The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-04-05
MISS RIVERS REVENGE.
TcoETrNUED FROM FIRST PAGE. ]

nv plans and draw soothing pictures OF the
effects of my revenge. l resolved to risk
no chance meeting with the foe; and feel
ing that a good beginning would be half
the battle, before six o'clock went to my
room to arm for the fray.
Remember, am confessing, not testing.
sent for my maid, and babe her take
down my hair and brush it. Ii, as her
deft fingers braided my locks to my salts
faction, L had thought the girl would have
comprehended me, l might have quoted
certain lines of Mrs. Brownings which
kept singing through my head:
Comb it smooth, and crown it fair; .,.,
would look in purple pail. from the lattice down
And throw scorn on one that's there.
ANYWAY, she crowned it fair enough, and
by my express desire, clad me in my most
becoming gear. Then, few minutes be
fore the bell rang, | sent her away, and
stood alone before the cheval glass, survey
ing myself with a contented smile. For
my plan of revenge had at least the merit
of simplicity it was to win that mans adj
miration-if possible his love, Upon the
day when he offered me the latter, and !
coidly and scornfully rejected it, [ should
feel that 1 had squared all accounts be-
tween us in manner highly satisfactory
to myself
How do women win mems love? L did
not quite know but fancied, if conducted
properly, the operation was not OF dlth
cult nature hoped and believed should
succeed. Althoug h my resolution reads
badly, and sounds even worse, confronted
myself by thinking that as meant to refuse
what l laid myself out to win, no one would
dare to censure me or accuse me OF very
unbecoming conduct. And now wha
are my weapons with which to conquer,
l look at myself in the glass. 1t may
read like vanity, but [ feel that old MIR
Ramsays prediction is fairly verified
Although L blush as appraise myself
know 1 am something not, perhaps, tal
off a beautiful woman. 1 am tall. NJ,
figure is fairly good. My complexion vii
bear any test; and something tells me
could, if 1 wished, make my eyes danger
Gus. So much for nature. As for art
[ have chosen the prettiest of many pretty
gowns, and my gowns now have knaci
of sitting well upon me so | am not asham
ed to walk gracefully across the room, ant
courtesying to myself in the glass, say
approvingly to my double: ayes, Heritag
Rivers, you have grown into very decen
sort of a woman-a very decent sort J
Having refreshed my memory by the repe
t;t;on Of that peculiarly galliug phrase,
gather up my skirts and sally forth to vic
tory.
Fortune favored me. As the creates
stranger and last arrival, it would hav
been in Vincent Hopes province to take on
hostess into the dining-room, had we no
been favored that day by the presence OF
county magnate, whose claim to Precedenc
could not be lightly overlooked. 1t SCENE
but natural and part Of the plot that tn
Squire should present Mr.. Vincent Hop
to Miss Rivers, and for the second time il
their lives these two should be seated sid
by side slipping their cup in unison-bu
this time if wounded vanity was to be tn
result of the contiguity, Miss Rivers woul
not 66 4 tbbeg RRii ftimn on u,, -. ,,,..
from town, Mr.-Vi-o~-4 y Q - II
Squire said? We all call him Squire, 20
know"
80 yes, He is aa old friend of mine
But he called me Vincent Hope, | sus
pect."
This gave me what / wanted, an excus
for looking him full in the face-an ac
which, besides being fitting tribute to hi
fame, enabled me to observe how time ha
treated him. So 1 lifted my lashes ant
looked straight at him. If Time had no
been quite so idle with him, it had treate,
him kindly He was handsome as ever
The hair near his temples being just fecke'
with gray, did not detract from his goo
looks, I thought his features looked NOR
marked, aud the whole expression of hi
face more confident and powerful even thai
of old He had won success, and, n,
doubt, fully realized and enjoyed tn
fact.
"Vincent Hoper' I echoed. "Not TIL
Vincent Hope?"
1 guessed instinctively that fattery wa
not bad gun with which to open fire
By this time his name was so well know
that it would have been affectation to ap
pear to misunderstood me. He bowed
and smiled.
allow delightful ~ I exclaimed; ma
look, l am ashamed to say, confirming my
words. HNow, 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, measuring
up every word Of wit and wisdom you
may let fall p
"Neither, l must beg, 1 have just thrown
off the harness, and come down to enjoy
the Squirrels clover. am trying to forget
there is such thing as work in the world. >
every we'll l shall take you at ypui
word; after, as in duty bound, saying, ]
have read all you have written, so far as
know"
His wish to avoid the topic of his own
achievements may have been genuine one
but nevertheless he seemed pleased with my
remark, and looking at me with smile,
said Exchange is but fair. 1 scarcely
heard what the Squire called you"
"Rivers-Heritage Rivers.
| Heritage hlvers, ne echoeu muslnSiy
at is an uncommon name; but | fancy
have heard it befose.n
"Oh, please don't say so, Mr.. Hope.
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 plagiarisms p
He laughed "NIany are, l fear. But
you are trespassing on forbidden ground.
Let US seek fresh pastures"
We did so. We talked all dinner-time
I 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 he spoke, whispered
ever and anon to myself: "Raw and awk-
ward-a decent sort of woman" Yet,
now Mr.. Hone was copdescendipe enough