Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-05-12
PRIDE'S CONFLICT.
A STORY OF CAST e.

often been told that L am perYerse."
"And then what made you change your
mind:'
ga desire to please myself, L suppose
| could scarcely think that you wished me
to come. 1t was 10 your house, and you
pressed me very little," she said eyading
his last question.
"You think that is quite the truth, Flor
ence." he asked bending down nearer to
her face. ~ GU were not sure that / cared
for you to Gomez"
'sI1ow could | be when you scarcely ex-
pressed u wish for me to do sou
"The girls urged you constantly, and |
could not forget my last petition, when you
We're tocrdbiy firm in your decision from
the hrst. Wen, at any rate | must thank
You Tor coming; you gave me great pleas
ure, and nave almost cffaced the pain OF
your last refusal"
"Why should you care whether [ came
or not: ctn ont! see that you wish to
give me pleasure; I must be little to you,
i know"
difference, you arc approaching danger
Gus ground; do not let us venture upon it
just now. The present is too pleasant for
me at least; do not wish to risk it,"
He waited a moment, thinking that she
might resent the words; but she did not
Could he have seen her face at that mo-
ment. could he have heard her heart beat
and she thought he almost must-he would
not have doubted much. But he rarely re-
manned long i'll the same mood. She often
felt that he took pleasure in tormenting
her; he never seemed to tire of doing so.
She thought so still more few minutes
later.
"Your coming to us must have been
great trial to you, Miss Worthington; but
| hope and think ii has proved less painful
toyou than you first feared"
"Wny are you always saving that to me,
Mr.. Darlington? What light have you to
imagine that it was anything but pleasant
to me! 1t is you vino are now saying
what you do not think % Florence answer
ed holly.
81 am only saying what am sure Of"
s'I on cannot be-"
"But | cam" he said softly; ''and if you
ask nae why, will tell YOU"
"Well, tell me them" she said half fear
fully.
He laughed his low light laugh, which
always so tormcntcd her. She withdrew
her hand from his arm under the pretence
to re-@ather up her dress, but he knew
that was not the reason.
'Put your hand back again Florence;
your dress is all right. You know that
Ethel arranged your aristocratic skirts for
a walk be &0re we started. l can assure you
that they are safely off the ground" he
said lingering a moment behind her; and
then he held out his arm to her, and she
felt Obliged to take it. dwell, Florence,
you see | understood you from the first,
and pitied you too | saw that our peo-
pie We're not your people, and | did not
wonder from what / had heard about you;
but L know that you must have been faint
with shame when, for the first time in your
life, you had to place yourself upon an
equality with tradespeople. You shrank
from my dear, kind mother, YOU shuddered
at my fathers well-meant embrace. COM
pletcd your horror on the first day [ came
\ GU see | knew it-and | must confess |
enjoyed the knowledge. The two girls
alone were not distastcful to you-how
could they be-" he asked, ''eXcept from
their surroundings"
lie was so rarely alone with her that he
seemed TO be nerVing himself to tell her
all that was on his mind.
al think you are most unkind to me ~
Florence answered warmly, with difficulty
keeping back her tears. ''You say things
you cannot know, and you can only wish
to pain me-"
"lndccd L do not mean that. But look up
Miss Worthington, and tell me, on your
honor that what | have said to you is I'M
true. will believe yOu-nay, more, [ will
retract every word, and ask you to forgive
me. | cannot say more, can II"
But Miss Worthington, if she had many
faillnSs, had at least one virtue pre-emi-
nent sy-she was truth itself. She was 81
lent
90 ri, L.,,.
or persisted
"l do not care what you say or think"
she answered ut last, 81 love them all;
my new home is really home to me. You
do not know how grieyed | Shall be to leave
1t, if must-how much | care for all-at
lea@, all but"
''Me? Well, you are truthful now, Miss
Worthington, l do believe, or nearly so.--
on have begun to like your new home,
your uncle and aunt, Maud and Ethel
Iou like all but your humble seryant-and
you have little love for me, can see You
need not tell me that" She was right he
did like to torment her. He was hurting
her cruelty now, much more than lie
thought. ''But then, you see, | have no
claim upon you like the rest; l am not
really your cousin-yOu have told me so so
many times, and have SO utterly repudia-
ted any kind OF relationship between us
that there can be none, of course. Well,
there only remains for me, Florence, to try
to earn little regard for myself alone as
time goes Onto try to merit your esteem,
If you will grant me nothing eIse-and that
must DC but cold friendship, fear.
lie had gone little farther than he
meaut-Florcnce, was in tears. Her hand
was suddenly drawn from his ARMAND she
stroye to Join the others; but her walking
powers did not equal theirS-they were al
most cut OF sight.
"Forgiyc me, Florence: / have pressed
you too hard" ne pleaded gently, trying
again to make her take his arm; "but l
really wished to know exactly the ground
we all stand on with you. \ on have pain
ed me not little many times, must con-
fess, and perhaps | have now retaliated
too hardly. Can you forgive me?''
He pleaded, but Florence was hopeless
ly offended, hopelessly hurt; her happy
day was turned into something the very
reverse. Her feelings We're quite incom-
prehensible to her. Could they have been
clearly analysed, she might have known
that she had begun to like her cousin, but
wished him on no account to imagine this,
while eNacting the return OF friendship
he could in no way recognize.
"1ou will not say word, Florence;-
How wrong l must have been" But She
was still silent, as well rs a little tired
"You are too fatigued. Let Us drive the
rest OF the way her cousin proposed.
But she would not be conquered by
walk.
81 am not at all tired" she answered
coidly. And they plodded on in silence.