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

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
bemoaning her wickedness and folly for
some time in the sanctity of her own cham
Der, strange craving came over her. She
felt she must 90 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 well-earned
idleness, had been unable to do so exactly.
Omino us rolls of printed matter came by
post-a sin of long standing, he said, which
publishers insisted ON dragging into daylight
at once. So he did one or two hours
work each day, and grumbled at it in a
very amusing manner. By tacit consent,
the little room had been kept sacred to him;
there, when he chose, he worked without
fear of interruption. 1t was no doubt on
account of this that Miss Rivers felt
that uncomfortable desire to. sit for a
while in this particular room. The
stupidity of her desire need not be
commented upon, as her generally idiotic
nature must have made itself manifest many
pages back. She entered the room and
closed the door softly. She sat down at
the leather-covered table, and leaning her
head on her hands, looked anything but a
prosperous, healthy, comfortable, young
woman. Presently she glanced stealthily
around her, and from the bosom of her
dress drew out photograph of very
handsome, distinguished looking man. Mr..
Hope had given it to her, at her request,
some days before. 1t was to go into her
celebrity album, she told him. Laying it
on the table between her elbows, Miss
Rivers gazed at it long and earnestly, until
her foolish eyes became so misty with tears
that she could see it no longer One by
one those tears began to fall, and soon
came so fast that she gave in altogether
forgot where she was-forgot all risk Of
interruption; and laying her head on the
table, presented the very picture of woe.
Her bewailings and beweepings were at
their greatest height, when the door was
suddenly thrown open and Mr. Hope stood
before her! She sprang to her feet, and III
her agitation brushed the photograph to
the ground Even in her dire confusion
the prayer that it might fall face downwards
framed itself But she dared not look to
see, she had to face the intruder as best
she could. Yet he seemed for the moment
taken even more aback than Miss Rivers
He stammered out something about shat
broken three miles from home-impossi
bility of catching the train-come back tt
write telegram, etc. Then he looked oil
the ground, and what he saw there wa
, enough to make him glance wonderingly a
the shamefaced girl, who stood before hin
with wet lashes and glowing cheeks.
Miss Rivers-Heritager' he said, "tel
[ me what this means"
, She made no reply, but endeavored t.
pass him. He blocked the way, and b,
the exercise of some force, took both he
hands in his. As they stood there, sh
could see on the ground between them tina
unlucky photograph lying foce upwards.
"Let me go, Mr.. Hope" she said a
| is unkind to keep me against my will"
Y Her appeal was vain. His strong har j
held her yet more firmly. He seemed
2 be waiting until she chose to look up an
+ meet his eyes. But that would never hav
J bcen-not if they had stood there till tn
] present moment.
t At last he spoke; his voice was almos
! grave; "Heritage, I am very proud
have always vowed would SIX no woma
twice to be my wife; but l Will ask yo
= once more if you love me-"
Miss Rivers only bent her head lowe
, and lower.
"Answer me, Heritager' he said in
changed, passionate voice. "My darling
answer me; and this time truthfully! p
, 1t was no USE Had she wished to d
SO, she could fight no longer She ven
, tured to raise her eyes little, and said
so timidly, so differently from her usua
way of speaking; off I thought you woul'
, only forgive me would try and show 20,
what cannot-will not, tell you-hoy
much I love your She was very, YER
. humble in her new-found happiness.
Then Vincent Hope loosened her hand
little, and Well, these things onl
happen once in the life of true woman
and she should neither write nor .speal
about them But when Charlie Lighter
came to look for the telegram, not evel
written, nor, in the proposed form, to b.
written, Vincent Hope and Heritage Riv
ers were wondering, as every orthodox pal
of lovers should wonder, why they wer,
chosen out to be made the two very hap
piest people in the whole world
So this was how l consumated my re
venge. Yea
1t was only after we were married tina
ventured to tell my husband that hat
actually laid myself out to win his love-
and why, when won, [ hadrejected it. Ny
confession, which was really seriously made
being complete, he looked at me with mock
severity.
Heritage" he said, chad l known THU
before, l might, even at the eleventh hour
have thought better of the step was tax
ing in putting my future happiness in the
hands of such vindictive young woman.
"And perhaps, sweet sir" l answered
"for the very fear of that, l have deferred
my explanation until now"