The Republican journal., 1873-11-13


of which the ice had melted and left pul
sunlight.
No, Tvenot forgotten, Rose she said
''but you know of old never kill and tell
1t was peculiarly of this woman-a
had occasion later repeatedly to obsery
that, whatever she said OF did She coul
not help being remarkable, 50 much he
personality made itself felt in everything
She made that quotation from the com
mon little song Just as anybody Nigh
have done, carelesslv, and manitestlv witt
out n thought of effect vet do not beliey
there was q man at the table who heard
from her lips quite unmoyed. Even Web
stcr lifted his eyes to her with a kind O
sullcn admiration, Il tribute which he wa
as unwilling to give as she to receive, bu
which was forced from him against hi
will.
My pledge ol friendship, | am con
| strained to admit, did not advance me a.
could have wished with Miss knowles
\ certain degree of progress she allowe,
| me TO make, but never one step beyond
Oddly enough, it was u kind Of disagree
| mcnt which served me most, and whicl
came about in this way One evening
had been reading to her, and had lns
closed the book as twilight came on.
When my attention was attracted by /;
newly married pair in the balcony op-
post, who, regardless Of the double row
OF holscs, We're indulging in some of those
demonstrations peculiartot the honeymoon
1t would only have amused me, as usual,
but for the effect it had on Miss Knowles.
! shall never forget her look nor her tone
the mixture of pity, contempt and
something that was almost like envy, as
She said under her brcath--ssSh thinks it
will last poor little fool" nvoluntarly
q quotation from the volume we had been
reading together came to my lips: Il. too.
have been in Arcadia :" | should hardly
have known that had spoken aloud, but
for he way in which she turned on me.
What suggested that to you?" She
said imperiously. Tell me. | insist :.
1.-The expression of your face Just now, -
| answered, smiling. There was whole
romance in it.
''Indeed'" She rejoined, with deliberate
emphasis contrasting with her former alb
ruptness. ''that must be an agreeable pas
time, trying to surprise faces off their
guard. Perhaps you arc going to favor
me with other revelations gained in the
same way D.
Aside from the sudden, most unwelcome
conviction that had indeed CHANGED on
some iarring chord in the past, | was SO
taken ;tbach by her cold and cutting man
ner Of speaking as to be literally without
words TO reply. ] could only look at her.
but She understood my look, ] suppose.
for the next moment She said, in a very
different tone; Il beg your pardon, sin
cerely, Mr.. Danvers. you have right to
your thoughts. and it was | who forced
you to explain them. Only'-and she gave
Il forced smile, take my advice. don't
waste your time in studying my face; the
romances yon might read there would not
be good for much in any sense. And now
forgive me. = And she reached out her
hand to me. | took it and held it mo-
ment While our eyes met. What she read
i'll mine don't know, but whatever it was.
it did not appear to please her, for she
drew her hand away quickly with a slight
trown. Still, as said after this. though
she did not admit me to any more real in
timacy, her manner was less formal and
more friendly
Meantime, while was, as hoped max
ing progress in her good graces, events
were working to bring to the surface the
latent teud between her and Mr.. Webster.
That amiable gentleman had taken to
dcyoting himSelfsomewhat demonstrative-
ly to Mss Rose Morrell, to the manifest
Of NJ, Eugene Debay, but not
OF Miss Rose herself, who, like most
was an arrant little iirt, and
had not the slightest objection to any num-
Der Of strings to her bow. so she did not
check Webster'S rather pronounced felici-
tations on the occasion of her sixteenth
but replied with look at once
shy and saucy. and quite enough to turn
any head not turned already, as she went
off laughing to school. Miss Knowles
looked after her with kind Of wistful
tenderness
Sixteen to-dayr' said She 'What
must it seem like to be sixteen, | wonder,'
''Onc would think to hear you, there
were Il hundred years between YOU said
|, laughing.
II am Twenty-Five" she said. gravely
''Only six years, them"
"OnlY six years." she echoed-only six
ages That child is just beginning life,
and l."
And you?" | repeated, as she paused
loNt III
''l-must be going to my scholars, she
rcjoined. with quick look, half suspicious
half mischievous, at me as she started up.
"Tircsome little animals, as Mr.. Thornc
rightly called them," said |, rising too
AS we entered the hall, the street door
was just closing on Webster.
''Wil that be match do YOU think -
| asked the sight Of him reminding me of
the subject.
Good heavens exclaimed Miss
Knowles, stopping short and gazing any
iousv in my tace-''Rose-NIis Molrell
and Mr. Webster, do YOU mean? DO you
see any real reason for asking such 4
question p
''Only human nature in general, and
if you will excuse my saying so Of your
little friend--AIiss Morrell's nature in par
ticular don't believe if | We're in Web
ster's place. | should dispair''
Rose is thoughtless but cannot be-
leve-"
She did not finish her sentence, but with
knit brows walked off, declining rs she
invariably did, my company on the way.
That same evening, as | was smoking
at my window, heard Miss Knowles
voice from the next room, Miss Morrelrs
She had apparently Just approached the
window, which must have been open, for
| heard every word distinctly
'sNo, Rose, | certainly do not like him.
| distrust his face, it is cruel and cowardly.
If the choice were really between the two,
| should say a thousand times sooner Mr..
Deblay than Mr., Webster, for at least
But when it came to names. thought
it time to make some sign Of existence. !
gave slight cough; the window was in
stantly closed, and | heard no more.
1t appeared, however, that | had not
been the only unlimited listener. to this
scene. The next minute
Webster came out Of the farthest corner
OF the balcony, where he had been sitting,
too deep in shadow to be perceived until
he moved. His face, as it came into the
light, wore an expression that certainly
justified Miss Knowles opinion.
$50 that her game he muttered. But
if | don't manage to get the odd trick OF
her, by--?' and with an oath he brought
down his hand on the railing and disap-
peared.
| hesitated at first if | ought not to put
Miss Knowles on her guard, by informing