Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-01-25

w tdlA ocC1otS' LII SuCu CASES. uly hcoi
sense of honor must, Of course. make mi
reveal my presence. made firm resolu
ton that would not play at eavesdrop
ping. Alas for poor humanity In a min
ute 1 was straining my ears to catch every
word. Yet how could help it2 Herr
tage Rivers was the subject of their dis
course.
~ hope you found your companion at
dinner a pleasant one ?'' said Mr.. Ram.
say.
20 yes, very pleasant, replied Mr..
Hope carelessly. "She's nice sort of a
girl. dare saY.''
A nice sort of a girl! The wretched
man hated him!
I'VE think great deal more of her than
that" said that dear old Mr.. Ramsay.
Indeed replied his companion, with
out evincing the slightest interest in the
matter.
indeed and indeed" echoed my
old friend. ''But, joking apart, did you
not notice she bids fair to be most beau
tiful woman2'
It would have needed little more to
have brought me from my lurking place
on purpose to kiss that good old mani
Vincent Hope laughed quietly. "To
tell you the truth" he said, 81 don't
think noticed her much. She seemed to
me of the ordinary school girl type. I
don't care much for school girls"
dug my nails into my hands and
ground my teeth. Handsome as the man
looked in the moonlight, could have
killed him then and there.
yet" said Mr.. Ramsay. II noticed she
talked pretty freely to you.
The shrug of Mr.. Hopes shoulders al
most maddened me. YES; bat sad nor
sense, " he said, although it was rather
amusing at times. Or course, it's not fair
tojudge her now. She is very raw, and,
| should say, rather awkward. If proper
ly looked after, Eo doubt she will grow up
to be decent sort of a young woman"
Raw and awkward He spoke Of me-
me, whom many of my school-friends call
ed Queen Heritage, from the stately and
dignified manner I was supposed to assume
at times. A decent sort Of young woman
That | should hear man, one, moreover,
in his own opinion judge on such mat
ters, gravely set this up as the standard to
which | might arrlve-if properly looked
after. 1t was too much, the fall was too
great. A nd as the horrible thought fash
ed across me that his description might
be true, his prediction correct, tears of
sheer modification sprang Into my eyes.
Even Mr.. Ramsay's almost testy rejoin-
der gave me no comfort.
80 nonsense, Hope She will grow up
q beautiful, accomplished. and clever wo-
man. You judge her wrongly. Talk to
her again in the drawing-room; there, she
will he more at home"
"All right; will" the wretch answer
cd. "But at present want to talk to you
about more important things than young
ladies. have to-day been offered tie
edtorship of the PiccadiJly Magazine.
Shall I take it
81 congratulate you. But it is too seri-
GUS matter to decide out here. We will
talk it over by-and-by. We must join the
ladies now. I see every one else has gone
I'M
Then / suppose we must" said Mr..
Hope rather ruefully, and tossing his cigar
away with half-sigh.
waited minute, then I peered out,
and at last ventured to creep around the
laurel and reconnoitre. The broad back
of my candid critic was just disappearing
through the dining-room window. I shook
my fist viciou sly at it. I watched Mr..
Ramsay follow his guest, saw the window
close and the blind fall; then flew at top
speed to the library, whence 1 had made
my exit, entered noiselessly, and threw
myself into chair, feeling that my life
was blighted.
The room was family lit up; the door
was closed; l was alone with my misery;
for misery it was; thought the word
soberly and advisedly, without thought
of TESTING. Fortunately or unfortunately,
l had heard myself appraised at my true
value. My merits had been welghd by an
impartial hand; 7 had been judged and
condemned. l was failure. Raw and
"a decent sort of young
words ate into my heart
No expressions could have been devised
which would have wounded me more
deeply.
He would give me another chance in the
drawing-room. Would he! / think no.,
Mr.. Vincent Hope. No power en- earth
shall take me there tonight. I turn the
gas up, and look at myself in the mirror.
My hair is disheveiled, my eyes are red
and cannot help fancying that my nose
looks rather coarse. Yes; it must be true;
I am not even good-looking.
Beneficial as it may be for one who is
not without vanity to learn the truth,
hate with q deadly hatred the man who
has revealed it to me. Solemnly / declare,
somehow, that some day will have my
revenge. l anu very young, which is an
advantage to one who may have to wait
oag time for 8 certain object. 0 yes;
;an Walt-whether ten, fifteen, or twenty
years, GIN wait; but I will have revenge.
,ull revenge. So [ rayed on and on, grow
tg more tragical every moment, until
broke down, and began to cry again.
had barely dried my eyes, when Clara
entered the room. what, Heritage %
,he cried; ''you here have hunted high
md low for YOU, but pever thought of
ooking here. Come into the drawing.
Dom; we must sing our duet.'
pleaded splitting headache; I could
lot bear the hot room. SHOULD go to bed
1t once; and in spite of Clara's entreatles,
20 bed l went, and had the pleasure of
ireaming that l was sticking stilettos and