Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-03-20

; please, when when | get into humors
, don't mean very much-always. AnC
, indeed it makes me worse if people tax,
any notice of me at all :" There was
little quaver in the voice as it ceased.
I Captain Mildmarch turned to look al
J her. The beautiful close braided heaC
! was bent a little the lashes were droop
ing timid color replaced the de6An
flush Of some minutes since there was
almost dlmness abOnt the eyelasles. By
Heaven a ST. eak of sunshine through the
leaves across her face struck diamond
CLINT upon those same lashes IA tear, the
captain would have sworn H'S heart
Was at her feet in an Instant but her hui
millty was SO inexpressibly delicious, so
entirely phenomenal, that he could not
forbear the delight Of awaiting some little
further exhibitions of it. He said moth
ing, but still gazed at her, with his whole
oul IN his eyes, and she unconscious the
look, continued, with rueful penitence
q suppose / must be a dreadful cIea-
ture. don't think l ever knew any one
else who was wicked just because other
people wanted them to be good, and that
went on wounding peoples feelings Just
because they showed they were wounded "
her own enormities. - [ think, she said,
Miss Richmond here sighed deeply. She
was evidently oppressed with "a sense Of
unique depravity. But Captain Nlldmarch
still remaining silent, She thought her task
of reconciliation was to be a difficult one,
and this fact somewhat resigned her to il.
So she turned 4 bewitching and repentant
face toward him, barely giving him time
to drop his delighted eyes aud to manuiac-
ture a look of hurt pride, which would not
have served for mask a single instant
had she not been so deeply engaged with
with timid candor, " that [ would be
much better girl if any one knew how to
manage me. But nobody does. [ know
what | need somebody to =cold me when
put on airs, and to say, outright, Cora
Richmond, this Is folly You have not the
excuse OF child, or an IDIOT p Behave
yourself at once, then, or take the just
consequences OF your ao>url behavior
This Mss Richmond delivered ia = voice
so stern and emphatic that her horse
pr cked up his ears and looked round with
some sedate surprise, but seeing nothing.
| appaIen ly, to warrant decided action On
his part, turned his head again to his com
panon for the comfortable impartmg Of
/ further equine secrets Now, instead of
that Miss Richmond resumed, de>pond-
emily, people mind what | say, aud try
to reason with me Aud then | get un-
bearab.e. Because Of course, the more
they try to reason with such 2-sueh an
obstinate wretch, the more | won't listen
TO them 4 long sigh. Tnen still more
timidly, Bat ion't you think you could
forgive my perverseuess this afternoon,
/ c plain Mrdmarch-indeed, | am gong
TO Try to DO better and be friends again,
please ? ="
Captain Mildmarch found it little
difficult to speak At once IN answer to this
appeal from the woman he lovel, this
errauc, high spirited creature, SUING Tor
his forgiveness. and instructing him how to
quell her pride But when be did fad
words, they were very much 70 the purpose
/ He turned toward her with wet, beaming
eyes, with face flushed aud radiant. He
laid his hand on her bride rein, and the
| horses paused. They champed their bits
restlessly, and lifted their fore feet with
| impatient grace Aud with this accom-
paniment Captain MiIdmarch tod Miss
Richmond what already she knew, that he
| loved her, and asked her what she had
| imagined be would, 10 marry him.
Meantime the horses quiyeriny mouths
were focked with foam, while they paved
the SOFT, bright, fallen leaves, the wind
sought out the secrets of the shady places,
! lance rays pierced the forest here and there
with tinted lines Of misty light and Mss
| Richmond sat as still as statute and as
pale as flesh and blood can be. she looked
| frightened. and the truth is, she was
struggling with herself she was trying
hard not 10 say no, which she was con-
scous she would regret, trying with all her
strength 10 say yes, which she desired TO
say, and could not, principally because 1t
seemed half settled that she would say it
feeling herself the hel pless sport tof obstinate
impulses which she hated and could not
conquer. Absolutely she longed almost
that Captain Mildmarch should seize her
by main strength and force from her lips
the monosyllabe that he wished to hear
and she to utter, and that positively she
could not speak.
Captain MJldmarch, quite unconscious
of this war Of silent forces, was ag-
itated as well as she. At that moment
he would gladly have given all his fortune
not to have spoken at all. He believed in
propitious moments, and this one, he felt.
too late, was not such 1t had followed
too quickly upon her repentance. He |
feared that her naughty spirit might in |
terpret it into a wish to wiring from such |
mood what he could not have persuaded |
from a more usual one.
Cora" he said, finally, using strong
self-control, and speaking quietly, " do |
you not intend to give me any answer, not |
even the slightest -
Not an atom of color had crept into |
Miss Richmond's face, but sort of shad |
owy misery had. That was the loreruuuer |
of a surrender which was fearfully hard |
for this young lady. but which, preserving |
ner seli-possession, she was aware COL ia ued |
the best LIKELIHOOD OF happiness for her.
Without looking up she said in a calm |
voice, though She trembled, Do you /
know, Captain Mldmarch. the open field |
that lies just beyond this woodland-at
the foot of the hill ?"
" Yes, know it," Captain Mildmarch
answered wonderingly, and waited few
moments In silence.
" Which of our horses Is swiftest, do
you think ?"
Captain Mildmarch still restrained his |
impatience, but it was with difficulty that
he replied calmly to this apparently irrel-
evant question.
" There is but small choice between |
them, should say, Miss Richmond. Both
are swift, both nearly thorough bred. III
there be any difference, yours has, perhaps, |
the advantage"
Miss Richmond sighed softly with an
air of relief " | should surely be allowed