The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-04-20

80. WnNteVef else Is uncertain.
On this one rock we will stand:
That the flag and the constitution
Denver News.
A DEUS EX MACHINA.
II don't like your riding about by your
self,' he said, gruff1y.
'Oh, indeed! I have been longing 50
| eagerly to have your opinion on the sub
ject, Notwithstanding that, as I haven't
asked for it, you might have inferred
| that it was a matter of indifference to
me. Thank you so much, now know.
You don't like it,
Her words pricked and CALLED him and
made him speak more gruftly still.
''You know it's wrong. You don't know,
though, what harm you might come to,
or who might meet you. There are
tramps, and-and all sorts of brutes."
Bears, for instance?" she asked, with
| pretty and tantalizing arching of her
eyebrows. Zone meets them in so many
other places, too, that have grown quite
accustomed to them. and now they really
don't brighten me Bit
You think that very clever and satir-
ical, no doubt" he said. But tell you,
you oughtn't to be riding about the coun-
~ he paused, feeling vaguely that he
was making weak climax-'it's not
proper
Dolly answered him with knocking
laugh.
''Of course, we ought to be worshipers
at the shrine of St. Grundy, but I'm not,
and just understand, pleasc," setting her
square, wellmodeled chin firmly and
flashing defiance at him from her bright
brown eyes, that l am going out by
myself as much as | like, and l shall
like to go oftener and farther than ever
for a long time to come, and whatever
your opinion about my conduct may be,
will you kindly keep it to yourself till
ask for it? Even second cousins may
abuse their privileges. Goodby.''
Second cousins! You know that I'm
But she had gone in and shut the gar
den gate between them. Dick loved the
pretty self-willed girl with all his heart
and at times he thought she cared more
than little for him. But at other times
he had doubts, haunting, torturing doubts.
Her contempt for conventionalities often
shocked, and her habit Of cycling about
IL
What he felt earnestly he was bound to
express earnestly, and as Dolly held pre-
sumption the worst of offenses and the
worst form of it an attempt to interfere
with~ her sovereign will and pleasure,
their: disagreements were many and al
ways ended in his utter discontinue. He
turned away now, sour and angry, while
convinced that his protest was wise, for
only month before the wears wife had
been waylaid by tramps on the Hayden
road and had only escaped by promptly
wheeling round and flying back at top
speed to the vicarage.
Dolly, holding her head very high, made
her way into the drawing room, thor
oughly vexed with herself aud all the
world besides and trying to grow firm in
the conviction that all the world besides
was wrong and she alone in the right.
Her mother, looking up, saw that some
TING tna;So, was as. the matter and discreetly
Back again, dearest she said with a
bright smile
"1'm going to Cumberlege tomorrow"
said Dolly, rushing at her fences. II
shall ride there and stay all night. Per
hap hapS ;, Molly will ride back with me next
"Going to Cumberlege! Why, my dear,
it's over sixty miles and you've never
been more than thirty"
But l can do sixty easily enough.
Don't be afraid about that" Dolly spoke
| little Grossly, for she herself was not
without misgivings as to her powers of
endurance.
But I'm sure it's too far; and then,
who's going with you?"
mo one. I'm going alone. l prefer
Her, mother strangled little scream of
| fear and then poured forth her Intellectual
protest.
Its not safe. You don't know what
may happen to you. l shall be in fever
of anxiety all day. Besides, what will
people say? I'm sure your cousin Dick
| Dolly gave little stamp of impotence
| I'm tired to death of my cousin Dick
and his old-fashioned ideas.
"Oh. Dolly, You shouldn't say SO. I'm
sure he's devoted to you. And / have
often wished, darling; indeed, I am al
But Dolly, blushing violently, came and
sat on her mothers knee, and stopped
her speech with kisses.
"You won't worry about me, will you
Because if you will, shan't go, and Eve
set my heart on going"
| 'My dear, I shall be in agonies all day
long; but you will 60. nevertheless, be
me-"
OF course, Dolly went. She started al
in the morning, taking some sand
witches with her. The sweet morning all
and delightful sense OF freedom ex
hllarated her, and her only anxiety was
lest she should be disappointed. OF he'
desire to meet some Of the tattling Cos
by announcing her intention OF journey
ing sixty miles by herself. Happily, the
prim Miss Iaberton was III her gardeI
as Dolly rode up,
Good morning, cried Dolly, cheerfui
~. wish me luck; I'm on Tor dread
fua long RIDE to Haydon;
But, surely not aione! cried MISS Ia
berton. T.
Alone, of course. You wouldn't have
me. 9 slave Of conventions. would YOU
No. independence for ever!
With a:Waye OF her hand wnich near