Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-01-28

appearances are everything" observed
J Lady Hampton sagely: land you cannot be
! too careful at first"
docs he seem to pay Pauline any atten-
| tion?' asked the young widow, eagerly.
Il have never heard them exchange more
| than few words-indeed the circumstance
has puzzled me, Elinor. / have seen him
look at her as though he WOrshiped her and
as though he hated her. AS for Miss Oar
| rel, she seems to treat him with contemp.u-
Gus Indifference"
81 used to think he liked her." said Lady
Darrell, musingly.
'.He liked the future heiress of Darrell
Court" rejoined Lady Hampton. "All his
love has gone with her prospects, you may
rely upon it,"
Lady Darrell, brought up in school that
would sacrifice even life itself for the sake
! of appearances, knew there was no help for
her enforced retirement. She remained in
her rooms until the young officer had left
the Court.
Lady Hampton was not the only one who
felt puzzled at Pauline's behavior to the cap
tain, Miss Hastings, who understood her
pupil perhaps better than any one, was puz-
zled. There was somewhat of calm, unut-
tCl aDlC lpG III utI uidlllltI VI lISdtIlS
him. He could not provoke her; no matter
what he said, she would not be provoked in
to retort She never appeared to remember
his existence; no one could have been more
completely ignored; and Captain Langton
himself was but too cOgniZant Of the fact. If
he could have but piqued Or aroused her,
have stung her into some exhibition of feel
ing, he would have been content; but no
statue could have been colder, no queen
prouder. If any little attention was required
at her hands she paid it, but there was no
denying the fact that it was rendered in such
a manner that the omission would have been
preferable.
On the evening of his departure Lady
Hampton went down to wish him farewell;
she conveyed to him Lady DarrelPs regret
! at not being able to do the same.
II am very solry," said the captain;
though, of course, under the circumstances,
could hardly hope for the pleasure of see
ing Lady Darrell. Perhaps you will tell her
that in the autumn, with her permission, 1
shall hope to revisit the Court"
Lady Hampton said to herself that she
should take no such message. The dearest
wish of her heart was that the gallant cap
tain should never be seen there again. But
she made some gracious reply, and then ask
ed, suddenly:
"Have you seen Miss Darrell? Have you
said good-by to her?'
Aubrey Langton looked slightly confused.
II have not seen her to-day" he replied
Lady Hampton smiled very graciOusly.
Il will send for her." she said; and when,
in answer to her summons q servant enter
ed, she asked that Miss Darrell might be re-
quested to favor her with her presence in the
library. 1t did not escape her keen observa-
ton that Captain Langton would rather
have avoided the interview.
Pauline entered with the naughty grace
so natural to her; her proud eyes never once
glanced at the captain; he was no more to
her than the very furniture in the room.
''You wished to see me, Lady Hampton"
she said, curtly.
''Yes-tbat is, Captain Langton wishes to
say good-by to you; he is leaving Darrell
Court this morning"
There was the least possible curl of the
short upper lip. Lady Hampton happened
to catch the glance bestowed upon Pauline
by their visitor. For a moment it startled
her-it revealed at once such hopeless pas
Sionate love and such Strong passionate hate.
Pauline made no reply: the queenly young
figure was drawn up to its full height, the
thoughtful face was full of scorn. The cap
tain concealed his embarrassment as he best
could, and went up to her with outstretched
hands,
"Good-by, Miss DARRELL he said; this
has been very sad time for you, and I deep
ly sympathize with you. l hope to see you
again in the autumn, looking better-mOre
like yourself"
Lady Hampton was wont to declare that
the scene was one of the finest she had ever
witnessed. Pauline looked at him with that
straight, clear, calm gaze of hers, so terribly
searching and direct.
'GoOd-by," she said, gravely, and then,
utterly ignoring the outstretched hands, she
swept haughtIy from the room.
Lady Hampton did not attempt to conceal
her delight at the captains discontinue.
miss Darrell is very proud" he said, laugh
ing to hide his confusion. 81 must have been
unfortunate enough to displease her."
But Lady Hampton saw his confusion, and
in her own mind she wondered what there
was between these twO-Why he should ap-
pear at the same time to love and to hate her
above all, why she should treat him with
such sovereign indifference and contempt.
sit is not natural" she argued to herself;
'young girls, as rule, admire-nay, take an
uncommon interest in soldiers. What rea-
son can she have for such contemptuOus in
difference?'
How little she dreamed of the storm of
rage-of passion-of anger-of love-of fury,
that Warred in the captains SOull
He was ten thousand pounds richer, but it
was as a drop in the ocean to him. If it had
been ten thousand per annum he might have
been grateful. Ten thousand pounds would
discharge every debt he had in the world
and set him straight once more; he might
even lead the life he had always meant to
lead for two or three years, but then the
money would be gone. On the other hand,
if that girl--that proud, wllful, defiant girl
would but nave married him. Darrell Court.
with all its rich dependencies, would nave
been his. The thought almost maddened
him.
How he loathed her as he rode awayl But
for her all this grand inheritance would have
been his. Instead of riding away, he would
now be taking possession and be lord and
master of all. These stables with the SPLEEN
did stud of horses would be his-his the mag
niticent grounds and gardens-the thousand
Injuries that made Darrell Court an earthly
paradise. All these would have been his but
for the obstinacy of one girl. Curses deep
and burning rose to his lips; yet, for his
punishment, he loved her with love that
mastered him in spite of his hate-that made
him long to throw himself Mt her feet, while
he could have slain her for the wrong he con-
sidered that she had done him.
Lady Hampton could not refrain from
few remarks on what she had witnessed.
Has Captain LangtOn been so unfortunate
| as to offend you Miss Darrell?' she asked of
Pauline. Il thought your adieus were OF