MR DAWSON'S UMBRELLA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4739, 2 September 1893, Page 2

MR DAWSON'S UMBRELLA.

(St Jamei Siuljet.) Patter! Pat! Pat! The raiu wa3 pouring down on the glass portico. A sudden storm had swept up out of a clear sky. EveVy one • was caught unawares. The stray cabs were seized in a moment, • the omnibuses crowded before-you could look round. There was actually only one umbrella in the stand by the door of the Cafe de Luxe. I stood, in anew hat and alight-grey frock-coat (it was what my tailor calls, in apt alliteration, a "Sandown suit") and eyed the umbrella. I knew the owner. He had just gone in to lunch. He was a large and long luneher. I was in a hurry. Perhaps the storm would pass. I could send it back by a commissionaire. I was very apt to take cold ; and my appointment was really very important. Thus prompted of Satan, I put forth my hand towards the umbrella. At the moment I perceived, like a stage villain, that I was observed. In fact, I was not alone. A young lady of most attractive appearance stood a few feet from me, also under the portico, ga2iDg wistfully out into the wet. She wore a summer costume. She looked at her watch, then again ab the storm, and murmured disconsolately., "Ob, I shall be late." An instinct of generosity overcame me. Without another thought for my sensitive' chest or my Sandown suit, with a firm proprietary air, I laid hold of Dawson's umbrella. "Allow me," said I, "a3cabs seem unattainable, to offer you an umbrella.' ' A glad light leapt • into her eyes. " Oh, I couldn' t," she said. " What would you do ? " "I don't mind a wetting," I answered j heroically. "Pray take it. You can send it back here at your leisure." (Dawson could not have much more than finished his soup.) " I couldn't think of it,"' she repeated. " You will get soaked through."' A sudden thought struck me. After all I had no business to lose sight of Dawson's umbrella. "Perhaps," I ventured to suggest, " our roads lio the same way. It's a large umbrella." And I opened it. It was not a very large umbrella ; but how could I know that ? ... "I go this way," said, she, with a motion of her hand westwards. "My way," I cried, "Come, this ia i providential." We started. "If you wouldn't mind taking my arm," said 1, "we should be better sheltered." " Oh, perhaps we should. Thank you !" and she nestled quite close to me. Wo walked along talking. My left shoulder got all the drippings but somehow I was indifferent to that. " Are you sure you are thoroughly sheltered ?" I asked. "Perfectly," she answered. " But you're not, I'm afraid. You're too kind. Mamma will be so grateful.'' I h'ked this simple friendliness. " I thought there was no chance of rain to day. You are more careful, Mr Dawsou." I could not repress a little start. " You know my name ? " She laughed merrily. : " It's on the umbrella — half-an-inch long," she said. " I couldn't help reading it." There it was — " Joshua Dawson, 4, Calceolaria villas, West Kensington, W." Somehow the address annoyed me : I myself lire in St James' street. " A strange way to make acquaintance, isn't it ? " she asked, with a coquettish glance. "Delightful. But you haven't allowed me to make acquaintance with you yet. Haven't you your name anywhere about you ?" " My name is Lydia Lovelock," she said, " Don't you like it ? It's prettier than your 3." "Certainly prettier than Joshua Dawson," said I, wishing Dawson had chanced to be a duke. "Joshua Dawaon isn't pretty," she observed with candid eyes. "Jfow, is it?" "Then you wouldn't take my name instead of yours?" I asked— to keep up the conversation. "Your umbrella's enough to take for one day," she said, with a blush. As she spoke, she slipped and' all but fell on the shining payment. She gave a little cry, " Oh, my ankle ! " and leant heavily upon me. I held her up. " I believe I've wrenched it badly," she added. '•'Oh, what a lot of trouble I'm giving you, Mr Dawson." She looked lovely — I give you my word — positively lovely, in her pain and distress. I don' fc think I said so ; but I said something, for she blushed again as she answered : "That's very nice of you ; but how am Ito get home?" " I must come with you," I said. She shook her head. "I can manage now." "But yo\i'll never be able to get out." " Oh, ye 9. But — perhaps — the rain's almost stopped— may I keep the umbrella? Thero are some steps to mount to our door, and " . Now, could I do anything elso than press Dawson's umbrella upon her ? She took it and, with a last bewitching smile, vanished from sight. I turned and almost ran back to the Cafe de Luxe, determined to make a clean breast of it to Dawson. When I was fifty yards off I saw him under the portico. The manager and four waiters . stood round him in disconsolate attitudes. One or two of lis remarks — he was talking very loud — reached m(y ears. I changed ray mind. I would' wait till he was calmer. I turned away; but at that instant Dawson caught" sight of me. A second 1 later he was pouring the atory of his wrongs into any ear. ■ Here camo my fatal weakness. I let him go on. He> took me by the arm and walked me off. I could not escape him; and all the way he thundered against the thief. "If it costs me twenty pounds, I'll bring him to justice!" he declared. Eeally, I dared not break it to him just yet. Suddenly, from round a sharp corner, there came upon vs — almost running into vs — Lydia lovelock herself, with Dawson's umbrella in her hand. He had been narrowly scanning every umbrella we passed. He scanned this one, and cried, darting for ward — " My umbrella ! " With a little scream Lydia turned and fled. Dawson was after her like an arrow. I pursued Dawson. Why, oh why, did she run away? Surely she must have recognized me ? • It was a very quiet street we, were running up, and our strange procession attracted little notice. The chase was soon over. I caught Dawson just as he caught lydia. Porn -moment we all stood panting.. Then Dawson gasped again, "My umbrella! ThieF!" . ' ' Lydia seemed very agitated . Of course I came to her rescue. Avoiding Dawson'9 eye, I hastily told my shameful tale. Lydia's face brightened, but still thero was apprehension in her looks. "This liidy, believe me," I said, "is entirely blameless. Of course she thought the umbrella -was my own. My sole consolation, Dawson, h to think that had you been in my place you would have done the same." "I don't see^," remarked Dawson, rudely, " why it consoles you to think me a thief." I preserved ardignified silence. "However,'* he continued, "if this young lady has quite finished with my property, perhaps she will "be good enough, to giTe it me back." Lydia did not take the hint. She clung to the umbrella. " If — if you would be so kind," she stammered " as to lend it to me for to-day — the weather is still threatening — I would return it to-morrow." "Your request, madam, is a modest one," } answered Dawson sarcastically ; " but, as you . observe, the weatlier is threatening and I want |my umbrella. 'Kindly give it me."

a jj "Really, Dawson, to oblige a lady " I began. '■' Why don't you buy her an umbrella?" sneered Dawson. "If she wou'd accept it, I .should be " I stopped. To my surprise, Lydia laid her hand onmy-avm and said, "'Oh do, pleaso! And may I keep this till we got to the shop ? "' I did not understand her ; but we turned round and. began to walk, looking for a shop. She was a very strange girl. She lagged behind : I had to wait twice for her. Once she took a turning as though to leave us, and when I called her back she pouted. Suddenly Dawson looked up. "It rains," he said. It did. " Put up the umbrella," said Dawson roughly. " Let the lady have it," said I indignantly. " We'll share it,'' grinned Dawson. " You can get wet." But Lydia did not put it up. "The rain's not much," she faltered. It was' i now pouring. "With a muttered oath, Dawson • snatched the umbrella from her. Lydia shrieked' i and ran away like a frightened rabbit— ran at the top of her speed up the street again. "Stop, stop!" I cried. "Stop my dear Miss Lovelock." " Holy powers !" exclaimed Dawson. He had opened the umbrella; a3 he did so there was a thud on the. pavement— two, three thuds. In amaze I looked down. There lay a silver cigarette-case, two purses, and a gold watch. Dawson burst into maniacal laughter as he pointed jat Lydia's retreating figure. That girl could j run. j For a moment I stood dumbfoundered. What j a revelation ! Dawson chuckled in Satanic glee, j Satanic glee. Sadly I stooped down and picked jup the purses, the cigarette. case, and the watch. " Great !" I cried; and my hand flew to j my wnistcoat-pocket. j It was my watch. ! J I did not prosecute Lydia, because I could not J have overtaken her, and for other reasons. It was altogether too sad, too disheartening too disap* I pointing a discovery. Dawson, however, observed that it seemed to him an excellent esainple of j poetic justicein real life.