Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-22

1t is worthy OF you,' she cried, that
you should feel so secure in that in the
difference. 1t is worthy of you to speak
of him rs he does not of YOU"
He looked abashed II little.
"Well," he said almost humbly, per
haps it wasn't the thng-but-but," with
a sudden access of heat, 'if he is worthy
of your notice, am. by George. That |
know"
They had nearly reached the gate. 1t
was the most beautiful afternoon-the
little blue waves Tapped the sand
with II soft, caressng sound: the sun, on
setting, threw deep golden lights and
deep purple shadows across the lawn !;
the air was full of the perfume of flowers.
Nell felt it all intensely without knowing
why. She even thought 1t strange that
she should notice the beauty of the hour,
when she was 50 overwrought by other
things.
at were to say to you" she began,
"that this is what II gentleman would not
do it, it would not matter to you"
mo" he said fierCely, lit wouldn't-not
in the least A man always likes woman
to say things like that to him."
"lt were to say to YOU" she went on,
"thut ayes, II gentleman would go away
II wouldn't 60" he said 81 would
prove myself IL rutfian 10y staying. am
rutlian, perhaps. Call me one if you
like"
very straight. What are you to me ~
"Nothing,' he cried. That's the worst
of it. There is where you have me at Il
disadvantage. If | had the shadow Of II
right to expect you even to look at me |
could go to some and speak about you, or
get help. But am not such a rIliian as
to talk you over, even to save myself. Any
woman has Il right to feel an antipathy
to a mainland he has no right to complain.
Though suppose | am complaining"
Nell did not utter word. She would
not He was looking at her with the look
that always reminded her that his cousin
had said, "lIe has an eye like Il stays"
On principle she hated him at that mo-
ment for his stays eyes.
IF lam Il ruilian,' he said, you could
make me better. Women are sometimes
kind, even to rullians. know | am not
what ought to be No one knows better
than do what faults | have. They were
born in me"
Il do not wish to hear Them" SAID
Nell.
"You would like other people to tell you
of Them he said bitterly.
81 have told you that | never speak of
YOU" she answered.
She saw his eyes flash, and the next in
slant he had snatched her hand, almost
roughly.
You shall tell me-" he cried-"you
shall tell me what have done!
grasp was like iron; she could not even
Stir it, Her whole face famed.
"Do you know ~ she said in breath
less voice, "do you know that you are
using force to me"
He started as if he had been shot 1t
was evident that he actually had not rea-
LIKED it.
"Oh, - he said, desperately. What
a brute and fool | am. But You don't
know what You are doing to me. You are
driving me mad Let me go away
1.-The sooner the better ~ she answered,
but before the words had left her lips he
had turned on his heel and was gone. She
saw nothing until she reached the house
and entered the shaded, flower scented
room, AT the window of which she found
her mother standing.
Mrs. Huntington turned and looked
at her with Il rather amazed expression.
Nell, dear she said, was that Mr..
Hamilton who stood at the gate with
you -
YES, mamma"
"Mr,-Mr. Jack Hamilton, Nell ?"
YES, mamma And without another
word, she fled to her own room. 1t seemed
to her, in the hours she spent alone, shut
up in its pretty, summary dimness, that
surely no girl could ever have suffered in
such a strange way before. She had al
ways been 50 happy in this little ilowery
bower of hers that it seemed an added
such desperate unhappineSs. II was DIES
perate unhappiness-sh knew that before
She had been alone fifteen minutes. She
threw herself on her knees by her favor
lite, deep window seat. Her heart was
beating hard against her side and She was
trembling all over.
"Oh, what is the matter with me ~
She said again and again in Il piteous
whisper. "Oh why do | feel like this -
She could not still herself at all. There
seemed no use in trying. She had been
for so long IL time endeaVOring to ignore
and control something which had been
advancing upon her every day and every
hour that now, when under Il too great
strain she had given way for Il moment
the reaction was greater than she " As
ready to meet. There had been so much
toignOre and set aside, there had been so
many days when she had made strong
etforts-and now it seemed to come back
at once. And try as she might she did
not remember the right things The
| things which came back to her were all
wrong. The timeS-for instanCe-so many
OF them-when she had met his eyes look
| ing at her in that half wounded half
angry way which was somehow pathetic.
No one could deny-Oh, yes, it was quite
! true that he had the most beautiful ewes
to say that they had Il look sometimes
! such us you see in Il beautiful dogs or II
! Child's when they ask for something-It
might seem absurd, but it was true they
always seem to ask and ask, and she could
not shut out the feeling, even when he
was not near her at all, that he was
asking and she refusing-though neither
uttered Il word. And then the times when
| he had stood silent near her, and yet it had
been as if he spoke. And the times when
! they had passed each other: and the times
when she had not meant to watch him rs
! he played tennis, and yet somehow had
! known how he looked and moved, and