Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-12-05

mental situation, just to make sure whether
the % before the was put on, or natural to
himI 1t crossed her mind, as such trifles do
cross ones mind at moments which are the
most critical and important ones OF q LIES
history, that now she had the qualification
Of her wish, and that he was indeed aborn
So" And then Lucy interrupted her,
brusquely enough.
GYou are vewry sorwry," he said, scorn-
fully SYour tone expwresSes 1t, l assure
YOU" Then all at once his voice changed
@Oh, Olive Olivei must you say Nor Will
you never be able TO say anything elsei l
will wait-years, if only you will hold out
some faint hope that some day you viii love
nue. little. Why do you shake your headi
Is 1t so impossible thing to ask Indeed.
am not a bad fellow on the whole. l
know I'm not clever; in fact, dare say the
fellows are about right when they say I'm
the biggest. fool in the service. And l know
I'm not wrich or much to look at, but still
should never so against you in anything,
and would love you devotedly TO the last
day Of my life Does all that go for
rothingl'
GOh, yes. yes; of course it goes for great
deal" Olive answered, miSerably-"for a
great deal-a great deal, and yet L cannot
do what you ask l can't help tits not
my fault indeed; but / think if you had
never misled me about that wretched Sally,
perhaps it might have been different. Oh!
why did you do it, Don't you know how
impossible it would be to learn, even to
begin, to care about a man whom you hear
always raving about somebody else! And
YOU did rave, Capt Lucy; you know you
did, How was / TO know you were really
raving about me, when you always so care
fully pretended it was some one elsel"
"But if l tell you diffewrently now" he
began, with great eagerness when olive
interrupted him as brusquely as he had in
terrupted her a few moments before.
GOh, yes, no,c," she said; shut what is
the good of telling me now when It's too
later
Lucy caught at her words.
"Too IateI Why too latei Do you mean
that they're is somebody esel'
am very sorry" Olive faltered
"Then you'wro engagedP he asked.
mo, not engaged"
SOh, quite understand" he said, coldly.
"I,et me take YOU back to Mrs. Weyland.
have kept you here NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
time"
Before Olive could reply, the door was
flung open and Hartog came in, his head
well up, and with certain staggering ge;-
iure of his arm, as well known as himself TO
his brother officers.
@Oh, YOU are here, Miss Weylandl
think this is our dance" he said, pleasantly,
and not looking at all as II he saw that
Lucy's face was tho picture Of disgust and
anger, as was Olives that of object wretched-
ness.
Olive took the offered arm eagerly, and
turned away with an imploring look at
Lucy, who was staring stonily out of the
window.
"Been proposing and got a let-down,"
EIartog said to himself "Poor old chap!
mite thought between Naomi and Mignon,
he was above proof Poor old chap!"
But he was far too wise-though in mat
ters which had not to do with the fair sex
he was not remarkable for wiSdom-to let
Miss Weyland see for a moment that he even
suspected the storm through which she had
lust passed. 1t was wonderful how he con-
trived to charm the girl, AMI to creep into
her good graces during that one afternoon;
his manner WIS 81 DsCuSuuO anu ySe
without a trace Of spooniness about him.
And in the frame OF mind in which she was,
after the shock Of discovering the true state
of Lucy's feelings, such manner was the
one best calculated TO soothe her and make
her feel at peace and ease with herself. She
could not have borne a more familiar tone;
and, indeed, think if Capt Hardness him
self had happened 10 lie in Gaystown bar
RACES that afternoon, and had made all offer
of his hand and heart to Olive, she would
have turned from him in disgust. She had
had more Of love making than she cared for;
and it was because lie was so entirely friend
ly, and nothing else, that Hartog contrived
to charm her so wisely. Such a protection,
too. he seemed to her that Olive altogether
forgot that lie was a young and handsome
man; and when, after a long chat to Mrs.
Weyland, that lady very graciously invited
him TO go over to Coppethwaite, she sup
plemented the invitation by smilo and
"Yes-do," which had the effect of making
him determine, there and then, to 60 in and
win at all or any costs though for the occa-
son-keeping Lucys "let-down" in mind
mis- manner continued to be friendly, even to
fatherliness-
As for Lucy, he never addressed Olive
once again during the rest Of the afternoon,
or seemed to have any idea that she was in
the room. A dance for which she was en-
gagged to him began, and she had the pleas
ure of seeing him sail of with a tall damsel,
in an apricot colored gown, without so
much as glance in her direction.
Hartog, who had not troubled himself to
find any other partner than her. and hap
pened at that moment to he leaning against
the wall watching her, said TO himself that
Ii, had no idea that old Lucy could have
proved such a sulky brute. without the
grace to take denial gracefully; and he
knew by Olives face that they had been en-
gagged for this dance. Well guessing ms he
did at what had passed between them, he
could not, Of course, leave her neglected
under the humliating slight which Lucy
put upon her in behaving thus, so he pushed
his way across the room to her.
Are you engaged for this dance. Miss
Weylandl" he asked.
~ will dance it with you, if you wish,"
answered Olive, evading a more direct
reply.
"As guessed; engaged to Lucy" thought
Hartog; "and Lucy dancing with that
scraggy Miss Morton Ali"
After that, Olive gave herself up reck
lessly to Irritation. She danced, she laughed
she sat out and ate ices-all with Hartog-
and finally VIXEN they went away, 1t was
Hartog who saw them into their carriage,
and stood with his hand upon the door
thereof for yet five minutes, telling them
about the regimental ball, which was fixed
Cor the 9Th Of January, and to which they
would receive a formal invitation in the
course Of q day or two.
"a charming man. said Mrs. Weyiand,
as they drove out of the square and turned
in the direction of Barnsbury.
Eyes" said Olive absently.
What was the matter with Capt. LucyP
Mrs Weyland wenr'Un--sHe never came to
say good-by to US, though I'm sure he saw
us leaving"
"Oh, he was in bad temper" answered.
Olive, with rather forced laugh.
an a bad temperr her mother ECHOED,
drawing the fur rug little closer. Dear
mel did not know he was even possessed
of such a thing. And why was he in bad
temperf'
GOb had the ILL fortuna to offend him -