Anonymous - Maude Cameron And Her Guardian

“ But you will wear them, my dear, and they shall become you. Particularly the tight- fitting knickers and drawers which I expressly bade Mrs. Standish fetch for you. Did you try them on?”

Maude gave a little gasp and nodded, her cheeks scarlet with girlish confusion. A mocking little smile curved the lips of the voluptuary as he helped her into the surrey.

“ I take it from your charming blush that you. find the articles to your liking, my dear,” was his bland comment as he took up the reins and headed back for home. “ I have also made some other purchases, such as a bicycle which you are to ride. It will be good exercise for you.”

“ But I’ ve never ridden one, Mr. Cameron.”

Charles Cameron frowned as he eyed her. “ What would really please me, my dear, is that you would henceforth call me ‘ Uncle Charles’ instead of ‘ Mr. Cameron.’ I should feel much closer to you and responsible for you in that way.”

“ Of course, Uncle Charles. That is little enough to ask,” Maude happily responded, as out of her impulsively sweet nature she suddenly hugged him by way of thanking him for his extravagant present of the wardrobe.

“ Now you are my dear little niece,” he said softly, as he tilted up her chin and planted a quick little kiss on her rosy lips, “ and when you are like this, you are utterly adorable.”

“ You are so nice to say such sweet things about me, Uncle Charles. And I do hope we shall be very good friends.”

“ Much better than that in due time,” he said with a significant smile which Maude pretended not to understand. At supper that evening his ward appeared in a new green muslin frock which set off her golden hair and pink skin bewitchingly and showed off the curves of her delectable young figure to advantage. He bade her try on a pair of the new pumps, but Maude found it difficult to maneuver, unused as she was to high- heeled shoes.

“ Never mind. You shall get the knack of it in time. I shall aid you in that direction,” he said with a mocking little smile.

The following afternoon, after an errand boy had Drought around the other purchases Mr. Cameron had made in town, Maude’ s guardian ordered her out into the driveway. It was beside the house and led to the shed in which the mare and the surrey cart were quartered. Just to the right side of this driveway was a wide stretch of firm ground which Mr. Cameron had originally thought might be converted into a lawn tennis court, but about which he had done nothing yet.

“ If you will go into the shed, you will find a bicycle for you, my dear,” he instructed.

Wonderingly, Maude hurried into the shed and came out pushing a gleaming blue bicycle. On her charming face there was a look of astonishment. “ But, Uncle Charles,” she protested, “ I could never ride this. This is a boy’ s bicycle. There are ones made especially for girls, and they are ridden sidesaddle, you know.”

“ I am well aware of that, but I wish you to learn to ride this one. And I think I have the means at hand to persuade you to acquire the knowledge quickly,” was his sardonic retort. Maude uttered a cry of terror and surprise: in his right hand he held the stock of a slim carriage whip, which had a tapering lash of about six feet in length, ending in a tiny forked tip.

“ Oh, sir,” she pleaded, tears springing at once to her beautiful blue eyes. “ You surely aren’ t going to punish me with that dreadful whip. I’ ve done nothing today to displease you. I’ m sure I haven’ t.”

“ You are right, my dear. To this moment, at any rate. But you would distress me greatly if you should refuse to ride the present I have bought for you.”

“ Oh, but I want to obey you. But don’ t you see, it’ s impossible for me to do so on a boy’ s bicycle.” Maude was very nearly in tears. Charles Cameron shrugged.

“ All you have to do is remove your frock and mount it as would a boy. I think you are wearing a sturdy camisole and several petticoats, as well as your drawers and stays, are you not?”

Consternated, Maude nodded, her face absolutely scarlet from temples to throat.

“ Well, then, don’ t stand on ceremony, but get ready.”

Stretching out the long whip, he drew back his arm and then flicked it vigorously in the air. It made a horrid little “ Crack!” at which Maude uttered a frantic little cry of terror.

“ Oh, gracious!”

“ But I see you are not beginning to obey me. Are you going to be obstinate again, as you were yesterday?”

Once again the whip flicked through the air with a sinister snap. Maude uttered another little cry and hastily drew her frock over her head and shoulders. In her tightly clinging, white lace camisole she was the most provocative creature in the world, and his eyes drank in her loveliness.

“ Well, what are you waiting for?” he demanded, flicking the whip again over her head with an angry little “ Crack!”

“ But I never shall be able to stay on, Uncle Charles,” she wailed.

“ What I have in my hand will ascertain that you will do so after a little practice,”“ was his mocking retort. “ If you find yourself encumbered by all those petticoats, by all means get rid of them. You are wearing three, I take it?”

Scarlet with confusion and miserable with apprehension, Maude dolefully nodded.

“ Then remove two. One will suffice to protect your modesty, believe me.”

As he stared at her so meaningfully and that long- lashed whip was ready in his right hand, there was nothing for Maude to do but obey. When her outer two petticoats had been removed, her voluptuous jut of her round bottom and delicious haunches made his eyes glitter with covetous anticipation. “ That’ s much better. Now get astride of the bicycle and ride it around in front of me,” he commanded.

Maude uttered a little groan of despair and awkwardly lifted up one leg to put it over the leather saddle. The immodesty of what she was doing appalled her, but there was no help for it.

“ That’ s right,” he called. “ Now set one foot on the pedal while using the other foot to steady yourself by till you are well balanced. That’ s it- now shove off!”

Urged on by fear of that long whip which overcame her outraged modesty at appearing in this scanty costume before a man, Maude nervously did as she was told. The bicycle wavered, she brought back her other foot to the pedal and strove frantically to maintain herself upright, but to no avail. She and the bicycle tumbled down in a heap on the soft ground.

Charles Cameron drew back his right hand and, taking careful aim, directed the long lash outward so that it flicked against her right hip. With a squeal of agony, Maude leaped to her feet, rubbing the injured spot. “ Oh, Uncle Charles, please don’ t hit me again with that horrible whip. It stings so horribly!”

“ Then get back on that bicycle and be quick about it!” he coldly ordered.

Once again Maude called upon her skill, and once again fear of the whip in his hand which he wielded so adroitly caused her to forget the assault on her modesty and decorum. She managed this time to make about a quarter turn before she lost her balance and, with a cry, fell off the bicycle. The long lash again shot out with unerring aim, this time catching her on the left calf. With a wail of pain, grabbing for the wounded spot and rubbing it frantically, Maude stumbled to her feet. Her long golden hair was disheveled, her face was streaked with tears, and the appeal in her anguished blue eyes added to his mounting passion.

“ Don’ t stand there looking at me, Maude. Get on that bicycle. You are to make three complete circles around before me before we end this lesson.”

For the next half hour, poor Maude, bathed in perspiration and tears, squealing and wriggling and twisting, tried her best to avoid the diabolically accurate tip of that long carriage whip. She scrambled onto the bicycle after her falls, hardly stopping to rub the injured places of her tender anatomy, for the burning tip of the whip was even more painful than the bruise. She managed in desperation to pedal a few feet farther before disaster again overtook her, but by the end of that half hour, she had at last managed to make three complete circles in front of him without losing her balance.