The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-04-06

happened anQ you Will see how different
everything is from what you imagine.
He came to Ladywell Wood could
not refuse to say word to him once he
was there, could II Besides, l think he
came on purpose to ask me to marry
him.
"Say no more about that, Dollie, it
only vexes me. You must have known
that you would never be allowed to do
it."
Mother" Dolle began, but her voice
failed her.
make no appeal to me, Dollie. I am
sorry for you, of course, if you care, but
you won't care long. Be good girl,
and do your best to dismiss this from
your mind at once and forever, and go
to your room now and write and tell that
man that you intend to do so.'
"Where is Dollie?" asked Mt. Car
negie when he and Sir Philip came.
She was here few minutes ago, but
she has been sketching in the sun. and it
has been too much for her. She had to
go to bed with frightfully bad head
ache"
"Then l shall not see her unless l stay
till tomorrow" said Sir Philip, after
expressing much sympathy.
"Oh, you must not do that-you must
not offend your uncle, besides, Dollie
may not be we'll enough to see you to-
morrow"
Sir Philip sighed woefully.
"She is not seriously i'll. If you will
take my advice you will 60 to-day, as
your uncle wishes; you will stay at Glen
findie as long as he stays--I think you
said he would be there q month-and
when you have done that you will do us
the great pleasure of seeing you back
here. Don't distress yourself about see-
ing Dollie. 1t Is much better that you
have not seen her. You would not have
been able to get her to say what you
wish without great deal of persuasion
certainly not in one day-even if she had
been well. She has not the slightest idea
that you care for her, and she is very shy
and timid."
Sir Philip departed, aud Mr.. and Mrs.
Carnegie repaired to the study to write
to Mr.. Fleming. Their daughter. they
said, might have been temporarily led
away by persuasion, but now saw, as
any one with any judgment must see,
that marriage with him was out of the
question. They enclosed a letter from
her which would inform him of the true
state of her feelings, and trusted that he
would see the propriety of leaving the
neighborhood at once.
'sBut can you get her to write that
letter." asked Mr.. Carnegie.
"Oh, yes," replied his wife, and went
to Dollie's room, which she did not leave
until she had succeeded.
Two tears had fallen on Dollie's paper
while she was writing. Mrs. Carnegie
had seen the blisters which they raised,
but Dollie had suffered SO cruelty while
writing the Letter, that 1t was impossible
to insist on her making clean copy. So
it went with its blisters to Fleming and
strengthened his conviction that Dollie
was acting under coercion.
He wrote to her, but his letter was re
turned by Mr.. Carnegie unopened, with
the words, "You have had your dismis-
sal from my daughter, and you have had
it from me. request you at once to
leave this neighborhood. Should you
persist in remaining, steps will be taken
to enforce this request"
Fleming became desperate, and being
powerless in other ways, called the wis
dom of the serpent to his aid, and wrote
81 find it so hard to believe that your
daughters mind can have changed so
suddenly that entreat you to let me see
her alone for ten minutes. II YOU per-
nit this, and she then speaks as she has
written, l give you my word of honor as
a gentleman to accept her decision as
final, and to leave this place at once"
"What nuisance the man isl" ex-
claimed Mrs. Carnegie. "We shall have
to let him come. Sir Philip returns next
week-we can't have this kind of thing
going on then"
So, with great reluctance, Mr.. Carne-
eie replied, "Since you refuse to believe
the truth, and insist on giving my daugh-
ter this pain, you may come tomorrow
at IL, when she herself will tell you
what her wish is. You may see her for
ten minutes, but her family will be pres
sent"
-
''But he is gentleman, thought Mrs.
Carnegie, when Fleming entered the
room where she, her husband and their
two eldest daughters were assembled to
receive him. Mr.. Carnegie felt Dollie's
hand trembling on his arm as he led her
down, and had at last to support her lest
her feet should fail her altogether.
At the drawing room door he kissed
her and said:
"Be brave, darling, it will soon be
over. You could not have married him;
but will own that he is better looking
than expected"
"Is he?" she exclaimed eagerly. "Are
you quite sure that you would never have
said yes9"
"Quse Stick to what has been agreed
on, and let us get quietly over it"
All eyes were fixed on DolIie as she
came in. looking pale. ill and scarcely