San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-10-31

on cannot think that am asking
you for what hope you will not grant.
You have all been so kind to me already.
Let me have my own way now, for one
more kindness" she said.
And then they gave IN. you shall
do what You like, my DEAR" Aunt Su-
san said. IF it would please you bet
ter, come to us for the future in the
afternoon. Come at three o'clock-and
shall worry you any more"
And after this Mrs. Hill thought and
hoped that the matter was settled and
ended.
But she was wrong, for it was not
ended yet. She had hidden good-by to
them, and had left the house, when,
just as she had got to the gate into the
road and was about to lift the latch,
with a feeling of annoyance she sud-
denly saw Mr.. Dunstan not three yards
before her, coming toward the gate too.
IN open it for you. It's a heavy
cumbersome sort of gate-isnt it?" he
said the instant he saw her, taking
couple of steps toward her, and adj
dressing her without any more formal
greeting. but where are you going?"
he asked the next moment.
II am going home," she said.
"Why-lunch isn't over, is it?"
mo, it is not over" she said.
Then why are you going home with
out any?"
He had opened the gate wide enough
for her to pass through, and was stand
ing leaning over it. looking at her.
ut suits me best to CO."
She said THIS rather haughtily, and
then she stepped into the road, and
would have passed on; but he stood up
right suddenly, and rather startlingly
arrested her.
Mrs. Hill, I am going your way" he
said. She stood still in an instant, and
turned to him with flush of angry
color in her face.
You were going home!' she said
quickly.
Yes, I soas going home, but I want
now to speak to you first. Just be good
enough to walk on, and let me walk a
few steps with you" And then, as he
put himself at her side,-"Don't you
see that you are placing me in avery I'M
gracious position?" he at once asked her
bluntly. II find you when / come home
to certain extent domesticated with
my people here, but the instant / APP
pear you break the familiar habits you
had fallen into, and refuse to sit down
at the same table with me. Now, l
don't say that this may not be agree
able to you, but it is not agreeable to me,
nor, as it seems to me excuse me for
speaking plainly have you any reason
able right to make me feel-as you do
make me feel at present-like nui-.
sance in my own house."
"Mr. Dunstanl" she said.
She had listened to him at first look
ing steadily straight before her, but at
his last sentence, her face had turned
round hurriedly to him, and she had
lifted up her eyes, with startled, de-
precating look in them. The sudden
ejaculation too had tone of entreaty
in it, and even of pain. 1t took him a
little1by surprise; perhaps it even NOV,
ed him in way he had not quite looked
for.
II don't want to vex you, you know"
he said quickly Pm stranger to you,
and of course have no right to dictate
to you, or perhaps to say anything to
you at all; but yet, upon my word, y
with something of a return to his first
manner,-"I don't think that you treat
me quite fairly
They were walking side by side, rath-
er rapidly, for he was tolerable angry,
and walked faster than he was quite
conscious of, and she too was not alto
gether calm, as was evident from the
color in her face. She was not calm
enough to answer what he said at once;
perhaps she could hardly in a moment
make up her mind in what tone to an
swer it. They had walked in silence
for several minutes before she said
II suppose you have right, to be
offended-certainly you have right, if
you think that am doing what you ac-
cuse me of merely out of caprice or dis
courtesy: but that is not so. Once for
all l tell you that. l neither go away to
annoy you, nor are you driving me
away. / go simply because"
And then there was moment or
two's silence, and she turned round up
on him suddenly without finishing her
sentence, and
''Do need to tell you why? Can you
not understand it?" she said, with
sort of suppressed passion. do you
think L am fit to sit at happy tables,
with people who are merry, and light
hearted?"
More fit for that than to sit alone, l
should say, and brood over your trou-
bies. ;" he replied composedly. "You had
far better do it, at any rate. Besides,
you seemed to think yourself fit for it
before l came home"
you are wrong. I never thought
myself fit for it. Icould hardly bear it
even them
"And now that have come back,
you mean, you find yourself wholly un-
able to bear it at alp Then the literal
truth is that / am driving you away
which is just what I said at first"
And then there was a.pause, and they