A Matter of Interest | Page 7

do.
It was too bad. I never thought about the future in those days. Who
could have imagined that little Daisy Holroyd would have grown up
into this bewildering young lady? It was really too bad. Presently the

professor retired to his room, carrying with him an armful of drawings,
and bidding us not to sit up late. When he closed his door Miss Holroyd
turned to me.
"Papa will work over those drawings until midnight," she said, with a
despairing smile.
"It isn't good for him," I said. "What are the drawings?"
"You may know to-morrow," she answered, leaning forward on the
table and shading her face with one hand. "Tell me about yourself and
Jack in Paris."
I looked at her suspiciously.
"What! There isn't much to tell. We studied. Jack went to the law
school, and I attended--er-- oh, all sorts of schools."
"Did you? Surely you gave yourself a little recreation occasionally?"
"Occasionally," I nodded.
"I am afraid you and Jack studied too hard."
"That may be," said I, looking meek.
"Especially about fossils."
I couldn't stand that.
"Miss Holroyd," I said, "I do care for fossils. You may think that I am a
hum-bug, but I have a perfect mania for fossils--now."
"Since when?"
"About an hour ago," I said airily. Out of the corner of my eye I saw
that she had flushed up. It pleased me.
"You will soon tire of the experiment," she said with a dangerous

smile.
"Oh, I may," I replied indifferently.
She drew back. The movement was scarcely perceptible, but I noticed it,
and she knew I did.
The atmosphere was vaguely hostile. One feels such mental conditions
and changes instantly. I picked up a chessboard, opened it, set up the
pieces with elaborate care, and began to move, first the white, then the
black. Miss Holroyd watched me coldly at first, but after a dozen
moves she became interested and leaned a shade nearer. I moved a
black pawn forward.
"Why do you do that?" said Daisy.
"Because," said I, "the white queen threatens the pawn."
"It was an aggressive move," she insisted.
"Purely defensive," I said. "If her white highness will let the pawn
alone, the pawn will let the queen alone.
Miss Holroyd rested her chin on her wrist and gazed steadily at the
board. She was flushing furiously, but she held her ground.
"If the white queen doesn't block that pawn, the pawn may become
dangerous," she said coldly.
I laughed, and closed up the board with a snap.
"True," I said, "it might even take the queen." After a moment's silence
I asked, "What would you do in that case, Miss Holroyd?"
"I should resign," she said serenely; then realizing what she had said,
she lost her self- possession for a second, and cried: "No, indeed! I
should fight to the bitter end! I mean--"
"What?" I asked, lingering over my revenge.

"I mean," she said slowly, "that your black pawn would never have the
chance--never! I should take it immediately."
"I believe you would," said I, smiling; "so we'll call the game yours,
and--the pawn captured."
"I don't want it," she exclaimed. "A pawn is worthless."
"Except when it's in the king row."
"Chess is most interesting," she observed sedately. She had completely
recovered her self- control. Still I saw that she now had a certain
respect for my defensive powers. It was very soothing to me.
"You know," said I gravely, "that I am fonder of Jack than of anybody.
That's the reason we never write each other, except to borrow things. I
am afraid that when I was a young cub in France I was not an attractive
personality."
"On the contrary," said Daisy, smiling, "I thought you were very big
and very perfect. I had illusions. I wept often when I went home and
remembered that you never took the trouble to speak to me but once."
"I was a cub," I said; "not selfish and brutal, but I didn't understand
schoolgirls. I never had any sisters, and I didn't know what to say to
very young girls. If I had imagined that you felt hurt--"
"Oh, I did--five years ago. Afterward I laughed at the whole thing."
"Laughed?" I repeated, vaguely disappointed.
"Why, of course. I was very easily hurt when I was a child. I think I
have outgrown it."
The soft curve of her sensitive mouth contradicted her.
"Will you forgive me now?" I asked.
"Yes. I had forgotten the whole thing until I met you an hour or so

ago."
There was something that had a ring not entirely genuine in this speech.
I noticed it, but forgot it the next moment.
"Tiger cubs have stripes," said I. "Selfishness blossoms in the cradle,
and prophecy is not difficult. I hope