Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-07-25

/ Olu .liS uSdlu. IL - tOO lutS W uitor
any thing-what is done is done"
''Tell me what you want, " she cried
passionately, 'and leave me-"
THAT is not polite, Ninette. For
two months past have been trying to
train you to gentler speech and quieter
manners. Have you profitted no bet
ter by my lessons than thisp'
She turned away in silence. "Stay,"
he cried, ''perhaps / have annoyed
you, troubled you. BE friends once
more Promise to come down to-
night"
II wonder you stoop to entreat
what you know you can enforce" she
said, listiessly. ''If you desire it l
must obey"
THAT is WE'LL" he said, with a smile
OF relief. IL would rather not insist,
it is so much pleasanter for both to
see you yield to persuasion than to
force. And, Ninette, stay yet mo-
ment Put on that white gown gave
you and those bands of dead gold it
suits your style. And if for once you
would try to look more cheerful and
less like victim about TO be sacriiic-
ed, should feel grateful t1T the ef-
fort"
"Have you any more-orderspn
"Dear child-not orders? Pray, do
not miscall my hints thus. Merely
directions for your guidance. Surely
a father is privileged to give them to
his childm
"Most certainly" she said, with n
smile whose listlessness and pain gave
neither brightness nor relief to her
young sad face. "Only it is not al
ways easy TO remember that you are
my-father.
IL have been neglectful, that is true
but | will make amends fOr all now.
My only and unceasing regret is that
did not come in time to prevent your
marriage with that Norman lout. To
think that who have some of the
best blood of France in my veins
should be allied to a mere son of the
soil. Bah! it is monstrous.
Il should not advise you to boast of
your French blood Over-much," the
girl said, with bitter scorn.i "At
least the son of the soil whom you des-
pise so much has not forfeited honor
esteem, respect, as you have done
Not all the gold of the universe would
have tempted him to betray his coun-
try.
IF his country had behaved as bad
ly to him as it did to me, | think he
would have needed little temptation TO
h hn
angry retort. "And mere stroke of
diplomacy, Ninette, does not deserve
so harsh a title"
MY peasant education is likely to
blame in that see only one face to
the natter" she answered with
deep contempt, Il cannot understand
subterfuges. To me deceit is deceit,
betrayal is betrayal. If those plans
of yours which l accidentally discov-
ered--"
"Will you be silent, girl?" he
Numbered with wrath in his face and
voice. She smiled bitterly.
You have weak point too, then.
Well, be more sparing in the future
of mine"
}
scene was being enacted in the
same room. A group of men of all
ages were seated round card
table, playing with the zest and eager
ness of habitual gamblers. Standing
behind the chair OF her host, her lovli-
ness heightened by the difference of
dress, her face flushed with the excite
ment of the scene before her, was
Ninette.
Many of the group played less skill
fully and cautiously than was their
wont, distracted by the wonderful
beauty OF the girl, by her dcpartees,
her cool disdain, her utter disregard
Of the admiration she excited. From
time TO time she served them with
wines at a signal from her father, and
the more they drank the wilder grew
the play, the greater the vivacity and
abandon of the players. A greater IL
cense, steader tendency TO equivo-
ques and jest crept into the conversa-
ton which showed a scant respect for
either the host or his daughter; but
the one played on, smiling serenely
and TESTED gayly, and the other scarce
noticed or understood the illusions
and innuendoes which grew broader
and more plentiful as the night drew
on. Two hours passed rapidly by,
leaving their host the winner of heavy
sums. He played very skillfully, with
the proficiency OF one accustomed to
control chance by rules and trained
skill, and yet with the outward list
lessness OF a professional gamester.
His stakes were the largest OF any, his
luck the most remarkable, and when
at last they rose from the table a cer-
tain general of the Prussian Guards
congratulated him trihe maliciously
on the fact.
He shook his head with deprecating
smile. Fortune is mine to-day-she
will be yours tomorrow" he said.
"Will you take your revenge thenP"
"Assuredly," said the. colonel.
meanwhile if your Hebe will favor
me with some more of that iced Mo-
selle l will not decline IL. Play is
hot .vnrlx and this roorn IL nona of