The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-04-01
HER REVENGE.

Comb II smooth. and crown II fair;
would look In purple pail, from the lattice
down the wall,
And throw scOrn on one thats thcrc."
Any way, she crowned IL fair enough,
and by my express desire, clad me in
my most becoming gear. Then few
minutes before the bell rang, | sent her
away, and stood alone before the cheval
glass surveying myself with acOntented
smile. For my plan of revenge had ut
least the merit of simplicity; IL was to
win that mans admiration-U possible
ms lore. Upon the day when he offered
me the latter, and | coldly and scorn-
fully rejected it. | should feel that | had
squared all accounts between us in a
manner highly satisfactory to myself.
How do women win mems lover |
did not quite know, but | fancied, II
conducted properly, the operation was
not of n difficult nature. | hoped and
believed should succeed. Although
my resolution reads badly, and sounds
even worse, | comforted myself by
thinking that ms meant to refuse what
l laid myself out to win, no one would
dare to censure me or To accuse me of
very unbecoming conduct. And now
what are my weapons with which 10
cOnquerp
looked at myself i'm the glass. II
may read like vanity, but feel that old
Mr.. Ramsay's prediction is fairly veri-
fled. Although | blush as | appraise
myself, ! know | am no longer the slim
sChOOl-girl-but that am something
not, perhaps, far off IA beautiful woman.
| am tall. My figure is certainly good.
My complexion will bear any test; and
something tells me | could, If wished,
make my eyes dangerous. So much for
nature. As for art, have chosen the
prctticst of many pretty gowns, and my
gowns now have knack of sitting well
upon me; so am not ashamed To walk
gracefully across the room, and court
esying to myself in the glass, say ap-
provingly To my double: "Yes, lIeri-
tage Rivers, you have grown into avery
decent sort of WOman-a very decent
sortw Having refreshed my memory
by the repetition of that peculiarly gall
ing phrase, | gather up my skirts and
sally forth to victory.
Fortune favored me. AS the greatest
stranger and last arrival, it would have
been in Vincent Hopes province to take
our hostess into the dining-rOOm, had
we not been favored that day by the
presence of county magnate, whose
claim TO precedence could not be lightly
overlooked. 1t seemed but natural and
ltNl w Wv llbN AlltlA wv N'Iullt NllONlNl
present Mr.. Vincent Hope to Miss
Rivers, and for the second time in their
lives these two should he seated side by
side slipping their soup in misOn-but
this time, II wounded vanity was to be
the result of the cOntiguity, Miss Rivers
would not be the victim.
So | began:
"You have come straight from town,
Mr.-Nmcent-l fancied the squire
said" We all call him squire, you
know"
"Oh, yes. lie is an old friend of mine.
But he called me Vincent Hope, sus-
pect."
This gave me what | wanted, an ex-
cuse for looking him full in the face
an act which, besides being fitting
tribute to his fame, enabled me to oh
serve how time had treated him. So |
lIltCd my lashes and looked straight at
him. If time had not been quite idle
with him, it had treated him kindly.
lie was handsome as ever. The hair
near his temples being just flecked with
gray did not detract from his good looks.
| thought his features looked more
marked, and the whole expression of his
face more confident and powerful even
than of old. lie had won success, and =,
no doubt, fully realized and enjoyed the
fact.
Vincent IIope!" echoed. Not the
Vincent llope|
| guessed instinctively that fatterv
was not bad gun with which TO open
fire. BY this time his name was so we'll
known that it would have been aflecta-
ton to appear to misunderstood me.
He bowed and smiled.
How delightful" | 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; or 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 try
ing TO forget there is such thing rs
work in the world"
VERY well. | shall take you at your
word, after, us in duty bound, saying |
have read all you have written, SO far
as | know"
His wish TO avoid the topics of his
own achievements may have been a
genuine one, nevertheless he seemed
pleased with my remark, and looking al
me with smile, said:
Exchange is but fair. | scarcely
heard what the squire called you"
Rivers-1leritage Rivers"
Heritage Rivers" he echoed musing,
| ly. 1T is an uncommon name; but
fancy have heard it before"
"Oh, please don't say so, Mr.. Hope.
did think | 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 plagiarismsY
He laughed.
"Many are, fear. But you are tres
passing on forbidden ground. Let Us
seek fresh pastures"
We did so. We talked all dinner-time
| / think we talked about everything un
der the sun-talked, moreover, almost
like old friends. When he differed from
my opinions, he told me in well chosen
words why he differed. And as h,
spoke, whispered ever and anon Il
myself. Raw and awkward-a deem
sort of a woman" Yet, now, Mr.. Hop,
was condescending enough not only Il
listen attentively to my words, but L
reply to them as if they had weight will
him. All this was very delightful. Tn,
first steps to revenge were smooth ant
pleasant ones; for there is no need L
say that | hated him as much, and fel
as vindictive, as ever.
lie was walking straight to his fate
i felt it when, just before Mrs. Lighter
gave the signal for departure, he drop
ped his voice almost to a whisper, an,
was good enough to say that, to him
the peculiar charm of this particula
dinner was that such an agreeable in
terchange of ideas would not be endeI
with the night, but might be resume,
tomorrow. Coming as II did from sucl
famous person, could only glanc
my thanks, blush, and look pleased a
| a