The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-03-31

of old. He had won success, and no
doubt, fully realized and enjoyed the fact
Vincent Hope" / echoed. Not The
Vincent Hope?"
/ guessed instinctively that tiattery was
not q bad gun with which to open fire. BY
this time his name was 80 we'll known that
il would have been affectation to appear
to misunderstood me. He bowed and
smiled.
"How delightful" I exclaimed, my look,
| am ashamed to say, confirming my
words. Now, tell me how | shonld talk
to You. Ought to give you my opinion
| about all the characters in your books; or
ought / to sit silent and awed, measuring
up every word of wit and wisdom you may
! let fall?"
off the harness, and come down to enjoy
the Squire's clover. / am trying to forget
there Is such thing as work in the world. !"
Very we'll. | shall take you at your
word, after, as in duty bound, saying
have read all you have written, SO far as
know"
His wish to avoid the topic of his
own achievements may have been a
genuine one, but, nevertheless, he seemed
pleased with my remark, and, looking at
me with smile, said:
Exchange is but fair. | scarcely heard
what the Squire called you"
''Rivers Heritage Rivers"
Heritage Rivers, he echoed musingly.
| 1T is an uncommon name, but l fancy L
have heard it before"
sob, please don't say so, Mr.. Hope. / did
think had one original thing to boast Of
my name. How would you like, after look
ing upon all your plots as original. to find
them but plagiarisms?"
He laughed.
Many are, fear. But you are trespass-
| ing on forbidden ground. Let US seek
fresh pastures.
| We did so. We talked all dinner time.
| think we talked about everything under
the talked, moreover, almost like old
friends. When he differed from my epin-
ions he told me in WELL chosen words why
he differed. And as he spoke / whispered
ever and anon to myself: Raw and awk-
ward-a decent sort of a woman" Yet
now Mr.. Hope was condescending enough
not only to listen attentively to my words,
but to reply to them as if they had weight
with him. All this was very delightful.
The first steps to revenge were smooth and
pleasant ones; for there is no need to say
that / hated him as much and felt as VIM
dictive as ever,
He was walking straight to his fate.
felt it, when, just before Mrs. Lighton
gave the signal for departure, he dropped
his voice almost TO a whisper, and was
good enough to say that, to him, the peculiar
charm Of this particular dinner was thai
such an agreeable interchange ofideas would
not be ended with the night, but might be
| resumed tomorrow. Coming as it did
from such famous person, | could only
glance my thanks, blush and look pleased
at the compliment.
When. with the rest of my sex, / rose and
walked to the door, | knew that his eyes
were following me; and | knew also that,
although clever, captious, critical those
eyes might be. they could find little fault
with my bearing or general demeanor.
AT Blaze House it was understood that
the gentlemen, especially the younger
ones, were not allowed to linger over the
wine When they entered the drawing
room | was sitting almost hidden from
sight, in a recess near the window. / no
ticed that Mr.. Hope, as he came through
the door, looked round, as if in search of
some one; and as, when at last he discovered
my retreat, his search seemed at an end, /
could only think the some one was myself.
However, We had little more TO say 10 each
other this evening. All the children of the
house were his friends, aud had many
questions to ask him. We had music and
singing dS usual, out L uldue SOME con-
ventienal excuse, and did not take nv
share in them. Before we parted for the
night, Vincent Hope came to my side.
Surely you sing, Miss Rivers" he said.
"a little, but | am not in the mood to
sing o-night."
He pressed me to make the attempt, but
l refused. Thinking | had done quite
enough for the first evening, | kept my
voice in reserve. But l talked to him
for a short time about music, and found
him we'll versed in the art, and, of course,
an unsparing critic. He was very hard on
the ordinary drawing room playing and
singing, and by no means complimentary
to the performers of the evening. |
laughed, and told him how thankful | felt
that something had warned me not to show
my poor skill to such an able but severe
judge. My words led him to believe that
my talent for music was a very third rate
one. This was exactly what | wished him
TO think.
He was soon drawn away from my side,
and he spoke no more until the general
goodnight took place, and the men went
off to the billiard room, and my own sex
to their touches. Once more | courtesed
TO Miss Rivers in the cheyal-glass, and
told her she had surpassed my most san
guine expectation. Then, in very happy
frame of mine, | went to bed.
TO BE CONTINUED