The morning call., 1891-10-04

good looking and rich enough, ana wuulu
do anything almost to get away from this
stupid, hateful place. But then the ques-
ton is, shan't l have chance Of doing bet
ter? should like title"
Titles are not as common as blackber-
rles."
d" Neither is beauty" was the complacent
well, 1 think if you don't mean to marry
him, you Oughtu't to carry on with him as
you are doing"
" NV dear child, what is all this lecture
about? l should think l can amuse myself
in n dreary, stagnant desert. like Birdley,
by talking to the only individual in the
place worth talking to-the only man with
two ideas in his head whom l have had the
pleasure of meeting here-without being
obliged either to make fool of myself by
adoring him. or to ruin all my chances In
life by marrying him. Mr.. Lorraine enter
tans me. and we get on well together-and
there's an end"
as that all he thinks about it?"
whatever do | know or care ?" she cried,
imDatiently. What fierce champion OF
his you are, Moral l declare shall beginto
think you are in love with him, if you
don't take care"
"Oh, Maudl' exclaimed 1 with cheeks of
the most indignant crimson; you know l
hate himW
"uow naughty of y0ur she said. negli-
gently. "Pm sure l don't see why you
should. He is perfect gentleman, and al
WAYS agreeable and good-tempered.
q To you, perhaps; to me, he's Just hor-
rible!"
"Well, it is your own fault. You are so
rude and unladylike in your behavior to
him. no wonder he treats you as tiresome
child. Nora, you should try to be more
grown up. You are IS now, and really, you
ought to be quirtsr, more Seli-possessed ana
less impulsiye, you know
- Maud" | burst out suddenly, twill you
help me to play him practical jokeP l
know of such lovely one-just will take all
the cOnceit out OF him. Oh, Maud. dol"
Indeed, l wont. OF all the odlous. vul-
gar things, practi al jokes are the worst. l
wouldn't help in one for worlds, and wont
let you play one upon MI: Lorraine. Nora,
dear. you really must not.
- Very wen," asseuted; and 1 felt sadly
disappointed.
"How do Won do, Miss Millardp These
weeds don't have much OF chance; but are
you not broiled over them in this heat?'
A long black shadow fell across my piece
of shrubbery, and when glanced up L saw
the tall handsome figure standing by my
side with outstret he'd hand and careless
smile.
AZ am not Miss Willard, am only Nora"
l muttered, giving my hand uDgraciously
enough.
Now, this muttering was due to pure con-
tradiction only, for had not the slightest
objection 10 JNe superior Lltlt III Ecuelhi
way and l certainly had no desire To near
my Christian name from MIR. Lorraine.
VERY we'll No'a them" he laughed.
"Where is your sister,"
You'll find her in the drawing-rOom." l
replied, bending again over my dearly be-
loved weeds with an air which said very
plainly indeed, "And l wish you would
make haste about looking for her."
He did not appear TO read 1t Alright.
GLOW energetic you are. he said, glanc-
ing down at the weeds flying in all direc-
tionS. Cant | help you?"
"No. thank YOU; l have just done"
dashed my last armtul OF rubbish into
my barrow and seized its handles.
If he would take up an abode in my shrub
berry. must vacate my own ground, that
was all
But be was obtuse this morning, with the
ObtuSeness of one who would not see.
'-D0 allow mel" he said, counter-seizing
the moor barrow
Then, as [ silently resisted, he dared to
lit nv hands from the handles by sheer
strength.
Not that it seemed much exercise of
strength to him.
II really couldn't stand by and watch you
wheel that heavy affair" he went on apollo
getically. "If you will come and show me
where to deposit It's contents | wont bother
Won any more after that Don't you think
you may trust me-"
didn't happen TO have any suitable re-
plv ready, SO | marched in silence on the
way to the rubbish heap, only venturing
presently another hint
MAUD will be going into the village di-
rectiy"
"All right; Tn not going to bother you
much longer. told you | wouldn't, you
know" hr laughed
Some small vestiGe of politeness came
creeping injO me at that
a am very much obliged TO you for wheel
ing this heavy barrow for me. know you
consider me & model Of rudrness. but"
II never considered anything of the
kind" he interrupted very quickly, and
those embarrassing gray eyes were bent
fun upon me. What makes you fancy
that?"
"Wen, because-bscause l know 1 am
very rude to you sometimes.
"Yau are bewitchingy candid at any rate.
Did it never strike you that your rudeness
is much more charming to me than any
amount of hackneyed civility could ever
De ?"
lie had lowered his voice dangerously.
and those deep dark eyes seemed to be
! piercing my very heart.
For one foolish moment | trembled all
| over and the hot color ran rl0ting in my
| face then | shook myself back into cOmpo-
| sure and Indignation.
OF course he was talking satirically, and
! ] idiot that ! was had for an instant mis-
| understood him. | was so angry with my
self that l should have liked to have knocked
| him down.
| at strikes me that you speak in a most
| ungentlcnaniy way to NE. You treat me
| ALWAYS as if [ were a child-au idiot-as
| if [ hadn't the sense to understand any
! thing. You dare not say such things to
| Maudw
| perhaps have no desire"
mo- that is just H." almost crying in my
| ahject veXati0n. Because Maud 10 beau
! tiful and clever, you treat her as if she were
a queen; and because | amugly, and stupid,
YOU seem to forget that | am Il lady. 1t is
very wrong Of you, and it is very unkind of
you"
And at this point my pride broke down,
! and dissolved in childish tears. Nv misery
was augmented by the consciousness OF the
unqueenly figure l was showing my adver-
| sary now
Mora, listen tn me-hear ME for one
moment" said Mr.. Lorraine, very gravey;
| but was rushing tumutunusly away and
| in nv own room, while INDUCING IN most
| hearty cry. l resolved to make an end
| at ouce and for all, of these passages at
arms. in which he was so invariably vic
| tOriOus.
would not amuse him by exhibitions of
| temper.
would not even deign to be rude to him.
| He rrjoiced in Maud's conversation. Let
him have 1t alone. What did it matter to
me, if only-ah. if only | could be sure that
he did not think / had believed him in
earnest few minutes ago?
My soliloquy was interrupted by my Sis
| ter's voice.
Mora, are you dressing? 1t is quite time
to begin, for we are to be at the Nashes' by
| O'clock"
II sha'n't go. Maud. I've got head
acheW
Not go? Why, what nonsense! 1t is
the one party of the season, and you've been
looking forward to it for days! What's the
matter? Do open the door and let me in. J."
Z" No, you can't come in and | wont go"
| / said, des erately.
Maud tried ia Their argument, exhortation
and rebuke. but remained firm, and at last
afraid of being too late HERSELF she was
Obliged 10 leave me.
Next morning she surprised me by ex-
claiming suddenly, :" What was the joke you
talked of playing off on Gus Lorraine? I've
rather mind to help you now"
"Why?"
because l believe he is conceited and
disagreeable, after all, and | would like to
| pay him out for making me so cross yester-
day. I'll just tell you. what he did. You