Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-11-07
said finally, 10 offer that pledge to an utter

"You believe in pbysiognomy So do l, u
she said quickly; then, as If repenting o
even that slight impulsiveness, she resum.
ed in the old tone, "Still, suppose after all
1 Iwere TO turn out desperate character
what would you say then2"
II should say with one of our New York
| judges, that there must have been 'attonu-
ating circumstances" replied, laughing.
She smiled, and reached out her hand 10
her glass "Very well, TO neghborhood
and friendship then, since you choose TO
run the risk -
This little dialogue had been carried on
thus far under cover of rather noisy dis
cussion opposite, but here some one spoke
to Miss Knowles, and was obliged TO con-
tent myself with observing her. did not
fad 1t tiresomo occupation. She was a
very handsome woman-for though un-
married and evidently young, no one would
have thought of calling Miss Knowles q
| girl, ,-aud there was much more than beau
| ty in her face, there was a meaning in ev-
cry line, meaning which suggested that
hers had been no ordinary or easy life. But
though set face, 1t was not hard one,
| and attracted in spite Of itself.
"Miss Knowles, think 1t is too unkindr'
said the person who had interrupted us,
one of the prettiest little schoolgirls ev-
er saw, leaning forward from our side Of
the table. "You haven't spoken a wcrd to
me yet. do believe you've forgotten that
we're engaged"
"By Jove! Miss Knowles is to be en-
ri . 4 lt.:.
the marked way in which he said it made
the speech a rude one. Deblay perhaps
thought so, for he said instantly,
"Oh, mon Dieu yes, Mees Noailles and
Mees Morrell are to be envied and blamed
alike, both the two 1t is cruel of your
sex to monopolize itself against us misera-
bles, you hear, Mademoiselle Morrell ?''
If one had fancied Miss Knowles face
hard, he would have changed his mind in
watching the smile with which she answer
ed the laughing young girl, smile out of
which the ice had melted and left pure sun
light.
mo, I've not forgotten, Rosa" she said !;
'but you know of old I never kiss and
tell"
~ was a VI tuiS S-dS
had occasion later repeatedly to observe
that, whatever she said or did, she could
not help being remarkable, so much her
personality made itself felt in every thing.
She made that quotation from the common
little song just as anybody might have
done, carelessly. and manifestly without a
thought of effect, yet do not believe there
q Of ba tob h.,
her lips quite unmoved. Even Webster
lifted his eyes to her with a kind Of sulen
admiration, tribute WHICH he was as un-
willing to give as she to receive, but which
was forced from him against his will.
My pledge of friendship, am constran-
ed to admit, did not advance me as gould
have wished with Miss Knowles. A GER
tain degree of progress she allowed mo to
make, but never one step beyond. Oddly
enough it was kind of disagreement which
served me most, and which came about in
this way. One evening 1 had been reading
to her, and had just closed the book rs tw-
light came on, when my attention was at.
tracted by newly married pair in the bal
cony opposite, who, regardless of the doub-
le row of houses, were indulgng in some
of those demonstrations peculiar to the
honeymoon. 1t would only have amused
me, as usual, but for the effect it had on
Miss Knowles. 1 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 breath
"She thinks it will last !-poor little fool !"
Involuntarly quotation from the volume
we had been reading together came to my
lips: 81 too have been in Arcadiaw
should hardly have known that had spok-
en- aloud, but for the way in which she
turned on me.
"What suggested that to you ?" she said,
imperiously. "Tell me, insistr'
"The expression of your face just now,"
l answered smiling. "There was a whole
romance In it,
"Indeed y she rejoined, with deliber-
ate emphasis contrasting with her former
abruptness, ''that must be agreeable pas
time, trying to surprise faces off their guard!
Perhaps you are going to favor me with 9TH
or revelations gained in the same way?"
Aside from the sudden, most unwelcome
conviction that had indeed chanced on
some airing chord of the past, I was so
taken aback 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 lny look, suppose, for
the next moment she said, in very differ
ent tone: 81 beg your pardon, sincerely,
Mr.. Denvers, yon have right TO your
thoughts, and it was / who forced you TO
explain them. Only''-and she gave a
forced smile, "take my advice, and don't
waste your time studying my face; the TO.
mances you might read there would not be
good for much in any sense. And now,
forgive mel" And she reached out her
hand to me. l took II and held II a mo-
ment while our eyes met. What she read
in mine don't know, but whatever il was,
1t did not appear to please her, for she drew
her hand away quickly with slight frown.
Sill, as said, after this, though she did
not admit me TO any more real intimacy.
her manner was less formal and more
friendly.
Meantime, while was, as hoped, maxi
ing progress in her good graces, events
were working TO bring to the surface the
latent feud between her and Mr.. Webster.
That amiable gentleman had taken to de-
voting himself somewhat demonstratively
to Miss Rosa Morrell, to the manifest dis
comiture of M. Eugene Deblay, but not of
Miss Rosa herself, who, like most school
girls, was an arrant little flirt, and had not
got the slightest objection to any number
of strings TO her bow. So she did not check
Webster's rather pronounced fluctuations
on her sixteenth birthday, but replied with
a look at once shy and saucy, and quite
enough 10 turn any head moi inrnod al