Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-12-11

recently been sacrificed, and allowed
some seconds to elapse before he an
swered:
Il don't know, I'm sure; but should
have thought Miss Leslie might as well
have condemned the whole of us while
she was at it. It's very evident that we
haven't had the good luck to please her
but perhaps that is because we haven't
tried as hard as We ought to have done
At this Lady Belvoir laughed again.
Suppose you begin now?" she suggest
ed. II shall be happy to retire to the
other end of the room if you think you
would get on better without me-"
II don't think we should get on at all
better without vou," answered Dorothy
and Moreton in one breath.
1t was a pity that after so emphatic
concurrence of opinion they should have
been forced TO do without her; but at
this moment two other visitors made
their appearance, and so it came to pass
that Dorothy and Mr.. Moreton, being
left sitting side by side, had to entertain
one another whether they liked it or not,
Neither Of them liked it at all. and
Dorothy did not even make an effort TO
do her duty, so that it devolved upon
her neighbor TO open the proceedings.
This he did by observing in a somewhat
aggrieved tone:
Il didn't know that Lady Belvoir had
tea fight on this afternoon.
Il don't think she expected anybody
to come" answered Dorothy coldly.
Not even you, perhaps
HIM! If it isn't an ilnpertinent ques-
ton, may l ask whether she expected
you?"
Impertinent or not, he obtained nc
answer to it: but presently Dorothy oh.
served, Il wonder at your not liking tea
parties
do L." inquired Moreton, more il
sorrow than in AMER, ''look like mar
who enjoys tea parties:'
Yes, think so.' replied the girl i'm
perturbably. Besides, if you don't en-
joy tea parties, what do you enjoy!"
Moreton very seldom lost his temper
but then it was not often that he was
tried in this way. He was now II, I
oughly angry, and If DOROTHY hsd baen
a man she would 3Qu'tle.z bean re-
quested in 4 pareGlptory manner to eE
plain her words. As ii was. be only re
marked, with studied caimneas:
j suppose that rnea" at YOU tool
upon me as an e8 -..nate sort Of },er
son. l --.n sorry for that. hut / dom
,, ttnink III try TO alter your opinion.
Il don't think you could. turned hi
irnDlaCabIa antaporlls.
The young man stared at her in undis
| guised astonishment.
Il know you don't like me, Miss Les
lie," said he, land if you'll excuse my
| speaking the truth don't very mucf
care. But as simple matter of curiosi
| ty may ask you what your quarrel will
| me is?''
YES she replied, you may, and
will tell You, NJ quarrel with you il
that you are good for nothing. l may be
wrong, but it always seems to me that
| good-for- nothing man is ten times wors,
than a good-for-nothing woman. 1t il
sufficient for woman to be somethins
| pretty, for instance-but man ough
to be able to do something. If he can
he might as well never have been born.
'Oh, but I can do several things,
Mr.. Moreton replied composedly. Il ca,
dance very well, and 1 can shoot rathe
better than pretty well, and-let me see
is there anything else? Oh, yes; forgo
my chief accomplishment. lam reall,
first rate hand at ingratiating mysel
with ladies. Not with you, of course
but you are the exception that prove
the rule"
If he meant to be exasperating h
scored a success. for Dorothy jerked III
her shoulders without deigning to re
spond, and after that he could get n,
more out of her. That she had not re
vealed the true cause of her hostility t,
him he could hardly be expected to di
vine. How could he know that she sus
pected him of an ambition to acquir
Lady Belvoir's fortune, and that sh
was convinced that Lady Belvoir, minu
her fortune, would have had no sort O
fascination for him?
AS little could she guess what was il
reality the sad plight of this hardened
student of feminine nature. For Eustac
Moreton Lady Belvoir's reputation ha,
no secrets. He knew all that was sal,
about her and believed most of it. Ye
it was now nearly a month since he ha,
become as wax in Lady Belvoirs hands
That all powerful woman had turne,
her attention to him the moment tina
she discovered how lightly he valued il
and such feeble resistance as he had of
fered had been overcome with ridicu
lous ease. 1t may be conceded tina
Eustace Moreton was selfish man: bu
it is certain that the persistency wit
which he had followed Lady Belvoi
about of late was not due to any wis
on his part to make what is usually call
ed good marriage. He called himsel
an ass for acting as he did, and he knew
that he was an ass; but he did it all tn
same.
Dorothy, for the reasons which hav
already been mentioned, determined to 81
him out upon this occasion, and it nee
scarcely be added that she attained he
purpose. He stayed until the other pee
pie had gone away, after which
glanced appealingly at Lady Belvoir an
fmpatieritly at Dorothy; but as neithe
of them chose to understand what
wanted he resigned himself to the inev
table and took his leave.
"Poor fellow" laughed Lady Belvoi
when she and her friend We're once NOR
alone
He is indeedr' agreed Dorothy, wit
fervor. Il don't think ever in my lii
met with a poorer fellow"
"Oh, I have" said Lady Belvoi
throwing herself back in her chair an
tanning herself lazily; II have met wit
lots of poorer creatures. If you come
that, Schneider is poorer creatur,
The mistake you make, my dear girl.
in asking too much of human nature.
am far more reasonable. The first thin
that ask of a man is that he shoul
adore me: then expect him to keep h
temper with me; finally. I should Lii
him, if he can manage it, to amuse m
But don't insist upon that"
"And does Mr.. Useless Mortal fulfi
all those conditions inquired Doroth
scornfully.
Mr.. Useless Mortal, as you SO wi
tily call him-by the way, Dorothy,
wouldn't display wit If were you;
isn't popular qualty-is all that
could wish him to be. He behaved az
mirably this afternoon, because / di
: tell him that should be at home an
!, alone, and OF course he must ha,