Saint Mary's beacon., 1883-03-01

knew that be was gazing ct something
that was passing fair
II she wakes, she will spoil il all. |"
ne said to himself II haven't seen
such q sight as this for years--not for
years i and be sat quite still. hardly
daring to breathe for fear he should
wake her.
Old Timothy. who had crept out
aide the door to listen what would
happen. could not make out the alb
solute silence within the room BIT,
and stole back 10 his kitchen again
quite puzzled aud perpIexed.
Presently something--the conscious
ness. perhaps. that somebody was look
ing at her-roused Lottie from her
siumber She stirred uneasily, then
half opened her eyes.
Dunstan Reade : face grew hard and
grim again. Asleep. she was a, love-
lY pieture-awake, she was merely a
noisy. shrill-voiced woman-one of the
sex he hated. She would be horribly
frightened. he reflected, with grim sat-
lsfaction. when she awoke and found
him sitting opposite her.
If you have seen a child awake out
of its midday sleep. with Just little
stretch of its arms, and rosy flush
upon its face, and little opening Of
ats rosebud lips-that was how Lot
tie awoke. Then, when she was
awake, she did not start MP nervous
ly, or look frightened and Scared
no, not in the very least The i'm
age of that grim-faced miser glaring
at her did not appear to alarm her at
all. She just moved her head very
little against the back of the chair,
and smiled at him.
"Oh, you have come back, have
you p said Lottie.
"What are you doing here r. asked
Mr.. Reade, sternly.
well, | was waiting for you" an
swered the girl, unabashed.
who let you in? Dom you know
that | don't allow women in here-a
set of baggage-lazy hussies, every
one of them
well, so they are-you are quite
right + answered Lottie, with little
laugh. ''You see, / am no better than
the rest of them, for went to sleep;
otherwise | should have busted your
papers"
Dunstan gave a sort of gasp, and
looked jealously round.
mo, don't be alarmed. didn't
touch them-i knew better; | went
to sleep. What are you reading all
those books about chemistry for, Mr..
Reade p
He looked at her suspiciously. The
charm she had thrown over him in her
slumber had partly faded with her
waking presence; but still there was
something that subjugated his morose
and savage nature. She was different
from what he had remembered women
to be.
What do you want to find about
me 2" he growled.
Oh, nothing about you. / only
shoald have liked to understand some
OF the books you seem to be studyine?'
Women don't understand things
they are silly, ignorant creatures, and
know nothing.
oh but they needn't be silly and
Ignorant at all; they can learn. If
you teach me. could learn quite
well. l have quite as many brains as
you have, probably
What !?
Well, SO have. I don't know 80
much about chemistry, perhaps, but
know great many other things
much better than youdo. If YOU will
teach me. then will teach you if you
like
Now this was altogether such a new
view Of things to Dunstan Reade that
he was quite nonplussed, and did not
know how to answer. He fell back
after minute upon his old line of
roughness and incivility.
1 cant stop wasting my time talk
ing to you. | suppose YOU have come
to beg for somebody never give
money away haven't any to give
so you can 60 I
oh, dear, mol / don't want any,
thing at all. | never thought wheth-
er you had any money or no.
We'll, / haven't-not farthing
| am as poor as a pauperI These
books are all / have in the world I
4 don't care at all whether Won are
rich or poor | came to ask you to
come to dinner
What / screamed the old man: he
could hardly believe his ears. DO
you want to insult me-
'Oh, dear, mol Why should IY
Don't you think / can afford to paw
for my own dinner?'
i really never thought about that.
l want you to come to dinner, so that
you may talk to papa and me. Papa
Is q doctor. you know, and he is very
fond OF chemistry, so am sure you
will get on together
Olyou are Har6eld' 3 daughter, then?
Yes, am Lottie Harfield; and you
are coming to dinner with us tonight
please say yes-seven o'clock sharp;
quite plain dinner, and talk about
chemistry And Lottie rose to her
feet and picked up her hat from the
ground, preparatory to taking her de-
parture.
Dunstan Reade looked down at his
hands. then at his boots, then some
thing that was like smile rassed
over that wintry countenance.
4 can't dine with you, he murmur-
ed; It is 50 long-so many years since
Il dnr.f Er..... -. 4. 4.