Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-07-31

xrong with Sophie; that she had made
up her mind either not % 6e Pl13JAd 81
not to please. Could it be that she had
foreseen what was coming HAT Z
preseniment of that visit and 3tsrresult
had dictated the merry speeches in her
chamber? Be that - it may, q hall
hour had not elapsed before Harry
Ainslee's hand and fortune (which lat
ter, by the way, was nothing wonderfully
were in the same place where Capt.
Morris and Dr.. wilkins had been be-
fore them.
"The first man that ever heard say
such things without making fool Of
himself" muttered Sophie, emphatical-
ly, from behind her fan, a. abe sat,
blushed and evidently gratified, yet
deigning any reply to the gallant.
straightforward speech in which her
lover had risked his all of hope.
He ought to do penace for the pref
ty way he manages his tongue. He's
altogether too calm to suit me-" And
Sophie shook her curly head meaning
ly, holding her fan before her for a
screen. Did she forget what he had
been saying? II wonder il l could
snore the way Uncle Jones used to in
church," she soliloquized. Wouldn't
it be fun and wouldn't plague Harry,
if be thought had been sleeping while
he was talking?"
Sophie's blue eyes danced with sup
pressed merriment rs she gave two or
three hearty breathings, and followed
them up with nasal explosion worthy
of an orthodox deacon. 1t was well
done-and Electrically done-and poor
Harry sprung bolt upright, surprised,
mortified, chagrined. Human nature
could stand it no longer, and Sophie
gave vent to her mirth in burst of tri-
umphant laughter.
You little witch-you mischief
you spirit of evil" exclaimed the re.
lieyed Harry as he sprang to her side
and caught her by the arm with a grip
which made her scseam. "You de.
serve shaking for your behavior y
| Then lowering his voice he added
gravely: I.t
"Will you never have done torment
ing me? If you love me can you not
be generous enough to tell me so, and
If you do not, am not at least worthy
of candid refusal?
Words sprang to Sophie's lips that
would have done credit to her woman.
ly nature, for the whole depths of hel
being was stirred and drawn toward him
as they never before had been toward
any man.
But she could not quite give up hel
raillery then. She would 60 one step
farther from him ere she laid her hand
in his, and told him he was dear than
all the world beside. So she checked
the tender response that trembled on
her tongue and flinging off his grasp
with knocking gesture and ringing
laugh, darted across the room to the
piano.
She seated herself, ran her finger,
gracefully over the keys, and broke GU,
in wild, brilliant, defiant song, that
made her listeners ears tingle as he
stood watching her, and choking back
the indignant words that came crowd.
ing to his lips for utterance.
"Sophie, listen to mel" he said al
length, as she paused from sheer ex.
haustion. Is it generous-is it Just ia
trifie with me soto turn into ridicule
the emotion Of heart that offers to YOU
the most reverent affections? have
loved you, because beneath this volatile
surface character of yours, l thought
saw truthfulness and simplicity, purity
of soul, and a warm current of tender
wamanly feelings that would bathe with
blessings the whole life of him whose
hand was so fortunate as to touch its
secret springs. You are an heiress
and l only poor student; but if that is
the reason why you treat me so scorn.
fully, you are less the noble woman than
thought you"
Sophie's head was averted, and a
suspicious moisture glistened in hel
eyes as Harry ceased speaking. All
why is 1t that we sometimes hold Oul
highest happiness so lightly-carrying il
carelessly in our hands, as though il
were but dress, stalking it all upon ar
idle caprice
Then she turned her countenance to-
ward him again, the same mockins
light was in her eyes, the same coquet
ish smile breathed from her lips.
"Speaking of heiresses," said Sophie
"there's Helen Myrtle, whose father il
worth twice as much as mine. Perhap
you had better transfer your attention
to her. Mr.. Ainslee. The difference il
our doweries would no doubt be quit,
an inducement, and possibly she nigh
consider your case more seriously thar
1 have DONE"
Like an insulted prince, Harry Aims
lee stood up before her--the hot fer,
INDIGNANT blood daShad in a Goroo 20 -