Summary

Portrait of Rudyard Kipling Rudyard Kipling Plain Tales from the Hills — Cupid's Arrows (1889)

Kitty was pale and nervous, and looked long at the bracelet. Barr-Saggott was gorgeously dressed, even more nervous than Kitty, and more hideous than ever.
Mrs. Beighton smiled condescendingly, as befitted the mother of a potential Commissioneress, and the shooting began; all the world standing a semicircle as the ladies came out one after the other.
Nothing is so tedious as an archery competition, They shot, and they shot, and they kept on shooting, till the sun left the valley, and little breezes got up in the deodars, and people waited for Miss Beighton to shoot and win.
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Rudyard Kipling Rudyard Kipling Plain Tales from the Hills — Cupid's Arrows (1889)

She was a perfect shot; and her 46-pound bow suited her to a nicety. She pinned the wooden legs of the target with great care four successive times. She pinned the wooden top of the target once, and all the ladies looked at each other. Then she began some fancy shooting at the white, which if you hit it, counts exactly one point. She put five arrows into the white. It was wonderful archery; but, seeing that her business was to make "golds" and win the bracelet, Barr-Saggott turned a delicate green like young water-grass.
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Rudyard Kipling Rudyard Kipling Plain Tales from the Hills — Cupid's Arrows (1889)

Beighton did her best to bear up; but she wept in the presence of the people. No training could help her through such a disappointment. Kitty unstrung her bow with a vicious jerk, and went back to her place, while Barr-Saggott was trying to pretend that he enjoyed snapping the bracelet on the snubby girl's raw, red wrist. It was an awkard scene—most awkward. Every one tried to depart in a body and leave Kitty to the mercy of her Mamma.
Source: Wikisource

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