The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-09-04


And Notwithstanding all these things"
asked her guardian with an oppressed
sense OF bewilderment, you could not
fancy him?"
'No, l could not fancy him." she an
swered little coldly.
az am afraid that singular ideal lover of
yours stands in the way. j fear you may
wait great many years, and never find
him after all. Is there anything else you
could tell me about this fancy of yours,
my child? | might find some one, even
now, likely to distinguish himself in Greek
study; will not forget that you dislike
| Martin Archer"
81 have nothing more to add; l have
told you all | can tell you, Mr.. Rochester"
said Hetty quietly. What use to say any
thing further to one so obtuse, SO ignorant
of his own heart? She took up the knit
ting lying in her lap.
Nothing" urged the professor anx-
iously. "You cannot think of anything
more? l should so like to see you
happy"
Nothing" repeated Hetty coldly. and
even little bitterly and so, having ended
the matter she raised her eyes for a mo-
ment and saw her guardians face.
What was written there? swift wave
OF pity, as well as of love, swept over her;
the tears came into her eyes as she met
that gaze OF inexpressible tenderness and
melancholy and longing. She clasped her
hands tightly together in her lap, and
had no power any longer to be cold.
81 think" she said, not daring to look
up, the color flooding her cheeks, her
hands trembling, that should like him
bald-headed"
There was no response. Hetty clasped
her hands over her eyes. ooh, Mr..
| 81 Al, Il
like Hetty that he remembered, "have l
said anything dreadful?"
''No, my dear, not anything dreadful
said the professor mildly; ''only some
thing very singular"
V.
GAS 1 have said to YOU over and over
again, l am unable to account for it,
Rachel but these were her words. 1t has
occurred to me at last that woman might
understand a woman. You will respect
the child's confidence, / know, even as
respect it" said the professor, anxiously;
you will never let her know-unless she
herself should mention the subject toyou-
that we have had this conversation"
IL am not much OF talker," said Miss
Rachel, dryly. She had been knitting
socks, but her busy hands were idle for
once; the knitting had dropped into her
mingled amaZement and dawning salts
faction; even trine of humor-a thing
there was but small stock in Miss Rachel's
omposition-might have been detected
by anyone of particularly observant eyes.
The professors were not of that quality.
'Do you really mean to tell me, John,
: that she said she should prefer him 'rath-
er old p" she asked, after long and re-
Elective study of the fire.
"She did" returned her brother en-
phatically. Il am utterly unable to under
stand it; 1 do not profess to account for it
, in any way"
"Never mind if you can account for it
or not | want to know once more what
she said. And you tell me that she de-
clared, really declared" reiterated Miss
Rachel, looking sharply up into the pro-
fesssor's mela eholy and perpleXed coun-
tenance, ''she ould like him particularly
fond of Greek
''She told me so with the utmost deci-
sion-a strange, an inexplicable, an unac-
, countable thing"
"Unaccountable, no. Strange, perhaps
: a little" rejoined Miss Rachel, dryly.
l And there was something more; L want
to hear it all over once again"
The professors eyes met hers, reflective,
t sad, utterly devoid of all consciousness of
|
rial gaze. "She said, ~ he answered mildly,
"the most singular thing of all she would
} like him bald-headed."
Miss Rachel smiled-a smile, by this
time, of broad and perfect satisfaction.
} She paused moment or two and let her
gaze rest on her brothers thinning hair
on his tall figure, a trife stopped; his
grave, depressed countenance; and then
1 she observed, quietly and calmly, so calmly
, that it enhanced the effect of the thunder
bolt when it came: "Why don't you ask
) her yourself, John"
[ The room went round. At least in the
D professors opinion it did So The chairs,
the table, Miss Rachel's angular form
: seated opposite to him, all mingled in one
inextricable confusion, and the most sin
q gular part of it was that when he at last
' regained his senses, his sister appeared to
I wear an expression of calm satisfaction.
+ "You said, Rachel -? think must
! have mistaken your words, submitted
' the professor.
81 said" repeated Miss Rachel distinct
", "why don't you ask her yourself? You
are rather old, or rather, she thinks you
so, at her age; and if you are not exactly
/, bald-headed now, you soon will be if you
spend so much time over these books. The
child means you"
2 mistaken, Rachel; it is preposterous, out
rageous" calculated the professor almost
wildly, "and she also said, distinguished
in Greek"
"Well, what else would she say? She
meant everything of your sort, of course.
I'm sure thought you were distinguished
=, in Greek, and in Latin and Hebrew and
Sanscrit. and everything else"
: "No, Rachel" said her brother, 81 am
not distinguished in it; would I were.
/, And the whole thing is utterly ridiculous
so ridiculous, it makes me shrink to think
what she would say if she could overhear
us. How could she even dream of such a
lover as should be-a young creature
like thatw
"John," said the little old maid, rising
and placing her hand on his arm-an un-
, wonted act with her-and the unwonted
! tears were in her eyes now, 81 am ten
years older than you, and | know little
: of women, and / know that Hetty Philli-
more would never be willfully I'M
> maidenly. The child has found out that
you love her, and that you will never dis
l cover it for yourself, as you never would
! Why" said Miss Rachel, with a little
: touch of feminine scorn, 'you hardly
/ know it now1 Do you love her. John ?"
eyes - said the nrOfessor Suddenly and