Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-01-25

trying to take her hand.
7" As you please, she laughed, shrug-
ging her shoulders. "I can pick my
way through this bog without help"
al hope / am not wanting in gentle
behavior, but before I or you stir a step
further" he said, stepping in front of
her and barring the way, "I want
simple answer to a simple question
plain yes or 'no.' Do you love me,
Madge?"
If I cannot say 'yes, perhaps can
not say no.. 1 think friendship does
not Justify an abrupt no. /"
"I don't want equivocation, he broke
in. If you loved, eyes, lips, voice,
acts, all would blend into 'yes.' 1t
must be yes or mo, say"
Madge had never met any man so mas
terful. But she answered, nevertheless;
"Then, mo-, since you force me to be
unladylike."
81 do not ask you to be unladyike.
1 do not say you are. / asked you for
your love. 1t was a straightforward
question, wanted straightforward
answer. My arm, Miss Barron"
And thus walking, assisting her over
every trihing inequality of ground, they
went on to the villa.
Miss Barron was exceedingly gay that
evening. Lyndhurst loved her! OF
course, she was not going into any prosy
engagement. She could not hedge her.
self in by marriage. But they could
live the delightful life they had lived
this last three weeks always. He had
nothing in particular to do. Why could
he not, when they should return to Lon
don, visit her every day ? She could, she
thought, firt all the same, when he was
not by and his attentions, therefore,
would be just 80 much gained. Her
life was not to be altered an iota. She
did not profess to love the man. He
must not, hewever, scatter bis atten-
tions. He must concentrate all his ad-
miration on her.
But toward the close of the evening,
when Madge found he had not sought
her once, a shadow of a thought passed
through her mind that perhaps he was
not a poodle-dog, after all, to be led
about in this way by string.
She had sung, thinking to bring him
to her side, but he had lounged away
thing he had never done before
when she was at the piano. She had
taken garden stroll with rival, Mr.
Oakley, and Lyndhurst had careless
ly drawn up his outstretched 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 i'll 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 visit
her anger on him. He never joined
her. He was always civil and we'll
bred, but that was all. She was down.
right perplexed.
She scarcely ever met him, even at
table, much less of an evening. He
went fishing by sunrise, rode on horse
back half the day, and at night asked
the gentlemen up to his chamber the
ladies, sitting lonely in the parlor, heard
through the open windows. laughter
ring out and gay songs being sung. 1t
was getting maddening.
One evening Madge curled herself up
on O sofa and looked at the matter
seriously. She must outgeneral him.
But how? She had tried hauteur, and
it had signally failed. Now she would
try dash of "giving in," even though
it hurt her so to do. She would plant
herself on the old footing.
! Just then Lyndhurst stepped into the
room, cautiously at first, as if fearing
her presence. She Immediately rose to
meet him. He did not start, but looked
her over from head to foot without a
word. She gayly said:
"Don't you think your highness is
OVERRIDING things a trife?" Then she
lost control of herself, and showed her
vexation. "Sing to me-" she cried,
"walk with me, talk to me, do anything
to obliterate this doeful week"
"Well, Miss Barron," he answered
coolly, "suppose we talk and walk. I'll
say, under the stars, what I said under
the oaks; and you shall give me a true
answer"
She looked at him moment, then
fairly blazed. Il never saw such per.
sistence. Thank Heaven I 60 home
tomorrow, where gentlemen know what
is due to lady, and take no. for no
without getting sullen. Good night, Mr..
Darlington: and good-by. If you ever
consent to be less boorish, persistent,
shall be pleased to see you in town."
He watched her out of the room ant
then sat down to the piano.
Miss Barron's first impulse was to seel
out the party on the lawn F.; but, some
how, every face ON earth, but one, seem
ed tame. Then she resolved to go into
the library and read but books wer'
so wearying.
"I would play" she said pettishly
If that pig-headed masculine was no
monopolizing the piano.
Just at this point she burst into tears
Crying, usually, to Miss Barren, con
sisted of a couple of tears mopped up b,
a bit of lace. She had never befor'
thrown herself down, in such limp shap
and got into such thorough tempest O
weeping, as now. She was an hour a
it. Gradually she got calmer she sa
up, and began to consider what was mex
best to do.
She tried to think of going home as
pleasure soon at hand. Home Wha
had she there? Only an old aunt, VIII
dozed in lace cap, with a cup of choco
late at her elbow half the time. TIL
memory of the pleasant days spent her
would drive her wild, in that gloom
house. Then she acknowledged that
would be terrible anywhere without
without
She jumped to her feet.
He will drive me Wild" she said
; banging in that way on the piano."
"She passed into the hall and locke
into the drawing-room, where he sat plat
idly playing.
"Poor fellow!'' she thought, "ho
| can / call it obstinacy it looks lik