The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1886-04-03


were alone. From what MI. Benson
said to me. I imagine it was you who
spread this scandalous story about.", +.
e. "Well, yes,it was, he replied calmly.
II didn'tmean to, but it slipped out
after dinner one day. / only told one
fellow, and begged him not to say a
word, but, Of course, might as well
have proclaimed it from the housetop."
"Have you admitted this to Mr..
Benson2" inquired Miss Vanstono, in
voluntarily. ~ ,z,.... ..t.,',,t..
eyes. Obi we've had a deuce Of a
row. l offered him every satisfaction. I"
1.-THE mischief was done,n said Miss
,Vanstone, impatiently, irritated at his
lordship's GOODNESS. .... ...,, d.
- 'No doubt. That is why i thought
he might like to have shot at me. I
would have fired in the air." said Lord
Darloy, in a matter of-fact tone. -
You know, of course, what the. re-
suit has been,n said Miss Vanstone, in
tent on extracting from Lord barley
some expression of rcmorsc for his con-
duct ...
Yes, that's is why came tonight"
said his lordship, setting his glass in;his
eye, and assuming a business-likc air.
VI wish to make Il very urgent appeal
to you" ,sr ....
pray spare yourself and NO." said
Miss VanstYne. hastily, and in some
confusion, thinking lie was about to in
tercede on Jacks behalf. II would
rather not refer to the past" ..
II am not going to refer to the past"
said Lord barley. 'Jack had his
chance, and has made a hash Of it. 1t
may have been my fanlt, but that was
a pure accident. According to the
original agreement 1t is my turn now"
Lord Darleyl" exclaimed Miss Van
stone, completely taken aback.
81 told Jack 1 should try my luck
now he has failed, and, of course, lie
could raise no objection" said his lorG-
ship.
Without further preface, Lord barley
proceeded to make. a formal offer Of
marriage, laying considerable stress
upon his social position and prospects,
and speaking with the air of man who
felt assured Of success. Miss Vanstone
sat speechless with mingled, indigna-
tion and amaZement Her natural inn
pulse was to decline to listen to him,
and to express her scorn and contempt
"e Aie 'eol,tETtor seestirIIIs toGn,p.- 20
she could not find adequate words in
which to convey her sentiments, and
while, in her agitation, she was vainly
seeking them, Lord barley contrived to
achieve his proposal without interrupt
ton. Finding that he was calmly
waiting for her answer, Miss Vanstone
was seized, with sudden misgiving
that anything she might say at this
Jufcture would sound tame and spirit
less. She realized now that it was too
late, that she ought to have stopped
him at the outset by peremptory word
OF gesture. AS a matter of fact, her
furious indignation had deprived her Of
her presence Of mind, and though her
splilt&Was raging Within her she dared
llo1 tiltSC iielSelr TO speak.
. lord barley replaced his glass, which
he had dropped from his eye in the fer
Yor; VOL. Of his declaration. and glanced at
her pale face with evident perplexity.
Another moment and she would have
been forced, from sheer embarrassment,
to break silence, but, to ;her heartfelt
relief, their tete-a-tete was interrupted
by the gentleman to whom she had
promised the; next dance Miss Van
stone rose immediately.and left the con-
servatory, without delgning to bestow
a word or a look at Lord barley, who,
however, contrived to whisper as she
passed him: .
20. UNLESS hear from you in the mean
time, will call on Monday for your re-
ply" ...., '..
No doubt Lord barley had awakened
to the fact that the young lady was not
prepared to accept him off-hand. 1t
may be that her silence had led him to
anticipate refusal, for he did not at
tempt to approach her again during tho
evening. Probably he preferred that she
should have leisure for reflection, lest,
being pressed, she should give an un-
favorable response. At all events.
when Miss Vanstone was leaving the
house an hour later, she heard the link
men bawling for Lord Darley's car
riage; and caught sight of him as he
vanished down the steps.
Miss Vanstone was no less furious
with herself than with Lord Darley.
Her project Of numerically snubbing
him had ignominiously3 failed through
her own weakness. She was more than
ever convinced Of his meanness and
trcachery toward Jack, and yet she had
suffered him to make proposal of mar
riage unchecked. The worst of tho
matter was, his offer was still undis-
posed Of, and she had no alternative but
to write to him. She instinctively
guessed that refusal contained in
letter, however severely worded, would
afford no vent for her outraged feelings.
On the other hand, after her past ex-
perience, she doubted whether she could
do justice. to her indignant sentiment
at an interview. If he had not ex-
pressed his; intention Of calling upon her
~, NToo1u,, nl,o ,,,n,,1i