Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-04-12
A LITTLE REBEL
By CITE DUCHESS. +"

and he said something about Hover
that You gave him"
Perpetua makes rapid movement to-
ward a side-table. takes a flower from
bouquet there, and throws it at the
professor There is no excuse TO be
made for her beyond the fact that her
heart feels breaking, and people with
broken hearts do strange things every
day.
II would give Il flower to anyone!'
Saws she in q quick ScOrnful fashion.
The professor catches the ungraciously
given gift. toys with it, and-keeps it.
rs that small action of his unseen!
Il hope" he says in a dull way, that
you are not angry with him because he
came first to me. 1t was sense of duty
4 know, / feel--comDelled him to do it,
together with his honest diftidence about
your affection for him. Do not let pride
stand in the way Of
NONSENSE says Perpetua, with
rapid movement of her hand. pride
has no part in it. | do not care for Mr..
Hardinge-I shall not marry him.
A little mist seems to gather before
the professors eyes. His glasses seem IN
the way, he drops them, and now stands
gazing at her as if disbelieving his
senses. In fact he does disbelieye in
them.
ward you may regret"
'Oh. nor' says she, shaking her head.
Mr. Hardinge will not be the one to
cause me regret"
Still, think"
Think! Do you imagine l have not
been thinkingi' cried she, with sudden
passion. do you imagine l do not
know why you plead his cause so elo-
quently? You want to get rid Of me.
You are tired of me. You always
thought me heartless-about my poor
father, overland unloving, and--hate-
full, and"
mot heartless; what have DONE Per
petua, that you should say thatW
Nothing. That is what | detest about
you. If you said outright what you
were thinking of me. [ could bear it bet
ter"
But my thoughts of you-they
are ---' He pauses. What are they!
hours, all seasons? ''They are always
kind says he, lamely, in low tone.
looking at the carpet. That downward
glance condemns him in her eyes-to her
it is but a token of his guilt toward her.
''They are not!' says she, with little
fessor jump. You think of me as a
cruel, wicked, worldly girl, who would
marry anyone to gain position"
Here her fury dies away. 1t is over
come by something stronger She trem-
bIes, pales, and finally bursts into pas
sion of tears that have no anger in them,
only an intense grief.
81 do not" says the professor, who
is trembling, too, but whose utterance is
firm Whatever my thoughts are, your
reading of them is entirely wrong"
well, at all events, you can't deny
one thing" says she, checking her sobs,
and gazing at him again with undying en-
nifty. ''You want to get rid Of me; you
are determined to marry me to someone,
SO as to get me out of your way. But
I shan't marry to please you! needn't,
either There is somebody else who
wants to marry me besides your-your
candidate!' with an indignant glance. Il
have had a letter from Sir Hastings this
afternoon. And rebelliously, Il
haven't answered it yet"
Then you shall answer it now, says
the professor. and you shall say MOI
Why? Because you order me?''
Partly because of that. Partly be-
cause trust to your own instincts to see
the wisdom of SO doing"
'Ah! you beg the question" says she,
''but I'm not so sure | shall obey you
s'Perpetua! Do not speak to me like
that, implore you, says the professor,
very pale. do you think | am not say
ing all this for your good? Sir Hastings
to explain myself, but he viii not make
you happy.
Happy! You think Of my happiness?'
''Of what else?' A strange yearning look
comes into his eyes. God knows 1t is
all think Of" says he.
''And SO you would marry me 10 Mr..
HardingeY'
"Hardinge is good man, and-he
loves you"
''If so, he is the only one on earth who
Does" cries the girl bitterly. She turns
abruptly away, and struggles with her,
self for moment, then looks back at
him. 'Well, l shall not marry him.
says she.
''That is in your own hands," says the
professor. "But I shall have something
to say about the other proposal you
speak Of"
brother" says she. Il tell you no, no,
mol A thousand times, no! The very
fact that he is your brother would pre-
vent me. To be your ward IS bad
enough, to be your sister-in-law would
be insufferable. For all the world l
would not be more to you than / am
now"
at is a wise decision says the profes-
Sor icily. He feels smitten to his very
hearts core. Had he ever dreamed Of a
nearer, dearer tie between them? If so,
the dream is broken now.
''DecisionY" stammers she.
''Not to marry my brother"
"Not to be more to you, you mean!'
You don't know what you are say
ing" says the professor, driven beyond
his self-control "You are mere child,
q baby, you speak at random"
"What?' cries she, flashing round at
him, will you deny that I have been a
trouble to you, that you would have
been thankful had you never heard my
nameT'
You are right" gravely. II deny
nothing. / wish with all my soul / had
never heard your name. l confess you
troubled me. L go beyond even that:
declare that you have been my undoing!
And now, let us make an end Of it.
am a poor man and a busy one this
task your father laid upon my shoulders
is too heavy for me. | shall resign my
guardianship; Gwendoline-Lady Barring
will accept the position. She likes you
and-you will find it hard to break her
hearth
DO you mean says the girl, that l
have broken yours? Yours? Have l