The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-02-20

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voice, acts all would blend into yes
II must be yes or mo, | say"
Madge had never met any man SO
masterful. But she answered never
/ theless, "Then, mo, since you force
me to be unladylike."
II do not say you are. | asked
you for your love. 1t was a straight
forward answer. My arm, Miss
Barron"
And thus walking, assisting her
over every trifling inequality Of
ground, they went on to the villa.
Miss Barron was exceedingly gay
that evening. Lyndhurst loved herl
OF course she was not going into any
engagement. She could not hedge
herself by marriage, But they could
live the delightful life they had liv.
ed this last three weeks always
He had nothing in particular to do.
Why could he not, when they should
return to London, visit her every
day2 She could, she thought first all
the same, when he was not by; and
his attentions, therefore, would be
| Just so much gained. Her life was
not to be altered an iota, She did
not profess to love the man. He
must not, however, scatter his atten-
tions. He must not concentrate all
his admiration on her.
But toward the close of the even
ing, when Madge found he had not
sought her once, a shadow of thought
passed through her mind that per.
haps he was not a poodlc-dog, after
all, to be led about in this way BY q
string. She had sung, thinking to
bring him to her side, but he had
lounged away-a thing he had nev-
er done before when she was at the
piano. She had taken n garden
stroll with a rival. Mr., Oakley, and
Lyndhurst had carelessly drawn up
his oustretched legs, as he sat lazily
on the veranda steps, to let them
pass down, without other notice Of
their presence. He had, she decided,
fairly ill-treated her, a lady, and she
would not tolerate rudeness. She
would teach him what was due to
her.
But days passed. A week wore on.
She found no possible chance to Wis.
it her anger on him, He never join.
ed her. He was always civil and
well-bred, but that was all. She was
downright perplexcd.
She scarcely ever met him, oven
at table, much less of an evening"
He went fishing by sunrise, rode on
horseback half the day, and at night
asked the gentlemen up to his cham
ber; the ladies, sitting lonely in the
parlor, heard, through the open win
Idows, ,Tlaughter ring out and gay
songs being sung. " was .getting
maddening.
One evening Madge curied herself
upon n sofa and looked at the matter
seriously. She must out-general
him. But how? She had tried hau.
.teur, and it had signally failed
Now she would try dash Of "giving
in," even though it hurt her to do
so. She would plant herself on the
old footing.
Just then Lyndhurst stepped into
the room cautiously at first, as if
fearing the presence Of some one
She Immediately rose to meet him.
He did not start, but looked her over
from head to foot without a word.-
"Don't you think your Highness
is OVERRIDING things trifleH Then
she lost control of herself, and show.
ed her vexation. "Sing to me-" she
cried, "walk with me, talk to me, do
anything to obliterate this doleful
week"
"Well, Miss Barron" he answered
coolly, Suppose we talk and walk
I'll say under the stars, what | said
under the oaks; and you shall give
mo q true answer"
She looked at him a moment and
then fairly blazed. 81 never saw
such persistence. Thank heaven! /
60 home tomorrow, where gentlemen
know what to do to a lady, and take
mo- for mo- without getting sullcn.
Good night, Mr.. Darlington; and,
good-by. If you ever consent to be
less boorishly persistent, | shall be
pleased to see you in town."
He watched her out of the room,
and then sat down to tho piano.
Miss Barron's first impulse was to
seek out the party on the lawn, but
somehow every face on earth but one
seemed tame. Then she resolved TO
go into the library and read, but
books were so wearying.
~ would play" she said pettishly,
"if that pig.headed masculine was
not monopolizing the piano."
Just at this moment she burst into
tears. Crying, usually, to Miss Bar
ron consisted Of couple Of tears
moppcd up by a bit Of lace. She
had never before thrown herself down
in such lump shape, and got her.
self into such a thorough tempest Of
weeping, as now. She was an hour
at it. Gradually she got Calmer.-
She sat up, and began to consider
what was next best 10 do.