Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-02-27

mined tones, 81 am very sorry, but
can't do II
Cant do WHAT oh, if you like to
stay behind, you may. All the better
perhaps" said Constance, with shrug
of her graceful shoulders. you can
sit here and walt for us; ! will pick
you up on the wayb ack,"
II don't mean that" said Madeline
turning very pale. Where you go, |
shall go, too. But / mean that | will
not be bound by any promise and that
if | see anything do not think your
aunt or Miss Joyce would like, | shall
tell Miss Joyce as soon as get home F"
You little viper You will no moth
ing Of the kind" said Constance, with
an angry flash Of her superb eyes. She
seized Madeline BY the wrist and
squeezed it with a cruel force. you
dare to say word" she exclaimed
Madeline met her gaze unflinchingly.
You would not be so anxious to pre-
vent me from speaking If YOU were
doing what was right" she said
Dear mademoiselle, perhaps you do
not understand" began the count. But
Madeline would not let him finish the
sentence.
II do not very much want to under
stand" she said. But / know that We
must be doing wrong or you would not
be so afraid of my telling Miss Joyce.
If 1t is all right, you will not mind
my telling her that we have lunched
with you today"
TELL her If you like" said Constance,
furiously I'VE shall not be bound
down by little child like you But
If you say word, Madeline Despard.
| will have you turned out of the school
in disgrace vow, / will"
/ II can't help it" said Madeline. Her
face was white, but 1t wore now the
lcok of resolve to which her father in
old days had grown accustomed. "You
had better come back to Mrs. Gervase's
Constance. II you will do that: won't
say anything l know of 1t hap
pening again.
I II knew this would be the result OF
your coming out with me instead OF
Ethel" said Constance "A tiresome
underlined, little fool"
! IF Ethel would have kept silence,
Ethel is a very wicked girl" said
Madeline, passionately. "I won't do it,
Constance began another angry IT,
rade, but De Marsac quietly inter-
posed.
! We are attracting attention here" he
said, Come outside. Let me speak
Constance. Now" he said, turning to
Madeline, when they reached the pave
! ment, tell us what you mean what
i II is that you won't do"
| Il mean" said Madeline, looking him
steadily in the face, that | know you
to be bad man; and that unless you
let us so straight to Mrs. Gervase's now,
! | will go straight to Miss Joyce when /
get back and tell her all about this
morning, and all about you"
What does she mean, Rene" said
Constance, in rather a frightened tone
she is spiteful little devil" an-
swered the count, yiciously, "and she
means that she had heard of my play
ing cards with her father and losing
noney-that is all.
More than that" said Madeline
coolly.
More than that, Ell? Well, my
pretty little vixen, you had better keep
your tongue STILL" said DeMarsac,
quietly. But there was slight change
in his face which showed Madeline that
Ter shaft had gone home. You will
find 1t the worse for you if you let
it wag freely" He put his hand on her
arm and drew her aside little. What
were you going to say" he asked, look
| ing her straight into her eyes.
| Il shall not say it unless you make
me-and | shall not say II to YOU
In a moment the expression of De
Marsac's eyes was absolutely murder
Gus. He knew very well that Madeline
| had heard him accused of cheating at
cards and had seen him once kicked
out OF room on that account 1t was
| impossible that he might be able to
substantiate her statements and in
| that case, If they came to the ears of
Col. Vanbrugh and Lady EsIer, he
knew that ruin would stare him in the
face. Roger ganbrugh would never
tolerate him in his sight again and
where would be his hopes OF Con-
stances dowry? He swore to himself
but from that moment he was as in
tent upon getting Constance off his
hands and back to her school as he had
before been anxious for her company.
1t was a mad scheme. after all, he
refleeted-this plan of secret mar
riage at the registrars; and certainly
it could not be carried out on this oc-
! casion. Constance must submit to the
inevitable: but If ever he had the
chance Of paying out Despard's girl
He did not finish the sentence, even
to himself He turned to Constance,
with suaye smile and lift Of the
eyebrows which expressed haIf-hu-
morous despair.
ut is impossible to do anything to-
day" he said to her. you had better
go back Your fair companion is i'm
practicable.