Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-11-09

~ Not hcr true SelI-her Dettcr sell, he
suggested gently.
Not according TO my tale. Well, tho
book went off fairly well for first ven
turo, but "a great critic dashed the heroine
mercilessy."
"You own the heroine was bad9" Tho
inquiry seemed forced from him, it was 50
sudden and vehement.
''Ycs, oh, yes. But the criticism hurt
her-the girl who wrote 1.-THE neurotic,
passionate girl-terribly She worried all
day over it; she lay awake at night aud
cried over 1T she--she"- Hor voice broke,
and she brushed away tear with su an
cry little sob.
"And SO she hated the critic"
"She hated the critic, or she thought
she did"
Thore was long silence.
did she take her revenge upon him
in your talc?" His tone was chilly with
! assumed indifference.
''She meant TO, butt
"1ell me"
"When she met him, she didn't know
that he was the critic"
And he fell in love with herr"
ale said so
ibid she like him-Agnes?" His fare
was still cold, but his voice was almost
fierce in its eagorness.
"In the story she did"
But when he told her that he was the
critic"
II didn't say that he told her
"But he did, didn't heY"
"Yes, in the story.
$50 she hated him?"
81 -es-not exactly-I don't know 4"
! Her hands kept opening and closing aim
lessly.
Anyhow she resolved upon revengeS"
"Yes, "A sort Of revenge.
90 sort of revengel" She shrank and
quivered at the scorn in his voice.
You should read the story" sho
pleaded
My God" he cried "do not know
mo, " she answered firmly, you do not
know it,
Then should like TO hear" But sho
/ knew that he had hardened his heart
"Wcl, she resolved to let him 20 on lik-
ing her.
"A sort Of rcvenqep
"She made herself as attractive AS she
could She wasn't very pretty, you know,
merely small, pale, big eyed -
"For God 5 sake" he cried terceiy ana
hoarsely
well, somehow she made him like her,
and ,he'--
Hated him all the timc?"
"No-o-not altogether-in the tale.
"Then he proposed TO herr"
"Yes; he proposed TO her"
"Lamely enough, but earnestly" There
was the rage Of Gagged animal underneath
his quiet voice.
"Oh, no. Not lamely at all, honestly
and manfully and lovingly. IIo was "a
splendid charactcr-in the tale. " Il was
strange that ho could not read the hero
worship in her tone.
But she thought he WASH e."
"No. Sho thought he was. She knew
he was D." She tied her handkerchief trem-
blingly in knots.
"Agnesl You are trying to play with
me- do not understand
NO." she said passionatoly, looking mp
at him with white, drawn face and quiy-
ering lips and eyes full of pain, you do
not understand. He did not understand.
Did she not refuse him: Did she not
tell him that the criticism had nearly
broken her heart? Did she not tell him
that she had resolved to take the bitteresr
revenge that q woman could rakey Did
she not tell him that she had studied his
books to find the ways that attracted him
most, to make him care for her? Did $50
not tell him that she had meant him 90
propose that she might refuse him? Did
Ghe not say that she wanted him to care
for her all the rest of his life?" He stood
up and towored over her like an accusing
angel.
yes" she said with sob. But
Butt There is no but to excuse such
conduct as that. "
"Ah but she had lot more TO say If ho
would have heard her. But he cursed her
and went away-in the tale.
Agnes" She sobbed uncontrollodly
behind her handkerchief. Agnes, for
mercy sake tell mo what would she have
told him if he had not gone. - ohe looked
up with tear stained face.
''Sho would have told him, she said
steadying her voice bravely and layins
her finger tips upon his arm, that he had
conquered her passion and her wicked
ness that she had found out how great
and strong and kind he was
"Agncs, little Agnes Would she havs
told him that she loved HIM"
"I-I-dont know, The-the tale
stops
but our tale, dcar?" There was some-
thing in his voice that was past describing
Then she looked up no him, with eye,
trimming over and whispered q word -
hrokonly that he could scarcely hoar BuJ
he took her in his arms and held her as
close as could be, and she tried TO nestle
closer.
"Oh Aggie Aggio," he cried Il ought
TO have knuwn--a woman : mercy
She lifted "A flushed, happy face and
threw pair Of slim, willful arms round
his neck. no, she whispered, my dear.
dear boy \ woman love y. A. Flynn
in IT. Louis Republic
|
BcnrdsIeS's death Of Picrrot."
The fact is noted of the lato Aubrey