The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-07-16


noon nt tcatiiDe.
"what 10 tho meaning OF these hero
glyphicsr' she inquired (The professor
wrote an oxecrable hnnd) Ho expinined,
reddening slightly, that they were "rules
for transiiterntion which no thought she
might find helpful"
"Tbcy will enable mo ~ correct my
speliing---myself, sce suppose you did
not read any further, Mr.. AlleyneS"
II left OF" returned tho professor, got
ting rcdder thnn before, Sin the middle OF
the chapter on the Ostysks. Will you take
toast or ton cakeS"
Maud was bitterly chnyripcd. Sho made
no secret of her modification To Mrs. st.
Julian, and that impulsiye young woman,
moved with Indignation, seized the first
opportunity Of finding herself alone with
her cousin 10 remark:
TED, how could you bo 40 bOrrid 10
that poor girl about her bookf'
II suppose you arc speaking Of Miss
Afiicck. gave her all tho assistance she
asked"
eyes, and refused 20 discuss the subject
any further. Let her performance BIC over
90 contemptible"-
II did not say IL was contsmptiblo."
"You might have condesccndcd to speak
done that you should snub her no unmer-
cifullyf II she were rival authority on
what do you call them Mongols, you
could hardly have treated her worse"
The professor was silent.
Tied! Do you consider her rival au-
thorityf"
"An authority My dear Laurai It's
impossible for any young woman OF Miss
Affieck's age to have more than the most
superficial acquaintance with such large
subject. But q novice occasionally STUN
bles by chance on a solution OF some Diff
Guilty that has been puzzle to experts"
"And that is what Maud has done.
understand. Forgive me for laughing,
but really this Is too funny"
II do not see-to use your friend Mr..
| Harding's favorite exprcseion-wheSe the
| fun comes In exactly, Laura. The labor
| Of two years rendered vain by girls ran
| dom guess, which 1t probably took her q
couple OF mornings to elaborated NUT
tered the poor professor, casting dignity
| to the winds In his irritation.
Mrs. st. Julian heroically stiHed her
amusement.
"There is only ono thing for 1t that
can think Of You two must marry, and
fuse your warning books into one"
"Laurap'
"why notY She is pretty and well bred.
Eventually she will come into good deal
| of money" ~
"If this Is intended for joke, Laura, {"
| the professor interposed severely, "excuse
| mo for saying that 1t Is an extremely bad
| one"
~ never was more serious In my life, :"
| his cousin protested. at would be an ad-
| mirable arrangement Do think about IL. :"
But this tho professor Indignantly de-
| clined to do.
| 1t was well for his pride that he showed
himself thus obdurate from the begin
| ming, for Miss Afileck's demeanor for the
! next few days made it plain that his think
/ ing-supposing be had weakly consented
! to take Laura's unscrupulous plan into
/ onsideration-would have been to no pur-
! pose. The ex-student of Girton, having
4 had quite enough OF learned society for the
1 present, proceeded to unbend her mind in
|, the company of Mr.. Norman Harding,
| who had by this time awakened to the
| charms Of her hair.
The professor often glanced at her across
| the table-Mrs. st. Julian no longer sent
them in TO dinner together-wondering
how any woman with mind could en-
dure the irresponsible prattle of that brain
less giant. Miss Af1lock endured it with
cheerful stoicism She exposed herself
voluntarily to the iniliction, accompany
ing the big man on rambles in search of
wild flowers and suffering him to give her
billiard lessons on rainy mornings.
BY the end of the week Alleyne had seri-
Gus thoughts Of going back to Oxford. He
made up his mind to this step on Monday
morning Mr.. Harding having shown him
self peculiarly inane and Miss Affleck
more than ordinarily tolerant of his in
anity on the preceding Sunday, as he
smoked his after breakfast pipe in the
shrubbery. And he had no sooner dono
so than sudden winding of the shrubbery
path brought him plump upon Miss Affleck
seated upon rustic bench. She had
writing board on her knee and pencil In
her hand.
"The books" inquired the professor,
with sickly smile.
which you wouldn't even deign to criti-
cise!'
Her garden hat was very becoming and
her blue cambria dress gave the utmost
"value' to her auburn locks.
~ didn't-feel confident" stammered
the professor.
"Was that why You wouldn't read itp"
"No."
Miss Affleck's expressive face was one
large note Of Interrogation.
"You wish to know why9 Well, 1t was
because found you too full of suggestion.
You put me upon new trains Of thought.
1t wouldn't have been fair to you-to 60
on reading"
"But-but should have been 20 glad
to be Of any use to you'll" she cried
The professor stiffened. "You arc very
good"
II wish, she murmured, "I knew VIII,
had done to offend you."
The professor looked ut her hard 70
perhaps half minute. Then he, too, too
scat on tho bench. "You have not Of
Tended mo at all, F" he said
How beautiful" Maud Affieck sighed
ten minutes later.
"What Is beautifulP The day9 Or your
hairf Or the dispensations Of Providence2
They arc all beautiful In different why's"
"Nonsensel was thinking that-that
yp xyon1H lot M holm No, h~ 4