The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-11-03

haps now you will become better &C.
quaiuted with her."
"As how?'
"Well, does not your estate at Beck
bridge adioin minep l have heard so. :"
Eyes, it does. What thenp"
81 heard that you were going to stay
there"
("WhGt," he asked himself. "can that
have to do with Miss PercivalPn And
aloud)
That depends entirely on circum.
stances, Miss Darlington. | may 60, or
| may not 1t requires an attraction to
draw me there"
"You have often said, Mr.. Biddulph,
| that you wanted some occupation, and
that you would like me to give you
some"
(This was true. Mr. Biddulph had
| frequently humored Miss Barrlngton's
admiration for the active and practical
| ly minded man, by confessions of that
nature.)
"Would it draw you there, if I said ]
wanted you to go to oblige meP' she
asked, incautiously, and almost before
the answer came repented her.
"By George! Margaret, yes"
Wild with herself for having thus com.
mitted herself, she asked, coldly.
''What do you meanP'
"What do you mean?' retorted Bid
dulph, perceiving in moment that he
had gone too far. Yet, might he not
turn the mistake to advantage? Was
he not cleverer than this reckless girl,
who said the most riSque things with
out needing how her words hit or
missed9 He saw that she was annoyed
with herself, and. summoning all his
"clevernessh 10 his aid, he resolved upon
a stroke of policy which should bind
her to, at least, ''thnk of him." as the
curious saying goes. He said, COM
posedly:
Il think, if you will permit me to
say so, that we should have an eAplana-
ton. On both. sides it would be bet
ter.n
"Oh, no! 1t can only be disagreed,
be-" said Margaret, in her fatally soft
and gentle voice. Evidently, she re-.
quired only little management which
surely a man of the world should be
able to compass. She had not been two
years out of school
"Tm afraid | must insist. You have
said things to me tonight, and at other
times, which you must explain"
''But if can not?"
81 am sure you can. Listen, Miss
Darlington, and try to forget that |
called you Margaret just now, as |
will try to forget that you provoked me
into doing it. .
II never meant"
81 do not know what YOU meant. |
know what you said and what | feel.
For instance, that question about going
to Beckbridge-itw was a curious question
to put to man"
at was, very. I see it now. II
did not mean anything. Atleast, Twas
thinking of something else
Something else than what?' he
asked, throwing little judicious stern
ness into his tone-a sternness which
seemed to have its effect, for Margaret
averted her face and answered with a
voice which was decidedly not steady:
81 can not answer such a question:"
"Did you think that my presence at
the Hall would make the Abbey a little
less dull for youp" he asked, bending a
little nearer to her. 1t would not be
wise to make her cry. Her face was
still averted, and where they sat it was
as nearly dark as possible. The before
named Chinese lanterns were at the
front of the house, and they only saw a
faint reelection of their light
'I-l-no, that was not what was
thinking" answered Margaret, still
TREMENDOUSLY. Mr. Biddulph was SC
clever that it would not easily occur to
him that any one could be laughing al
him-and then that voice-so soft and
sweet
There is one thing, and only one
which would reconcile me to going tc
Beckbridge for a permanency," said
he. land that would be if you, Mar
garet, would 90 with me there. as my
wife, and its mistressP''
There was a pause. A sob rose in
Margarets throat; she felt half hys
terical. g 1t is too bad to try and en-
trap me thus" she thought. "As fol
caring for meP not he. l do not care
what | say now"
And she answered, turning round
and looking at him.
That is quite impossible, Mr.. Bid
dulph."
So decided was the voice; so grave anC
so self-possessed. that he began to fee
at most disagreeable disadvantage.
4" Impossible! Whyp Am l so ex
ceedingly distasteful to you that, unde
no circumstance
oh, not at all. | like you bette,
now than | ever did, because now
understand you. But one does no
necessarily desire to marry the MAJ
whom one understands. | like you
but | like freedom even better than
: You; and, besides, there is another oh
stacle.n
ITO BE CONTINIrFD