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dear old Clara！ I am so pleased。 I am so pleased。〃
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BEYOND THE CITY
CHAPTER VII。
VENIT TANDEM FELICITAS。
It was just three days after the Doctor and the Admiral had
congratulated each other upon the closer tie which was to unite their two
families； and to turn their friendship into something even dearer and more
intimate； that Miss Ida Walker received a letter which caused her some
surprise and considerable amusement。 It was dated from next door； and
was handed in by the red…headed page after breakfast。
〃Dear Miss Ida；〃 began this curious document； and then relapsed
suddenly into the third person。 〃Mr。 Charles Westmacott hopes that he
may have the extreme pleasure of a ride with Miss Ida Walker upon his
tandem tricycle。 Mr。 Charles Westmacott will bring it round in half an
hour。 You in front。 Yours very truly； Charles Westmacott。〃 The whole
was written in a large； loose…jointed； and school…boyish hand； very thin on
the up strokes and thick on the down； as though care and pains had gone to
the fashioning of it。
Strange as was the form； the meaning was clear enough； so Ida
hastened to her room； and had hardly slipped on her light grey cycling
dress when she saw the tandem with its large occupant at the door。 He
handed her up to her saddle with a more solemn and thoughtful face than
was usual with him； and a few moments later they were flying along the
beautiful； smooth suburban roads in the direction of Forest Hill。 The
great limbs of the athlete made the heavy machine spring and quiver with
every stroke； while the mignon grey figure with the laughing face； and the
golden curls blowing from under the little pink…banded straw hat； simply
held firmly to her perch； and let the treadles whirl round beneath her feet。
Mile after mile they flew； the wind beating in her face； the trees dancing
past in two long ranks on either side； until they had passed round Croydon
and were approaching Norwood once more from the further side。
〃Aren't you tired？〃 she asked； glancing over her shoulder and turning
towards him a little pink ear； a fluffy golden curl； and one blue eye
twinkling from the very corner of its lid。
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BEYOND THE CITY
〃Not a bit。 I am just getting my swing。〃
〃Isn't it wonderful to be strong？ You always remind me of a
steamengine。〃
〃Why a steamengine？〃
〃Well； because it is so powerful； and reliable； and unreasoning。 Well；
I didn't mean that last； you know； butbutyou know what I mean。 What
is the matter with you？〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because you have something on your mind。 You have not laughed
once。〃
He broke into a gruesome laugh。 〃I am quite jolly；〃 said he。
〃Oh； no； you are not。 And why did you write me such a dreadfully
stiff letter？〃
〃There now；〃 he cried； 〃I was sure it was stiff。 I said it was absurdly
stiff。〃
〃Then why write it？〃
〃It wasn't my own composition。〃
〃Whose then？ Your aunt's？〃
〃Oh； no。 It was a person of the name of Slattery。〃
〃Goodness！ Who is he？〃
〃I knew it would come out； I felt that it would。 You've heard of
Slattery the author？〃
〃Never。〃
〃He is wonderful at expressing himself。 He wrote a book called ‘The
Secret Solved； or； Letter…writing Made Easy。' It gives you models of all
sorts of letters。〃
Ida burst out laughing。 〃So you actually copied one。〃
〃It was to invite a young lady to a picnic； but I set to work and soon
got it changed so that it would do very well。 Slattery seems never to
have asked any one to ride a tandem。 But when I had written it； it
seemed so dreadfully stiff that I had to put a little beginning and end of my
own； which seemed to brighten it up a good deal。〃
〃I thought there was something funny about the beginning and end。〃
〃Did you？ Fancy your noticing the difference in style。 How quick
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BEYOND THE CITY
you are！ I am very slow at things like that。 I ought to have been a
woodman； or game…keeper； or something。 I was made on those lines。
But I have found something now。〃
〃What is that； then？〃
〃Ranching。 I have a chum in Texas； and he says it is a rare life。 I
am to buy a share in his business。 It is all in the open airshooting； and
riding； and sport。 Would itwould it inconvenience you much； Ida； to
come out there with me？〃
Ida nearly fell off her perch in her amazement。 The only words of
which she could think were 〃My goodness me！〃 so she said them。
〃If it would not upset your plans； or change your arrangements in any
way。〃 He had slowed down and let go of the steering handle； so that the
great machine crawled aimlessly about from one side of the road to the
other。 〃I know very well that I am not clever or anything of that sort； but
still I would do all I can to make you very happy。 Don't you think that in
time you might come to like me a little bit？〃
Ida gave a cry of fright。 〃I won't like you if you run me against a
brick wall；〃 she said； as the machine rasped up against the curb 〃Do attend
to the steering。〃
〃Yes； I will。 But tell me； Ida； whether you will come with me。〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 It's too absurd！ How can we talk about such
things when I cannot see you？ You speak to the nape of my neck； and
then I have to twist my head round to answer。〃
〃I know。 That was why I put ‘You in front' upon my letter。 I
thought that it would make it easier。 But if you would prefer it I will stop
the machine； and then you can sit round and talk about it。〃
〃Good gracious！〃 cried Ida。 〃Fancy our sitting face to face on a
motionless tricycle in the middle of the road； and all the people looking
out of their windows at us！〃
〃It would look rather funny； wouldn't it？ Well； then； suppose that we
both get off and push the tandem along in front of us？〃
〃Oh； no； this is better than that。〃
〃Or I could carry the thing。〃
Ida burst out laughing。 〃That would be more absurd still。〃
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〃Then we will go quietly； and I will look out for the steering。 I won't
talk about it at all if you would rather not。 But I really do love you very
much； and you would make me happy if you came to Texas with me； and I
think that perhaps after a time I could make you happy too。〃
〃But your aunt？〃
〃Oh； she would like it very much。 I can understand that your father
might not like to lose you。 I'm sure I wouldn't either； if I were he。 But
after all； America is not very far off nowadays； and is not so very wild。
We would take a grand piano； andanda copy of Browning。 And
Denver and his wife would come over to see us。 We should be quite a
family party。 It would be jolly。〃
Ida sat listening to the stumbling words and awkward phrases which
were whispered from the back of her； but there was something in Charles
Westmacott's clumsiness of speech which was more moving than the
words of the most eloquent of pleaders。 He paused； he stammered； he
caught his breath between the words； and he blurted out in little blunt
phrases all the hopes of his heart。 If love had not come to her yet； there
was at least pity and sympathy； which are nearly akin to it。 Wonder there
was also that one so weak and frail as she should shake this strong man so；
should have the whole course of his life waiting for her decision。 Her
left hand was on the cushion at her side。