1896.] A Midwinter Night's Fortune
bitter words about her escort. Nor did he again think of them,
for at that moment the Banjo. Club burst forth in the opening
piece of the program and his attention was entirely engrossed in
the performance, though he managed to steal many a covert glance
at Miss Chester.
The last selection was a tenor 'solo, and by none other than
Theo. Hammond. But to him it all passed as a dream, from
which he awoke when the curtain fell to hear the last echoes of
applause dying away, while his friends crowded around him with
many words of praise and congratulation.
At the hotel Fred. Monkton came up, and clapping him on the
shoulder, exclaimed,—
Theo., old man, I' in proud of you. You did nobly tonight. I
know why it was, too. All those smiles didn't ' waste their sweet
ness on the desert air.' "
At these words Theo. flushed guiltily and then, smiling, turned
away and went to his room. But that smile concealed a great
deal. In his heart Theo. was insanely jealous of the young fellow
with Miss Chester. Little wonder, then, that his slumbers should
be disturbed by dreams of his supposed rival.
He has gone to call on Miss Chester, and has just fallen upon
his knees before her with lover-like devotion when a third person
enters, who proves to be his rival. A wordy war ensues, in
which insults are freely given and received. Theo. demands sat
isfaction of the other, and together they repair to a field on the
outskirts of the town. The distance is quickly measured off and
the duellists take their stations, awaiting the signal.
It comes. " One,—two,----three.—fire!"
Two sharp reports, blended into one by their simultaneity, ring
out harshly on the crisp, frosty air. Theo. feels a sharp twinge of
pain in his left shoulder and—awakes to find himself sitting bolt
upright in bed, while Fred. Monkton stands in the middle of the
room, holding his sides and laughing uproariously.
" What's the matter, Hammond ? I hit you a light tap to
waken you, and you jumped as though you had been shot."
" I was," replied Theo., but he gave no explanation.
" Do you know that we're snowed up ?" next inquired Fred.
" Snowed up ?" repeated Hammond, incredulously.
" Yes," answered Monkton. " Last night's snowstorm drifted
all the mountain passes full, and all railway traffic is blocked.
It is very doubtful whether we shall get out of this hole today."