"
"Then you don't think it's an original method with me?"
"Certainly not," I answered.
"But it's the correct way?"
"There's no doubt of that," said I.
"Well," said Pepton, "then I shall make it my way."
He did so, and the consequence was that one day, when the
champion happened to be away, Pepton won the badge. When the
result was announced, we were all surprised, but none so much so
as Pepton himself. He had been steadily improving since he had
adopted a good style of shooting, but he had had no idea that
he would that day be able to win the badge.
When our president pinned the emblem of success upon the
lapel of his coat, Pepton turned pale, and then he flushed. He
thanked the president, and was about to thank the ladies and
gentlemen; but probably recollecting that we had had nothing to
do with it,--unless, indeed, we had shot badly on his behalf,--he
refrained. He said little, but I could see that he was very
proud and very happy. There was but one drawback to his triumph:
Miss Rosa was not there. She was a very regular attendant, but
for some reason she was absent on this momentous afternoon. I
did not say anything to him on the subject, but I knew he felt
this absence deeply.
But this cloud could not wholly overshadow his happiness. He
walked home alone, his face beaming, his eyes sparkling, and his
good bow under his arm.
That evening I called on him, for I thought that when he had
cooled down a little he would like to talk over the affair.
Pages:
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283