The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-04-05

to me, and said in a quiet earnest voice;
Heritage, 1 love you. Will you be my
wife ?"
I could not answer. All could do was
to prevent myself breaking into hysterical
laughter.
He tried to take my hand. Heritage,
my darling! l think loved you the mo-
ment l saw you. Look up, and answer
me- Say you love me, and will be my
wife !'
His wife After hating him for so long
after Mabel's reproaches- winning
his love in way the thought of which
made me blush Never, never, never
So | steeled myself-drew myself up to
every inch of my height-looked him full
in the face-triumphed, and took my re-
venge. hope and think L spoke compos
eddy, if not coldly.
''Mr. Hope, you honor me greatly, but
it cannot be- Please, never mention it
again"
His face was very pale; and when an
expression of positive pain left it, grew
stern, almost hard. My manner must have
convinced him was in earnest. No doubt,
had [ wished, l could have made him fall
at my feet and plead passionately. But
then, unless one is an utter savage, vindic-
tiveness must be limited. | had done
enough.
Perhaps, under such trying circum-
stances, no man could have behaved in a
more dignifed manner than did Mr.. Hope.
II am to understand, he said calmly,
although there was look in his eyes L
dared not meet-'I am to understand you
you do not love me-"
[ bowed.
"Please let me hear yon say SO" he
said.
II do not. Let us say no more about
it. 1 think I will go back to the house
now"
We walked in silence until we were
close to the gates. Then he said: ''Unless
my presumption to-day makes my pres
ence unbearable to you, shall stay two
days longer, as 1 promised Mr.. LEIGHTON.
1t is not worth while to set people inquir-
ing as to the reason for hasty depar-
ture."
/ uOl, l. lhShSiSNt "a
long as you wish; or, if you prefer it, l
will leave"
"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 nv revenge. 1t was so full, so com,
plete, so exactly as l planned it. And
writers and poets say that revenge is sweet
O yes, it was very, very sweet to me-sc
sweet, that | doubled-locked the door, that
no one might see how much l enjoyed it
so. sweet, that l threw myself on my bed,
and thought my heart must break as
sobbed and wept; for the truth must be
told loved Vincent Hope even as he
said, and as l hoped he loved me. Yet
for the sake of vanity, 1 had to-day re
iected the love of man. the best, the no
blest, the cleyerest in the world l had
hurled my boarded stone, and right well il
had fulfilled its mission; but its rebounc
had crushed me. o yes, revenge is very
sweet!
1 rose, and walking up to the Heritag
Rivers in the cheval glass, shook my IFS
~ bor yiala.,4Iz- you rUoi.'' 1 said u
her "a nice mess you have made of life
Revenge, indeed Call it by its RICH
name, folly. Go and clothe yourself il
saekcloth-coVeF your head with ashes
and cry your eyes out for to-day's work. .
Then Mabels words about wrecked lift
came to my mind; and although l could
not believe that the happiness of such {
man as Vincent Hope could depend upor
an idiot like myself, L thought of thai
strange look 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. Ay, revenge
forsooth, revenge is sweet
In spite of all, 1 determined to 90 down
to dinner. 1 would do that much, for hi
sake. 1t should not be suspected that any
thing had gone wrong between us; and /
knew that, if I stayed away, Mabel, fol
one, would certainly guess what had occur.
red. This, if l 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 |
scorned and refused. made great effort
dabbed my eyes with rose water, and went
downstairs in passable trim.
Tonight, we were not side by side, hut
sat directly opposite to one another Ma
bel was right-Vipcent Hope was proud
man, His discontinue was no concern Of
the worlds, so he showed no traces of it.
All save one at that table would have said
that his heart was gay and light No one
would have dreamed that, few hours be-
fore, his love had been refused by an idiot
of girl He laughed and TESTED; anecdote
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, l 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 pround man, and Heritage Rivers fool!
1 would rather say nothing about the
next two days. l hated myself so much,
that 1 wonder l have ever forgiven myself
perhaps l never have All 1 care to
say is that none ever suspected what had
happened; even Mabel began to think that
the accusation of flirting should lie at Vim
cent Hopes door, not mine; for although
he talked to me when needful, it was easy
to see that his manner was changed.
The morning of the third day came, and
I knew that in few hours we should shake
hands, part, and there would be the end of
everything.
Blaize is fifteen miles from railway
station, and that station is so unimportant
that very few trains stop at it. Vincent
Hope, to reach town that evening, was OBJ
liged 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
L. ha 4ool- 30