The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-04-07

and cried ana aDuSeu my cil. ny, TofcuRo,
fetseeth, revenge IS sweet,
In spite of all l determined to 60 down
to dinner. / would do that much for his
sake. 1t should not be suspected that any
thing had gone wrong between us; and L
knew that, if l stayed away, Mabel. for
one, would certainly guess what had oc-
Cured. This, if l could prevent IL, should
be known to one. l smiled grimly as L
thought how my revenge must fail In this;
that the world would never know what l
had scorned and refused. l made great
effort, dabbed my eyes with rose water,
and went down stairs in passable trim.
Tonight we were not side by side, but
sat directly opposite to one another. Mabel
was right Vincent Hope was proud man.
His discontinue was no concern OF The
worlds, SO he showed no traces OF it. All
save one at that table would have said that
his heart was gay and light No one would
have dreamed that, a few hours before, his
love had been refused by an idiot OF girl.
He laughed and tested; anecdote and witty
repartee fell increasingly from his lips. He
held the whole talk, or every unit OF the
party talked to him. Yet, woman-llke, L
noticed that he drank more wine than was
his usual custom, and at times there was
sharper, harder ring in his voice. Had 1t
not been for this, and the remembrance of
the look which still haunted me, l could
have believed he had forgotten or brushed
away from his mind the events of the day.
Vincent Hope was a proud man, and Her
itage Rivers fool,
| would rather say nothing about the
next two days. | hated myself SO much
that wonder | have ever forgiven myself
perhaps never have. All l care to say
is, that none even suspected what had hap
pened even Mabel began to think that the
accusation of flirting should lie at Vincent
Hopes door, not at mine; for, although he
talked to me when needful, it was easy to
see that his manner was changed.
The morning of the third day came, and
knew that in few hours we should shake
hands, part, and there would be the end of
everything.
Blaize is fifteen miles from railway
station, and that station is so unimportant
that very few trains stop at it. Vincent
Hope, to reach town that evening, was
obliged TO start betimes. Soon after
luncheon, Charlie Lighton and the dog
cart were waiting to take him to the train;
and, after many expressions of regret from
host and hostess, he took his seat and was
ready to start. Or course, our hands met,
as, in common with every one else, he babe
me adieu-a quiet, polite adieu, nothing
more-not even coupled with the conven-
tional wish that we might meet again.
Why should he wish to meet me
again? Our encounters as yet had
not been happy in their results to
either That accomplished whip, Charlie
gathered up the reins. and with a last, all
embrac ng good-by, Vincent Hope was
sped away along the winding carriage drive,
and, for the first time i'll her foolish life,
Heritage Rivers knew tEat such things as
h,Of- no nrrfo 10 70
mances.
Something was afoot that afternoon
walking party or skAting party; for it was
the middle of January, and bitterly cold.
Now that the necessity of keeping up APP
pearaEces for another's sake was at an end,
Miss Rivers felt very much like breaking
down and disgracing herself She longed
for solitude, and made some excuse to stay
at home. AS everyone was bound on. the
expedition, she had the house practically
to herself. After bemoaning her wicked
ness and folly for some time IN the sancti-
ty of her own chamber, strange craving
came over her. She felt she must 60 down
ana sit in the little room which adioins the
library; and, although censuring her own
weakness, she yielded to the impulse.
Vincent Hope, in spite of his resolve to
spend his time at Blaize House in WELL
earned idleness, had been unable to do SO
exactly. Ominous rolls of printed matter
came by post-a sin of long standing, he
said, which publishers insisted on dragging
into daylight at once. SO he did one or two
hours work each day, and grumbled at it
in a very amusing manner. BY tacit con-
sent. the little room had been kept sacred
to him; there, when he chose, he worked
without fear of interruption. 1t was,
no doubt, on account of this that Miss
Rivers felt that uncomfortable desire TO
sit for while in this particular room. The
stupidity of her desire need not be COM
mented upon, as her generally idiotic ma
ture must have made itself manifest many
pages back. She entered the room and
closed the door softly. She sat down at
the leather covered table, and leaning her
head on her hands, looked anything but a
prosperous, healthy, comfortable young
woman.
Presently she glanced stealthily around
her, and from the bosom of her dress drew
out a photo graph of a very handsome, dis
inguished-looking man. Mr.. Hope had
given it to her, at her request, some days
before. 1t was to go into her celebrity al
bum, she told him. Laying it on the table
between her elbows, Miss Rivers gaGed at
it long and earnestly, until her foolish eyes
became so misty with tears that she could
see it no longer. One by one those tears
began to fall, and soon came so fast that
she gave in altogether forgot where she
was-forgot all risk of interruption; and
laying her bead on the table, presented
the very picture of woe.
Her bewailings and beweepings were at
| their greatest height, when the door was
! suddenly thrown open, and Mr.. Hope
stood before her. She sprung TO her feet,
I 1 -.
graph to the ground. Even in her dire
confusion, the prayer that it might have
| fallen face downward framed itself. But
she dared not look to see; she had to face
/ the intruder as best she could. Yet he
| seemed for the moment to be taken even
more aback than Miss Rivers. He stam-
mered out something about shaft broken
| three miles from home-impossibility of
/ catching train-c came back to write tele-
/ grams, etc. Then he looked ON the ground,
and what he sew there was enough to make
him glance wonderingly at the shamefaced
/ girl who stood before him with wet lashes
and glowing cheeks.
Miss Rivers Heritage" he said, "teI
ME what this meaus."
| She made no reply, but endeavored to
pass him. He blocked the way, and by the
| exercise of some force took both her hands
in his. As they stood there, she could see
| on the ground between them that unlucky
! photograph lying face upward.
Let me go, Mr.. Hope, she said, 1T is
! unkind to keep me against my Will.
! Her appeal was in vain. His strong hands
| held her yet more firmly. He seemed to be
waiting until she chose to look up and meet
! his eyes. But that would never have been
not if he stood there till the present mo-
ment.
At last he spoke; his voice was almost
! grave:
Heritage, / am very proud. / have al
ways vowed / would ask no woman twice to
be my wife; but | will ask YOU once more if
/ you love me-
Miss Rivers only bent her head lower and
! lower.
Answer me, Heritage" he said, in a
| changed, passionate voice. My darling,
answer me, and this time truthfully!"
| 1t was no use. Had she wished to do Sc
| she could fight no Longer She ventured
| to raise her eyes little, and said, so tim
| idly, so differently from her usual way of
! speaking:
1T l thought You would only forgive me,
! | would try and show you what | can not,