, and Mias Anstruther appeared. " Oh," the said, as she shut the door and stood with her hands behind her upon the handle, " I thought it was Mr M'Donald." "It is a better — and a poorer — man," I said, retting my cue on the floor. "Do you want to find Mr M'Donald ?" "Yes— no I ib doesn't matter," said Miss Anstruther. " Perhaps you can say it to me as well 2 " I suggested. ' Miss Anstruther thought a moment or two and then shook her head. " No ; I couldn't say it to you." It may have been my fancy, but I thought that Miss Anstruther blushed. " Anyway," I said oheerfully, " if it doesn't matter, you come and play billiards with me. I'm lonely." " But I play very badly," said Mtes Austruther doubtfully. " I don't think I ever played seriously." "Well, this won't be serious," I said, selecting c light cue and chalking the tip. " Now, all you have to do is to make your ball hit the red and go into a pocket— or both." " Oh, dear ! " said Miss Anstruther, " what a lot to think about. There I What does that count 2 " " One to me," I said, and missed an easy hazard. " Why were you so f uany last night 2 ' said Miss Anetruther. " I am never funny," I said ; " serious, humourous, Btupid — perhaps — butnot funny.". Miss Anstrncher aimed wildly. Her ball went twice round the table and hit nothing. " How provoking 1" she said. Tnen she lifted her chin and rested it on tlio iiu of her cua. " You kcow what I mean," she said. " Why did yon leave me alone all the evening with Mr M'Donald ? " " Well," I said, " I was talking — let me see — to Mies Bates." " You found her amusing 2 "• " Not amuaing ; better — pretty." II Ob, you couldn't call her pretty. Nice, but " " Decidedly pretty — in her way. Now — you are plain, aren't you ? " I said, seeing a likely cannon. " I beg your pardon," said Miss Anstruther coldly. " I mean — I'm playing with spot. By Jove 1 " I exclaimed, as I turned away in disgust after, missing the cannon, " there he is." " Whom ? " asked Miss Anstruther. "Mr M'Donald, walking up and down in the garden, smoking a cigar, in the rain. Shall I whistle him in 2 " " Ob, no ! " said Mi«a Anstruther. , " Why not 2 " I asked, facing round toward her. " I thought you wanted to see him." " Oh, there's no hurry — no immediate hurry.'x she said. "He doesn't leave till this afternoon." " I thought it might be something important," I Baid. " It is important," said Misa Anstrutber. " Ob, you are horrid 1 " she continued, stamping her foot. " You know quite well what — I shouldn't tell you, should 1 2 " " But you haven't told me," I said consolingly. " Oh, but you can guess," said Miss Anstruther, shaking her head. " You must have noticed — something. And I've no right to say anything about it." " It seems," I said, after an appropriate interval, " quite a suitable arrangement. Mr M'Donald is very wealthy." " Yes," said Miss Anatruther reflectively, "he has money. But, then, so have I." "That is what makes it so suitable," I said. "But," said Miss Anstruther, lifting her eyebrows pathetically, " he's — well " " That is true," I said. " But we all have our faultß. " And poverty's the worst of them." " I don't think so," said Miss Anstruther quickly. " Mrs Anstruther thinks so," I replied. " Yes, of course, you could see mamma wanted " Miss Aastruther tapped the floor with her foot. I turned to the window, and watched Mr M'Donald walking up and down in the rain. "It happened last night," she said suddenly, "when you were " " What happened 2 " I asked. " Oh, you know 1 " " Your engagement ? " " I am not engaged." " Not engaged 2 Then what are you talking about ? " " You are stupid. Don't you understand 2 That is what I have to decide — to tall Mr M'Donald this morning — before he goes away. Oh, I oughtn't to tell you all this. But you made me, you know. And I think you might help me '' " I would with pleasure if I only knew " ' What should a girl do when her mother wants her to — you know — and the man is " "Rich ?" I suggested. "Ye?, and — like that," and Miss Anetruther nodded toward the window. " It's a ver.v difficult Question," I Baid — " <>

very difficult quesMoD, As you have asked me to advise you — vrell, do you love him ? " "You may put that aside," said Miss Anstrutber, with a swoep of her band. " Tb%4 jstmplifie* matters." I oaid. " Then tls«r« cornea Vbe quasition of filial duty. You «co, a paTenc judges in Iheae matters with less — I mean with greater — freedom from personal feeling." " But," objeoted Miss Anstruther, "It is a very personal matter, isn't it? Besides, I am sure mamma would, never want me to — to marry anyone whom she thought I didn't really — I didn't — or, I mean, if I " I shook my head gravely. * " You really must be frank with mo If I am to advise you profitably," I said. •• If I really cared for someone else." Miss Anstruther nodded. «' Who doesn't care for you 1 " " Ob, yes, he does," said Mies Anstruther quickly, rai&icg her eyes for a moment to mine, and dropping them again. I was just addressing my mind to this fresh complication, when Miss Anstruther jumped up. " Oh, but we are not playing," she said, It's my turn, Isn't it 1 " " It is," I said, with a sigh, for I should have preferred to follow out the subject. " But, excuse me, you won't do it that way, and if you hold your cue like that you'll dig a hole in the cloth." I went round the table to where Miss Anstruther was standing. " Keep quite still and I'll show you," I said. I placed her hand in the right position at the butt end of the cue, and, holding it there, Bhowed her how to make a proper bridge with the left hand and slide the cue smoothly and horizontally over it. " Now," I said, still retaining a guiding hand on the cue, "if you aim so you'll get the pocket — unless the balls kiss." Naturally I was compelled to stand vory close to Miss Anatruther during this object lesson — so close that the curl that nestled round her left ear tickled my lips as my breath stirred it. Miss Anstruther made her stroke; It was a ridiculous stroke. " Were you really going for the pocket 1 " I asked. " 1 think," she said, turning and facing me, " the kiss spoiled it." Miss Anatruther vras strangely agitated over her failure. Thinking it better to change the subject from billiards, I said : " Tell me what you are going to say to Mr M'Donald 2 " We were, as I have said, of necessity very close together, and Miss Anstrather dropped her eyes. " I am going to tell him," she said, " that I don't care for him — not in that way — and " , " And that's what you meant; when you said just now that — that — you couldn't say it to me 1 " Miss Anstruthet's attention was fixed upon the toe of her right shoe, which she vras rapping with the butt end of her cue. Mine was concentrated on Miss Anetruther's drooped eyelids. Consequently neither of us heard the door open. "Hello I Playing?" said Mr M'Donald, walking round toward the marking board. " What's the game ? " " The game," I said, looking up, " is — leme see — two and love. Isn't il, Misa Anstruther ? " Miss Anstruther looked quickly at Mr M'Donald and then at me. " Yes," she said. " H'm, lost for ever," said Mr M'Donald, going out and slamming the door. " I hope so," I said, as I turned to Miss Anstruther.