The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-06-17

not before. I'm tired OF THIS dlly.dally-
.zg, and wish to end it as much as any.
one can. Hark you, then, sir! never
.elinquish purpose, when once formed,
and / shall therefore 60 on es though
nothing had happened. Your wild con.
duct and words shall be forgotten, and
nv proposition shall remain intact. JAS
mino Lodge shall be yours, together with
the income stated. on the condition al
ready understood. Pause we'll in youl
answer, for the alternative of refusal
NAV cost you dearer than you can dream
of. Iwant your daughter here for my
wife. Is she to be my wife, or not?"
mol" roared Mr.. Alworth, in as nearly
a voice of thunder as he could attain.
Wait; it is for me to answer MIR. Croak,
father" said Gwendoline.
She had remained seated, in an agony
of distress and embarrassment, after the
two men had arisen, and angrily con.
fronted each other.
But she now arose, with quiet dignity,
end, silencing her father with gesture,
faced the lawyer, composedly.
Il have at least to thank you, Mr..
Croak," she said, "for the straightforward
brutality of your bargaining with my
latQer lOI NY uouus
This enables me to speak for myself
with freedom from any consideration
for your feelings-if, indeed, you are
possessed of human feehngs-that might
have tempered the indignant contempt
and scorn with which I must necessarily
spurn your cowardly, despicable, offer.
know, sir, that am entirely unactu.
ated BY any such decisions, concerning
coats of-arms and lofty connections, al
have made my poor father their dupe.
No, sir. I spurn you and your bargain.
ing in the simple character Of free
Enelishwoman, nineteen years OF age,
strong in her own womanliness, thorough.
" able and resolved to think, speak, and
act for herself, and whose hand is not for
sale or barter! Sir, I loathe you un-
speakably! There is the door-in youl
case it can only be an exit"
She stood pointing at the door, strong
and imposing merely in the simplicity Of
her insulted maidenliness and beauty
and the quiet force with which her scath-
ing words had been uttered divested then
of any approximation to studied heroics.
Mr.. .Croak turned whitish yellow,
and then, Rnashing out something unin.
tellicible from between his clepched
teeth, he turned upon his heel and left
the room without another word.
Good! glorious! magnificent" ex.
claimed Mr.. Alworth, almost caperina
in his satisfaction.
Cad! but you let him have it better
than could have done, Gwenny: and il
was no more than the old brute deserved
The idea of such se-pride-such pre-.
sumption in a mere lawyer! But VIII what
are you about, Gwenny? IL don't un.
derstand."
Gwen had opened the door of an ad.
joining lumber-room, and was engaged
in pulling out some old trunks and pack.
ing-bo1es.
"Oh, you poor old papa!" said she,
straig ghtening up, and trying to be merry,
though with quivering lip. Will You
horrid old world, besides its flowers, its
trees, and it's patches of paradise among
the Cornish cliffs2 Dent you see that l
effects 10 Aunt Joan's without delay?"
To to Aunt Joan's2"
ITO be sure-where else2 Is Mr.. Croak's e
vengeance going to sleep, think you? Mr..
Marlowe may send up here at any mo.
LuSuI, CIoe41AS uS OuC VI LnSSo PASoo"hs
garrets, in which we have lived SO long,
mo, no; he will rather come himself,
and to congratulate u.s." cried the old
man, eagerly. Lords are not picked ur
for husbands every day in the year
When he hears that you are engaged t
Lord Squanderall-"
Father! what are you raving about
Preposterous!"
He gazed at her blankly. A faint rev.
elation of the miserable blunder he had
cherished seemed to be dawning upon
him, for his face took on dull, grayish
hue.
why, Gwenny," he faltered, in 8
frightened way; you told me-you know
yeu told me, that he made you an offer OF
his hand
And he did 80; but Mr.. Croak came in
before had chance to tell you the
rest." said she, pityingly.
You sprang SO eagerly to o false con.
cl1sion, you cherished it 30 wildly-what
was I to do, especially in that odious
mans presence?'
what do you mean?'
Il should have told you that I refused
Lord Squanderalls offer as promptly as
it was made"
He gazed at her in pitiably dazed
way, and then sank into seat with g