The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-08-15
SELECTED STORY.
A Heroine by Proxy.

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A girl rose quickly and quietly,
gathered her soft draperies, and pick
ing her steps noiselessiy over the
turf reached the path some 20 yards
above the spot where he lay Then
treading rather heavily on the loose
stones she marched down the path
toward him. At the sound Of her
footsteps he sat up, twisted hurriedly
his handkerchief around his hand,
which was covered with dust and
blood, and turned toward her with a
face which he tried hard to render
as unconcerned as her own.
ooh, how do you do, Mr. Percival2"
she said. "Who would have thought
Of seeing you of all people in this
of all places3 And what have you
done to your hand2"
He had risen while she spoke and
held out his left hand to her.
Twas clumsy enough to knock it,
he said, awkwardly enough. But
cts nothing much. Which way are
you going2'
81 was going to sit here" she said.
81 often do. Don't let me disturb
you"
She sank lazily on the turf within
yard or two of him, and the young
man had nothing left but to follow
her example. He was a tall, well
knit young fellow of 81 or there
about, with dark, curling hair and a
light mustache.
His eyes were of a good blue, but
they were small and i'll set and his
face was so heavily cut that nine
people out of ten who met him said
to themselves or to their friends,
"What an ugly fellow that Percival
is" But the tenth person found Per
cival by no means so ugly, for wit
showed in the sparkling blue eyes,
intellect marked the broad brow and
delicacy and tenderness had mel
lowed the corners of the rather thin
lips. His face was very pale now.
II didn't know your Sunday walks
ever led you this way, Miss Hell
ston," he said, with an evident desire
w. LhahC SOil Cl SctulOA
II come here sometimes when l
=, want to be quiet and think things
over" she said.
There was a silence. His difficulty
In finding suitable small talk was now
20 obvious that Miss Helston sudden
ly abandoned her half formed deter
mination to act as though things
we're exactly as they ought to be.
She looked steadily at him for min
ute, and then she said,
''Do you mind telling me why you
called yourself an utter fool and why
you banged your hand against the
rock just now2"
He flushed dull red and frowned
angrily.
Its no use, your being angry with
me-" she said, because happen to
have seen you. If you behave that
way in public quarry you must ex
pect an audience"
IT don't see he began stiffly.
''No, you don't see what business
1t is of mine, and you think it would
have been more delicate and more
1adylike' for me not to have seen
anything, or, at any rate to pretend
that haven't. And that's because
I'm woman. If it had been man
whom you like as we'll as you do me
who had seen you this afternoon, you
would probably have told him what
was the matter. And perhaps he
could have helped you. Perhaps /
can If you tell me-"
The truth of what she said came
upon him for the first time. He real
lied that if she had been a man and
one whom he liked as well as he
liked this black haired, athletic, tri-
cycling, tennis playing girl he would
have told everything. His voice had
note of apology in it as he said
Its very kind of you. If you care
% be bothelud with my condolences,
though l am not much by way of
making them to anybody, l will tell
you what l should certainly tell to
any man alive-that I totally disap
prove Of your cousins conduct, while
at the same time can't help loving
her, like the fool l am >"
"Of course, said Miss Helston, on
looking at him calmly. Il know
that you love my cousin. l know it
just as well as she does But that
you should disapprove of her,
mo, not Of her. You don't under
stand. She is 50 young, so innocent,
so childish. She is led away into
these foolishnesses and flirtations by
the mere spirit of youth. If she cared
for me-if she cared for any one-she
would settle down and give the whole
noble side of her character chance
to show itself.
''But she doesn't care for YOU"
said Miss Helston, with decision.
Don't say so2" he answered, but
trritably, for no man likes to be told
these things.
"Do you know why she doesn't
care for you2" He looked an inquir-