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Star (Christchurch), Issue 7543, 28 October 1902, Page 4

"How very thick and long your daughter's hair seems tr. u e growing, Mrs Smith." " Yes, I was recommended by a friend, who has used it i'rir some time, to try Hendy's Egg Julep, for Krengtlieniug it, 'and really the result is wonderful. It has already grown severnl inches longer, and has cured the dandruff completely. You should certainly try it." VV. Strange and Co. are sole agents for Christchurch. Bottles ls. 6439

"It must be now or never. I am not the type of man to be put off, treated with contempt, trifled with. Give me your answer, I insist. - ' "You insist. Very well, then, you shall have your answer. I decline to be bullied into a marriage. I—l1 — I refuse your offer, Captain Perry, and — and " " I suppose" it's Abercrombie that's supplanted me," Captain Perry speaks bitterly. "You prefer a wretched walking encvclopajdia — a self-opinionated bookworm, a man of brain — to a know-nothing fellow like me. But, do you think you can ever be happy with him, even if he should muster up sufficient sentiment to induce him to propose to you? Miss Lockwood, I offer you every congratulation on your excellent discrimination." "You forget yourself, Captain Perry. Not even our long acquaintance is sufficient to excuse such language." "True!" Ho raises his hat, and again offers the girl his arm. She hesitate-s. "Do nut bo afraid," ho hastens lo add. "I apologise most humbly. I felt disappointed. Come, you will pardon me?" She takes his arm now, and they return to the company. He places a, chair on tho lawn for her, and then, raising his hat, go*s off to seek Airs Smith-Evans. That lady is, of course, interested in what her relative has to say. " I'm not a little weo bit surprised," she says. " Matters have been trending in that one direction for a. long time. But don't despair, my lad" (Mrs Smith-Evans always treated tiie captain as though he were much younger and she much older than they railly were) " Alma, like many a girl before her, will come to her senses by and by."' " Perhaps she may," replies Captain Perry, " but I've had my answer, and tihat is final so far as I am concerned." And Mre Smith-Evans knew thiat lie meant it. . " Are you quite sure your whole mind is given up to work?" Professor Abercrombie spoke softly and | without even the slightest suspicion of reproach. Do what .she would Alma could not answer calmly, as a girl si&dent is expected to do. iXhe bent her head to conceal thd ris.ng colour, and her feet beat the ground impatiently. Surely the hour of her tri- , umpli had arrived. The grave, dignified professor, tlie confirmed bachelor, was van- | quished. Mr Calm Intelligence was about to own that a passion that he had hitherto affected to despise had seized hold of him and brought him. to uhe feet of one of the sex he pcorned. Yet thoughts such as -these, which whirled at hurricane speed through her brain, brought to Alma, no thrill of delight, Her plot had succeeded, but then her plot was cowtemptible— utterly mean and unworthy. " Are you quite sure?" Tlie professor's voice roused her from the mood of contemplation into which she had been thrown. " Yes, yes," She replied, hastily. "Why should' you think otherwise?" '• Because close contact with you has taught me many lessons ; it has taught me amongst other truths tliat what we oall sentiment is an essential part of our nature." He paused as if to observe the effect of his words ; but Alma replied not. Why should she? What could she say? " It has taught me," lie went on, "that woman is sent to nvakie man happier, brighter. That is her mission ; and unless she can fulfil it how can she herself be contented with her life? Perhaps, Misa Lockwood, you wonder how it comes that I aim, talking I to you in this strain." Again a pause and again no reply; only the impatient little foot boat the ground more rapidly, and the colour fled from the girl's fair face. It was comingnow. Professor Abercrombie was about tot declare his love, and, if so, what would sho say to him? There was no longer any thought, of flinging into his faoe the fateful words he had spoken to Mrs Smith-Evans. She could no:- row treat him with the scorn sh-s had intended. A nice avenger of her sex, forsooth ! " Let me be plain with you, Miss Lockwood. I have known ycu long enough to feel a keen interest in you. You have brain, but you have also a heart ; and I believe that your heart, to use a popular phrase, is no longer in your own keeping." | How dare he presume so much ! What rare conceit possessed him that he should anticipate so easy a surrender. Did he think that she was to be so quickly Avon ; that he had only to ask and have? "I do not know how you can say that," Alma replied, with evident indignation. " Do you. add to your many accomplishments that of seer and prophet?" "Now, don't be angry with me, little woman. I perhaps know more about you than vou yourself imagine. At any rate, I happen to know that a- certain worthy and gallant volunteer officer told a tale of love to a charming maiden , and was sent a wav — " "And pray, may I inquire who gave you all this very interesting information? Was it Captain— — " Alma stopped abruptly. "Captain Perry? Oh, dear no. Mrs Smith- Evans it is who has interested herself in the affair, and she has commissioned me to try to make two young people happy." " Then Mrs Smith-Evans i» an interfering busybody. Make two young people happy, indeed ! Captain Perry has had

hia answer from mv own lips ; why should he ask for it a^ain by proxy? And, I think. Professor, that you are unkind — . and — impertinent to talk as you havo done. : I I. — won't remain to hear any more of it. It's unfair of you ; it's unmanly — it'p — j t * s " She stifled a rising sob, and broke suddenly away, leaving the professor a- prey to all kinds of fears and doubts. "There," he said at last. "I've mortally and irretrievably offended the only really intellectual girl, and loveahlo into the bargain, that it has ever been my lot to , encounter." I Alma's feelings can be imagined. She ! alternately cried and laughed, and it was some hours before, sho givw anything like calm. Then at length she. confessed the truth to herself — candidly acknowledged it. She had striven to trap' the professor into falling in love with her, ancl she had fallen in love with him instead. "Was ever disappointment and chagrin so intense, so bitter? She had played with Are— and suffered the consequences. The professor recounted the story of his interview with Alma to Mrs Smith-Evans with absolute faithfulness. "I've mortally oifended her,'' he said, dolefully. "And .ares you sorry?" inquired Mrs Smith-Evans. " I never regretted anything so much in my life," replied the professor, candidly. " What a dear, sillv man you are, to bs sure!" rejoined Mrs Smith-Evans. "With all your learning, there's one thing on which you are as ignorant as a schoolboy." * ; And that?" "Woman." " What clo you mean?" " I mean that Alma Lockwood is in love with someone." " Ancl that someone?" "Professor Abercrombie." " Whether or not Mrs Smith-Evans's surmises were correct will be judged by my readers, when I tell them that six months later Professor and Mrs Abercrombie went on their honeymr on, and during that happy time Alma. Abercrombie did not scruple to tdl her husband how she had laid a, trap for Mr Calm Intelligence and had fallen into it herself.