Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-04-05
A LITTLE REBEL
CHAPTER XIII.
BY "THE DUCHESS. .


ooh! yes, Of course / mean something"
says Hardinge impatiently. But | don t
suppose you want me to explain myself.
You were there last night-you must have
seen for yourself.
Seen what?"
"Pshawr' says Hardinge throwing up
his head, and fiinging his cigarette into
the empty fireplace. II saw you go into
the conservatory. You found her there,
and-him. 1t is beginning TO be the chief
topic of conversation amongst his friends
just now The betting is already pretty
free"
go on says the professor.
Il needn't go on. You know it now, if
you didn't before"
ut is you who know it-not l. Say
it, says the professor, almost iercely.
cit is about her?'
Your ward? Yes Your brother. it
seems, has made up his mind to bestow
upon her his hand, his few remaining
acres, and with Il sheer, This spotless
reputation"
"Hardinger' cries the professor,
springing to his feet as if shot He is
evidently violently agitated. His com
panion mistakes the nature of his e,I-
element.
Forgive mer' says he quickly. ''Of
course nothing can excuse my speaking
Of him like that-to you. But l feel you
ought to be told Miss Wynter is in
your care; you are III a measure RESPONSE
BILE for her future happiness-the happi-
ness of her whole life, Curzon-and if
anything goes wrong with her"
The professor puts up his hand as if to
check him. He has grown ashen gray,
!. " ti the other hand resting ON the back
stHhe chair is tisibly trembling.
Nothing shall go wrong with her"
says he, in a curious tone.
Hardinge regards him keenly. Is this
pallor, this unmistakable trepidation,
caused only by his dislike to hear his
brothers real character exposed?
well, l have told you" says he coldly.
at is a mistake" says the professor
"He would hot dare to approach
young, innocent girl. The most honor
able proposal such man as he could
make to her would be basely dishonor-
able
''Ah! you see it in that light too says
Hardinge, with touch of relief. My
dear fellow, it is hard Tor me to discuss
him with you, but yet | fear it must be
done. Did you notice nothing in his
manner last night?'
Yes, the professor had noticed some
thing Now there comes back to him
that tall figure STOPPING over Perpetua,
the handsome. leering face bent low
the girls instructive withdrawal.
Something must be done," says he.
Yes And quickly. Young girls are
sometimes dazzled by men of
his sort. And Per-Miss Wynn
ter Look here, Curzon,"
breaking off hurriedly. This is your af
fair, you know. You are her guardian
You should see to it,
Il could speak to her"
THAT would be fatal. She is just the
sort Of a girl to say Yes to him because
she was told to say No"
You seem to have studied her." says
the professor quietly.
We'll, / confess l have seen a good
deal of her of late.'
And to some purpose Your knowl-
edge Of her should lead you to making
a way out of this difficulty"
Il have thought of one,' says Har-
dinge boldly, yet with quick flush.
range another marriage for her, before
this affair with Sir Hastings goes too
far?'
There are two parties to marriage,
says the professor, his tone always very
low. WHO is it to whom you propose
to marry Miss Wynter?''
Hardinge, getting up, moves abruptly
to the window and back again.
You have known me long time.
Curzon," says he at last. ''You--you
have been my friend. l have family
position noney-I--
II am to understand, then, that you
are a candidate for the hand OF my
ward' says the professor slowly, so
slowly that it might suggest itself to
DISTINGUISHED listener that he has great
difficulty in speaking at all.
Yes says Hardinge, very dithdently.
He looks appealingly at the professor. l
know perfectly well she might do great
dead better" says he, with a modesty
chat sits very charmingly upon him.
but if it comes to choice between me
and your brother, II think | am the
better man. By Joye, Curzon, growing
hot, cts awfully rude of me, know,
but it is so hard to remember that he is
your brother"
But the professor does not seem offend
ed. He seems, indeed, so entirely unlna-
pressed by Hardinge's last remark, that
it may reasonably be supposed he hasn,
heard word of it.
''And she?" says he "Perpetua. Does
She He hesitates as if finding it i'm
possible to go on.
3OA! | don't know" says the younger
afntan with a rather rueful smile. Some
itfffnes | think she doesn't care for me
more than she does for the veriest
stranger amongst her acquaintance, and
sometimes expressive pause.
Eyes? Sometimesw
''She has seemed kind
Kind? How kind?'
'sWelI-friendly. More friendly than
he is to others, Last night she let me
~ out three wNltzes with her. and she
only sat out onAwith your brother
SIS it" askSthe professor, in Gull
emonotonous sort .of way--"Is it, am
.lch in yotr or her world, you
@it very marked thing for a
g. 70. siAout three waltzes with one
"Oh, no. Nothing very special. [
have known girls do it often, but she is
not like other girls, is she?'
The professor waves this question
aside.
J. keep to the point" says he.
''Well, she is the point, isn't she? And
look here, Curzon. why aren't you of our
1Eorld? 1t is your own fault surely;
when one sees yoqr~sist your brother
and-and this. with slight glance
round tAAsaIllll little apartment lone cam
not ahe5fssasandering why you"
Let that go by says the professor
az have explained it before. | delber-
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