by W. W. Jacobs
slowly, the Major's heart beating rapidly as he toldhimself that the lady's coldness was due to his neglect of the past fewweeks, and his wrath against Halibut rose to still greater heights as hesaw the cruel position in which that schemer had placed him. Then hemade a sudden resolution. There was no condition as to secrecy, and,first turning the conversation on to indoor amusements, he told theastonished Mrs. Riddel the full particulars of the fatal game. Mrs.Riddel said that she would never forgive them; it was the mostpreposterous thing she had ever heard of. And she demanded hotly whethershe was to spend the rest of her life in refusing Mr. Halibut.
"Do you play high as a rule?" she inquired, scornfully.
"Sixpence a game," replied the Major, simply.
The corners of Mrs. Riddel's mouth relaxed, and her fine eyes began towater; then she turned her head away and laughed. "It was very foolishof us, I admit," said the Major, ruefully, "and very wrong. I shouldn'thave told you, only I couldn't explain my apparent neglect without."
"Apparent neglect?" repeated the widow, somewhat haughtily.
"Well, put it down to a guilty conscience," said the Major; "it seemsyears to me since I have seen you."
"Remember the conditions, Major Brill," said Mrs. Riddel, with severity.
"I shall not transgress them," replied the Major, seriously.
Mrs. Riddel gave her head a toss, and regarded him from the corner of hereyes.
"I am very angry with you, indeed," she said, severely. The Majorapologized again. "For losing," added the lady, looking straight beforeher.
Major Brill caught his breath and his knees trembled beneath him. Hemade a half-hearted attempt to seize her hand, and then remembering hisposition, sighed deeply and looked straight before him. They walked onin silence.
"I think," said his companion at last, "that, if you like, you can getback at cribbage what you lost at chess. That is, of course, if youreally want to."
"He wouldn't play," said the Major, shaking his head.
"No, but I will," said Mrs. Riddel, with a smile. "I think I've got aplan."
She blushed charmingly, and then, in modest alarm at her boldness,dropped her voice almost to a whisper. The Major gazed at her inspeechless admiration and threw back his head in ecstasy. "Come roundto-morrow afternoon," said Mrs. Riddel, pausing at the end of the lane."Mr. Halibut shall be there, too, and it shall be done under his veryeyes."
Until that time came the Major sat at home carefully rehearsing his part,and it was with an air of complacent virtue that he met the somewhatastonished gaze of the persistent Halibut next day. It was a brightafternoon, but they sat indoors, and Mrs. Riddel, after an animateddescription of a game at cribbage with Miss Philpotts the night before,got the cards out and challenged Halibut to a game.
They played two, both of which the diplomatic Halibut lost; then Mrs.Riddel, dismissing him as incompetent, sat drumming on the table with herfingers, and at length challenged the Major. She lost the first gameeasily, and began the second badly. Finally, after hastily glancing at anew hand, she flung the cards petulantly on the table, face downward.
"Would you like my hand, Major Brill?" she demanded, with a blush.
"Better than anything in the world," cried the Major, eagerly.
Halibut started, and Miss Philpotts nearly had an accident with hercrochet hook. The only person who kept cool was Mrs. Riddel, and it wasquite clear to the beholders that she had realized neither the ambiguityof her question nor the meaning of her opponent's reply.
"Well, you may have it," she said, brightly.
Before Miss Philpotts could lay down her work, before Mr. Halibut couldinterpose, the Major took possession of Mrs. Riddel's small white handand raised it gallantly to his lips. Mrs. Riddel, with a faint screamwhich was a perfect revelation to the companion, snatched her hand away."I meant my hand of cards," she said, breathlessly.
"Really, Brill, really," said Halibut, stepping forward fussily.
"Oh!" said the Major, blankly; "cards!"
"That's what I meant, of course," said Mrs. Riddel, recovering herselfwith a laugh. "I had no idea still--if you prefer----" The Major tookher hand again, and Miss Philpotts set Mr. Halibut an example--which hedid not follow--by gazing meditatively out of the window. Finally shegathered up her work and quitted the room. Mrs. Riddel smiled over atMr. Halibut and nodded toward the Major.
[Illustrations: "DON'T YOU THINK MAJOR BRILL IS SOMEWHAT HASTY IN HISCONCLUSIONS?" SHE INQUIRED SOFTLY.]
"Don't you think Major Brill is somewhat hasty in his conclusions?" sheinquired, softly.
"I'll tell Major Brill what I think of him when I get him alone," saidthe injured gentleman, sourly.
