Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-12-09
CHAPTER VI


an evergreen, comes leisurely forward, al
inscrutable smile upon his firm lips
''Our dance, Millicent,'' he says, in the
slow drawing tone to which she is SO &C
customed, and which she has begun to
hate so heartily.
Il dare say" she says, coolly.
evil you dance it, or pass the time in
the gardens?-they are astonishingly
pretty"
''That depends upon whom I view the
gardens with, - says she, glancing at him
insolenty from under half closed lids
with me, of course
''Ah.-then L shall dance it,
LAS you viii, my pretty cousin. u
There is touch of vindictiveness in the
smile he bends upon her. perhaps,
even, you would prefer to neither dance
nor go into the gardens with me, but
spend the half hour-another half hour
here with Mr.. Massareene?''
If for moment he had supposed he
could confuse or discOncert her, he finds
out his mistake at once.
Eyes, | should prefer that" she says.
Massareene at this makes step toward
her. but Grant, Boyle waves him back
with a curious laugh.
mo, no, my friend - he says geniaIly.
''You can not have it all your own way
i would not give up this dance with my
cousin He pauses, and then laughs
aloud "Do you know, Milly, was very
near saying, with my wife, but that
would have been unlucky, Ell? Counting
before the happy time, eh? But really,
you Notwithstanding again to Massa-
reene-"I would not miss this dance with
Miss Grey for great deal.''
1T is astonishing how much you can
say in little time, says his fiancee with
an i'll disguised sheer, rising with deliber-
ate want of haste from her low seat
''Well, if this thing has got to be danced
let us go and do it, She lays her hand
upon her Cousins arm, and moves away
a step or two with him. Then she
chances back over her shoulder at Mas
Sareene, who is looking little white, and
comes to a standstill. 1.-THE next is
ours" she says in very sweet voice;
''cOme for me as soon as you can. l
shall be glad to see you again. This is
as much as to say she will be overioyed
when her dance with the man who is her
affianced husband has drawn to a close.
Grant, Boyle, with a smothered impreca-
ton, moves on again, and she perforce ac-
companies him-but not to the ball room.
I'm not going to dance this, nor am 1
going into the gardens" she says, with
decision. Il am going to sit in the
smaller hail. and criticise the people
to pass away the time
Until you can with pOliteness get rid
of me-
Don't be rude, my dear Grant. To
put an unpleasant truth in glazing color
is always mistake"
Il will be mistaken twice, then, for
your benefit, and to prove myself by no
means a fool in your eyes. You will sit
here and criticise your neighbors until it
is time for you to return once more to the
arms-I beg pardon-the society of Ger
aid Massareene.
You have an excellent w.t. says she,
with an untroubled smile.
''You cannot, however, deny the truth
that lies in it?''
''Why should L? You are such an eX-
tremely clever young man that one must
believe you can see through the prOverb-
ial stone wall"
Mr.. Boyle bestows glance that is not
altogether one of affection upon his fu-
ture wife
''Then you don't deny it?'' he says.
Certainly not. 1 should welcome the
advent of any one who would relieve me
Il mean yOu-Of the burden Of your
that is my-presence."
She laughs as she gives voice to this
little impertinence-made all the more
pointed by the affectation of modesty
that runs through it. Grant, frowns
openly. If the day should ever come in
which he might claim this willful lady as
his own-if-(it seems very improbable
at this moment specially SOY he will GER
tainly teach her such q lesson in propriety
as she will not be likely to forget for the
remainder of her days.
Don't trouble yourself to try to be po-
lite, even in ridicule,'' he says, in a voice
hot emo re n n 1of !,
beneath the forced calmness of his de-
meanor. But even you and Mr.. Massa-
reene cannot dance together all night
without laying yourselves open to I'M
kindly comment. An effete civilization
has so ordained it, that the world has
grown to look on such vulgar exhibitions
of affection as-indecent.
Miss Grey lets her fan drop to her side,
and brings her hands together with q
sudden sharp movement.
GLOW dare your she says, in low
tone.
''Hahl At last 1 have touched you,
my pretty cousin!'' cries he, gayly. ga
little of that revenge, so wisely called
sweet has fallen to my portion tonight.
Why, you look positively palei Come,
pull yourself together; call upon that in
doninitable spirit i'll which You pride
yourself, and give me back my blow!
no words? no seething sar-
casm, no pointed barb environed? Pshawi
I gave you credit for more go than you
poSscs5."
His manner is maddening Miss
Grey, rising slowly to her feet, with
parted lips, through which the painting
breath comes hurriedly, surveys him
with glance that would have subdued
most men. But not Grant Boyle.
He rises, too, and picking up her fan
with q nonchalant grace, hands it to her
with a slight bow full of mockery.
''You look charming So" he says,
with that naughty expression on your
handsome lips. Flattery is not only vu1
gar, l know, but the crudest Of mistakes
nowadays; but you will forgive me for
t, when you see how feeling has carried
me away. / am devoted admirer of ar
-istic effects. This, of yours, is perfect.
have always considered you pretty, my
cousin, but never really realized the fact
hat you could be beautiful until now''
''You run it very fine, - says Miss Grey,
N q voice so subdued to be almost a
whisper. ''You are daring. 1t would
hardly suit you, perhaps, to be thrown
over by the heiress of the season.
1.-THE heiress of the season would not
50 serve a devoted lover" replies he,
still with that light hooking laughter on
MS sneering lips. ''If she did-why-she
might cease to be the heireSS of the sea-.
SON.
He had dealt his little blow in soft
but it tells. 1t is all so true!
Her uncle, Timothy Boyle, her aunt,
Mrs. Brand, the two whose wills make
her an heiress, could as easily unmake
her, were she to go contrary to their
wishes. And they have decreed that she
IS to marry Grant, Boyle, the son of their
1early loved dead brother, the first hus-
band of Lady Valworth. A whim On
their parts. A serious matter with the
girl now standing pale with passionate
anger-with head down bent and heart
that madly fights with cold reason for a
victory. To give up this man and fu-
ture that will land her on the worlds
stage as one of the richest commoners in
England, or to resign this man and
eleave to that other, who can give her
only 9. very modest income and heart
all gold. ITO be, or not to be?'' This
struggle is sharp, bitter, but short lived.
She has been too well trained to willingly
barter all for love. Cold reason wins the
lay, and the heart, sobbing, rebellious,
fades into the background.
GAS to the devoted lover part" she
says at last, with a smile as careless as
his own, II will let you off all that sort
Of thing. We shall fulfill our destiny,
you and I've shall marry, and by such