Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-02-01

THAT is out of the question:" he re
Piled, as we crossed the threshold and
parted.
| went to my room-to exult, of course
In my revenge. It was so full, SO com
plete, so exactly as had planned it. And
writer's and poets say that revenge is
sweet. o yes, it was very, very sweet to
me-so sweet that I double-locked the
door, that no one might see how much
enjoyed it-so sweet that I threw myself
on my bed, and thought my heart must
break as sobbed ard wept; for the truth
must be told loved Vincent Hope even
as he said, and as hoped he loved me.
Yet, for the sake of vanity, had to-day
rejected the love of a man, the best, the
noblest, the c'everest in the world had
hurled my boarded stone, and right well
it had fulfilled Its mission, but its rebound
had crushed me. 0 yes, revenge is very
sweet
rose, and walking up to the Heritage
Rivers in the cheval glass, shook my fist
at her violently. you fool !" l said to
her. "a nic+s mess you have made of
life Revenge, indeed Call it by its right
name, Folly. Go and clothe yourself in
sackcloth-cover your head with ashes,
and cry your eyes out for to-day's work. %
Then Mabel's words about wrecked life
came to my mind, and although 1 could
not believe that the happiness of such a
man as Vincent Hope could be dependent
upon an idiot like myself, I thought of
that strange look I had seen in his eyes
that look no resolution of mine could
make me meet. So I went back to bed
once more, and cried and abused myself.
Az, revenge, forsooth, revenge is sweet
In spite of all, determined to go down
to dinner. l would do that much for his
sake. 1t should not be suspected that
anything had gone wrong between US;
and l knew that if I stayed away, Mabel,
for one, would certainly guess what had
occurred. This, if I could prevent it,
should be known to no one. smiled
grimly as thought how my revenge must
fail in this, that the world would never
know what had scorned and refused. I
made great effort; dabbed my eyes with
rose-water, and went down stairs in pas
sable trim.
Tonight we were not side by side, but
sat directly opposite to one another. Mabel
was right-Vincent Hope was proud
man. His discontinue was no concern of
the world; so he showed no trace of it. All
save one at that table would have said
that his heart was gay and light. No one
would have dreamed that, a few hours be-
fore, his love had been refused by an idiot
of a girl. He laughed and jested; anecGote
and witty repartee fell increasingly from
his lips. He held the whole talk. or every
unit of the party talked to him. Yet,
woman-like. noticed that he drank more
wine than was his usual custom, and at
times there was sharper, harder ring in
his voice. Had it not been for this and
the remembrance of the look which still
haunted me, [ could have believed he had
forgotten or brushed away from his mind
the events of the day. Vincent Hope was
a proud man, and Heritage Rivers a fool
1 would rather say nothing about the
next two days. I hated myself so much
that I wonder have ever forgiven myself
l never have. ALI care to say
is that none even suspected what had
even Mabel began to think that
the accusation of flirting should lie at
Vincent Hopes door, not mine; for al
though he talked to me when needful, it
was easy to see that his manner was
changed.
The morning of the third day came
and knew that, In few hours, we would
shake hands, part, and there would be the
end of everything.
Blaize is fifteen miles from railway
station, and that station is so unimpor-
that very few trains stop at it. Vincent
Hope, to reach town that evening, was
obliged to start betimes. Soon after
luncheon, Charlie Lighton and the dog
cart were waiting to take him to the train,
and after many expressions of regret from
host and hostess, he took his seat and Was
ready to start. Of course our hands met,
as, in common with every one else, he
babe me adieu-a quiet, polite adieu,
nothing more-not even coupled with the
wish we might meet again.
Why should he wish to meet me again .
Our encounters as yet had not been happy
in their results to either That accom-
plished whip, Charlie, gathered w the
reius, and with last, allembracing
good-by, Vincent Hope was sped away
along the winding carriage drive, and.
for the first time in her foolish life, Herr
tage Rivers knew that such things as
broken hearts may be found outside of
rOmances.
Something was afoot that afternoon
paty Or skating party; for it was
the middle of January and bitterly cold.
Now that the necessity of keeping up ap-
pearances for another's sake was at an
end, Miss Rivers-my unworthy self-felt
very much like breaking down and dis
graclpg herself. She longed for solitude,
and made some excuse to stay at home.
AS every one was bound on the expedition,
she had the house practically to herself.
After bemoaniDg her WickedneSs and folly
for some time in the sanctity Of her own
a strange craving came over
her. She felt she must go down and sit
in the little room which adjoined the
library; and although censuring her own
weakness, she yielded to the impulse.
Vincent Hope, in spite of his resolve
to spend his time at Blaize House in we'll
earned idleness, had been unable to do so
exactly. Ominous rolls of printed matter
Came by post-a sin of long standing, he !
!.