The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-08-08
A FAIR REBEL.
BY MRS. e. II. HoUGH.

"You may talk all day, and all night,
and all next week, if it pleases you, Mr..
Gowan, but 1 simply shall not do itl'
Such a charming little bit of dimpled
mutiny she made as she stood before
him, whith her lovely head thrown
back, exposing the beautifully rounded
throat, with her complexion of mingled
rose and lily, her rosebud mouth, and
deep blue eyes, and the fair, white
brow over which the short nut-brown
curls ran riot-a piece of concentrated
defiance and rebellion from head to
foot, but with dewy moisture in her
eyes and a treacherous catch in her
voice that ought to have enlightened
him.
But it did not, he only looked at her
moment in half amused, half re-
proachful way, and then thrown en-
tirely off the course of his original
theme by this new innovation, he re-
sponded quietly'
"And how long has it been "Mr.
Gowan,' Lurlie?"
"All the time after this, 1 guess" was
the highly irrelevant answer, as she
proceeded reeklessly to pull rose to
pieces. "If you are going to begin to
play the tyrant and compel me to dc
all sorts of horrid things after
after --"
"Compel your" interrupted Archie
Gowan, as the lovely, dimpled face was
turned abruptly away. "My dear
child, you know that nothing has ever
been further from my intentions ol
endeavors than to compel you to dc
anything. From the day you first
came to my care as my ward, ten year.
ago, you have been" Ia smile lighting
up his serious face" spoiled to you
hearts content, and now when I only
want to advise you as to your bes
welfare"
"But | don't want to beadvised, anC
don't mean to be, eitherl" flashed
Lurlie, wheeling around again. at il
only another name for compulsion, an.
way, and you have all but commandet
me to say yes to him and bind mysel
to become his wife!"
"If my words sound like compulsioI
it is only because I have your interest
so earnestly at heart, Lurlie," sal
Archie, in a voice that was not quit
steady, at is getting time that yo
were settled in life. Herbert Raynor
a most excellent and worthy man, an
:. his regard for you is unquestione,
He would make you a husband {
whom you might well be proud, and
It feel loath to have you allow an
coquettish caprice to deprive you of {
IN desirable settlement, He is comiI
= here tomorrow to spend few days al
want you to promise at least that yC
will treat him cordially, and see if "
cannot feel toward him as ! think
deserves you should. You have be-
good friends so long that he may W,
claim the right at least to attempt
win you"
"Friends, friendsm repeated Lurl
pettishly. II have lots of other frien
for the matter of that, who don't thil
it a necessary condition that / mt
marry theml You may say what Y
please, Archie, you can never indu
me to consent even 10 contemplate t
idea Of marrying Mr., Raynor, / "
; admit that he is all you say-nice a
, pleasant, and worthy and all that-a
l some other woman will be very glad
have him, no doubt-but as for m'
simply shall not encourage, or ey
countenance, any of his intentions;
if you have invited him down here W
-, any such end in view, you may as "
write or telegraph at once to him ]
5 to come"
Not even my regard for you, Lur
Z would permit me TO be guilty of 81
inhospitality," replied Mr. Gowan, i
tone of graver reproof than she
l ever heard from his lips. "And