Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-06-19
A RIFT IN THE Lutte.

He thrust his hands into his pockets.
She envied him his ability to do so, but
compromised by twisting her fingers tight
ly together behind her back. He gnawed
his mustache, with the hint of an amused
smile in one corner of his mouth She
choked and blinked bravely to keep back
the tears. From his standpoint this their
first quarrel was a pretty little joke, In
which he held the upper hand and meant
to end it all by taking her close in his
arms when no got ready and kissing her
back to her old sweet self.
From her standpoint she felt that things
never could be the same again. 1t wasn't
that she blamed him for caring, because
she had seen too much of Tom Wells. She
had rather enjoyed his jealousy at first
She liked to see him standing by, clinch-
ing his hands and growing pale, because
she knew that it was all because Of love
for her. But when the battle was finally
on, when he had got her alone and come
to the point, things changed. Instead Of
having him at her mercy he some way
seemed to have her at his. She didn't
quite like the deliberate ease with which
he seemed to contemplate his ultimate tri-
umph, and, after the first burst of re-
proaches was over, he seemed to be per
fectly confident that she was going to be
meekly penitent and full of promises of
reform in the future.
She tingled TO her finger tips with rebel
lion. He should not conquer her. She
had been really a trifle ashamed of herself
at first and had meant to tell him so after
she had teased him little but now she
was determined not to submit. Thi1 one
first case was the test case. Upopi its out
come depended the tenor of their whole
future life, and Miss Beatrice Lane was
going to come out victorious this time If
it tore her little hcartstrings till they
snapped. If he, tine great, tall Philip
Ewing, were going to be such domestic
tyrant as this, the sooner she knew it the
better, especially as Tom was going back
to college in fortnight and she would
need Tim to assist her in her projected
texture of her despotic young lover.
"There now, little girl it's all over, and
4 we might as well kiss and make up.
know you were thoughtless. You didn't
mean to hurt me by your flirting with
that little, insignificant schoolboy, SC
we'll forget all about it. Come, lift VI
your head, Trix, and"-
| Trix did lift up her head, but Ewing
stepped back, all at once realizing that the
| lips weren't quite as coaxingly sweet a.
usual. Her chin seemed TO have lost it.
dimple; her eyes might have been hard Il
there had not lurked in them trace Of
hurt pleading. But her voice was very
calm and even as she answered slowly:
You seem to forget that l may have
something TO say about whether or MOI
you will kiss me; also you don't seem t.
remember that you yourself graduated
only last June, just year ahead of thi
other little insignificant schoolbOy. l an
almost afraid, she went on, taking on
superior tone of condescension, as though
the new feminine ideas were really rooteC
in her dear little soul, Pm almost afraiC
that men who have broad shoulder
and have won questionable fame on
brutal football team when at college some
how grow to let their physical power dom
mate their motives as well. Mr. Philil
Ewing, you can't carry me before you jus
because your arms are strong y womal
admires fine proportions in a man, but no
after he betrays that his muscle and brawl
are mightier factors in his life than gentl
manliness. To think about it, l don
know but prefer Mr. Tom Wells lack O
stature, with its attendant abundance q
honor and honesty, to Mr.. Philip Ewing
six feet of pompous stubbornness.
She was frightened at herself, for sh
hadn't meant to say so much, but whe
she had begun she couldn't find place t
stop Then, too, she rather enjoyed seein
him vince, and when he drew in his breat
! with a quick start of pain at her fling a
his questionable fame" she was goade
70 Il
once for all, that she wasn't going to b
wax in his hands She was too angry
consider. Pride had overpowered her love
and as she went on the big fellow onl
looked at the tiny fury in speechless amaze
ment, crushed, hurt, astounded, at he
sarcastic deluge.
At last she finished. He bowed his hea
as if to go, and then turned, holding on
the dear, strong arms where she woul
have given worlds to creep If only sh
could have done so without sacrifice {
} her pride. And all he said was:
Beatrice, for heavens sake don't max
this mistake. Remember, dear, that yo
once loved me; that 1 was the first ma
| you loved; that you were the first girl
loved. You can't go to some one else
| won't let another man have you and XII
i you and tell you things 1 have told you.
r But this tiny embodiment of the ne
woman's determination to teach man h
: place set her teeth and only smiled at hin
n smiled just as amusedly as he had smile
at her In the beginning of the little di
. pute which now had reached such alarm
1 ing proportions.
Poor Philip stood and waited, holdir
out his empty arms, and she merely smile
n So he turned and went, but the new wor