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

Success, and, no doubt, fully realized and

luCeHG HOpo! ccuOeu. NOC Wt
Vincent Hope!''
l guessed instinctively that flattery was
not bad gun with which to open fire. By
this time his name was so we'll known tn al
it would have been affectation to appear
to misunderstood me. He bowed and
, smiled.
4 How delightfulI' I exclaimed my
look, am ashamed to say, confirming my
words. Nov, tell me how should talk
to you. Ought to give you my opinion
about all the characters in your books; OF
ought to sit silent and awed. treasuring
Up every word of wit and wisdom you may
let fall?"
Neither, must beg. have just thrown
off the harness, and come down to enjoy
the Squire's clover. am trying to for
get there is such thing as work in the
world"
/ Very well. I shall take you at your
word; after. as in duty bound. saying,
have read all you have written, so far as I
know
His wish to avoid the topic of his own
achievements may have beer a genuine
one, but nevertheless he seemed pleased
with my remark, and looking at me with
smile, said: Exchange is but fair
scarcely heard what the Squire called
you"
"Rivers-Heritage Rivers"
Heritage Rlvers.' he &c hoed musing-
{ ly. ut is an uncommon name, but fan
+, cy have heard it before"
"Oh, pleas don't say so, Mr.. Hope. I
did think 1 had one original thing to boast
of-my name. How would you like, after
looking upon all your plots as original, to
find them but piagiarisms ?"
He laughed. MANY are. fear. But
you are trespassing Oh forbidden ground.
Let us seek fresh pastures"
We die so. We talked all dinner-time.
think we talked about everything under
the sun-talked. moreover, almost like old
friends. When he differed from my opin-
ions he told me in well.chosen words why
he differed. And as be spoke whispered
ever and anon to myself, Raw and awk-
ward-a decent sort of woman" Yet
now Mr. Hope was condescending enough
not only to listen attentively to my words,
but to reply to them as if they had weight
with him. All this was very delightful
The first steps to revenge were smooth
and pleasant ones; for there is no need to
say that hated him as much and felt as
vindictive as ever.
He was walking straight to his fare. I
felt it when, just before Mrs. Lighton
gave the signal for departure, he dropped
his voice almost to whisper, and was
good enough to say that, to him, the pecu
liar charm of this particular dinner was
that such an agreeable interchange of
ideas would not be ended with the night.
but might be resumed tomorrow. Coming
as it did from such a famous person, 1
could only glance my thanks, blush, and
look pleased at the compliment.
When, with the rest of my sex, rose
and walked to the door. 1 knew that his
eyes were following me; and ( knew also
that. although clever. captious, critical
those eyes might be. they could find little
fault with my bearing or general de-
meanor.
At Blaize House it was understood that
the gentlemen, especially the younger
ones. we're not allowed to linger long over
the wine. When they entered the drawing
room. I was sitting, almost hidden from
sight, in recess near the window. no.
ticed as he came through the door, that
Mr.. Hope looked round, as though in
search of some one, and as. when at last
he discovered my retreat, his search SEEM
ed at an end, could only think Its OBJECT
was myself. However, we had little more
to say to each other this evening. All the
children of the house were his friends.
and had many questions to ask him. We
had music and singing as usual; but l
made some conventional excuse, and did
not take my share in them. Before we
parted for the night, Vincent H ope came
to my side.
"Surely you sing, Miss Rivers ?" he
SAID.
IA little. But I am not in the mood to
sing tonight"
He pressed me to make an attempt; but
refused. Thinking I had done quite
enough for the first evening, kept my
voice in reserve. But I talked short
time about music. and found him well
versed in the art, and, of course, an un-
sparing critic. He was very hard on
the ordinary drawing-room playing and
singing, and by no means complimentary
| to the performers of the evening. laugh
! ed, and told him how thankful felt that
something bad warned me not to show my
poor skill to such an able but severe
| Judge My words led him to believe that
my talent for music was very third-rate
one. This was exactly what 1 wished him
to think.
He was soon drawn away from my side.
and we spoke no more until the general
good night took place, and the men went
to the billiard room, and NY own sex to
their couches. Once more l courtesied to
Miss Rivers IN the cheval glass, and told
her she had surpassed my most sanguine
expectations. Then. in very happy
frame of mind, / went to bed.
CONCLUSION.
Very promising, too, were the events of
the next day. felt tibet the man hated
was paying me attentions above my fell
lows. Of course, it was not marked
enough to attract notice, but attention it
was. undoubtedly. He walked with me,
and told me, among other things, great
deal about his early life and struggles for
success. He was quite interesting; so
much so that wished could check these
con6dences. I feared that bis talk might