The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-12-17
BY THE DUCHESS,
CHAPTER /.
%Str4lniug hnrSh diSNords and

lie is standing on the hearth-rug, with
his back to the fire. and has taken up
distinctly menacing position.
ITO yours, certainly" replies his
daughter, with faint sneer.
She is a slight girl, with a strangely
beautiful face, large dark expressive
eyes, and mutinous mouth. She is
holding her heal very haughtily just
now, and has defiance written in every
curve of her lissome figure, in every
feature of her perfect face.
Let us talk sense" says Sir Wild
ing, either too accustomed to her
irreverence-which is not altogether
undeserved- too prudent to notice
1t. lyon must accept Darlington"
"Why?"
"Why? Why should Won not?"
"Why should /? You have not
answered that"
For many reasons. We are miser-
ably poor, and he is the richest man
We know, for one'
"And the ugliest, for twol That
balances your one, and leaves the
scales as they were before"
He is q thoroughly good fellow, for
another" says Sir Wilding, who de-
tests George Darlington with all his
soul.
A late discovery"
"Never mind how late He is at
least worth dozen such fellows as
Mervyn.
:" A still later discovery" says Miss
Brand, with second sneer. Why, it
was only last night you were singing
Mr.. Mervyn's praises"
BE it SO. Yet desire that for the
future your acquaintance with him
shall cease
As we are on the subject of rea-
sons You will perhaps give me- one for
this sudden command" says the girl,
who has grown rather white; but
whether from anger or some deeper
emotion it would be difliru't to decide.
Certainly not. Why shonld I? But
II j
Take care! am not Your slave
says she, with flashing ewes and color
less lips. She goes step nearer to
him. "Why am to regard Mr.. Mer-
vyn as a stranger"
'lle is an idle unprincipled fellow.
thoroughly worthless
And poort' interrupts she, in an
inexnlicahle tone.
THAT has nothing tn do with it.
Wort k'essness is one thing. poverty
another; one is disreputahie, the other
-a-a-miSfortune 7 am moor" saws
Sir Wil,iing. drawing himself up with
gesture that would he noble but for
sometime in the whole air of the man
that renders it ludicrous, if not con-
ten 'tih!e.
His dan"hter. falling. arnaren:lv, to
see the ludlcirouS side of it, lowers her
head.
II have leornod many things of late
OF this Mervyn." goes on Sir Widing
r"mpously. ale is mere adventnrer.
h'it'S 'loiii htItu ~ HtHIu. ne ltlIlo
proWrty he has here is mortqa-ed. I
understand, up to the hilt. He is not
a lit associate for us"
A very tit associate. if he be. as YOU
say. an adventurer. What better are
w"?' asks she, throwing out her hand.
ard turning upon him with GESTURE
OF superb disdain: IN this dis 'ain it is
im"ossible to misunderstood that she
includes herself.
You forget yourself" says her
father coldlv.
She let's her hand fall to her side. and
bitter smile creeps over her face.
"Sinre when have we hennmp too
respectable for Mr. Mervyn 2" She asks.
Is he aitoeether ruined then? Is he
no longer of any use to you at ecarte?
is his last shillin" gomez"
"Ilo not provoke me too far" saws
Sir Wi'din", flushing darkly; "you are
woman apdtyour insult is beneath
notice. Mervyn 'is as L found him. so
far as his nocket is concerned. What
mischief he NAV have incurred at your
hands is another matter, and quite
!our own affair. do not seek to look
into it: hut will have the intimacy
with him ended no,o. I will not have
him coming here making love to YOU.
Understand me once for all. Ii he